The Raven Edgar Allen Poe?

Question

can someone help me put each stanza in simpler words like what its trying to say cuz i could only understand so lil so please

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow will he leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."'

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Answer 1

Analysis

My fist impression of “The Raven” is that it was just a good poem. It uses several literary elements to amplify the mood of the poem. As I read again I found a deeper meaning to the poem. The poem was not just about a man mourning over his recently decease lover, “Lenore”. I instead compared the situations between the main character in “The Raven” and Poe's own life events or tragedies. This poem is actually a reflection of Poe own loss, his wife. Everything he wrote about Lenore is exactly what he felt and thought about his own wife.

-by Chen

Stanza 1- 5

In the bleak December the speaker tiredly looking through some literature began to hear tapping on the chamber door, thinking of departed and radiant maiden named Lenore. Suddenly filled with terror the speaker never felt before, the speaker calmed down and gained the courage to see who was tapping on the chamber door, only to see darkness this and nothing more. Standing there wondering who was tapping on the chamber door, peering into the darkness he whispered the word “Lenore” merely this, and nothing more.

Stanza 6 – 8

The speaker began to hear tapping louder than before this time not on the chamber door but on the window. The speaker opened the shutter and in flew a raven that looked poorly in shape but had a stern decorum in expressing. Seeing the raven the speaker wondered if this bird was from the underworld, “Plutonian shore”.

Stanza 9 – 12

The speaker had a feeling he was the first to see this bird figured it would leave in the morning. However, the condition of the bird did intrigue the speaker, wondering the bird’s former master toured it. Still intrigue the speaker sat in front of the bird to examine and understand why the bird croaked “Never more”.

Stanza 13 – 16

Now engaged in the raven the air became denser and a perfume aroma came from no where and the speaker thought the raven could be Lenore. This couldn’t be Lenore the speaker thought, confused the speaker wondered is the raven bird or devil, sent by nature or cast from the Plutonian shore to spread horror in the speaker’s home, wanting to know where is the lovely maiden Lenore but never receiving an answer from the raven only to hear “Never more”.

Stanza 17 – 18

The speaker now wishing the raven go back to where ever it came from, the bird never moved and developed a heinous look in its eyes even demoniac and the speaker soul from out the shadow lifted off the floor.

“And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor shall be lifted- nevermore”

There came be many things interpreted from this ending depending on the person but my understanding is the speaker died metaphorically and went insane in a sense never feeling emotion again.

-by Jeffrey

In the first few stanza's of the poem " The Raven" By Edgar Allan Poe the speaker who is laying in bed on his way to sleep is awoken by a knocking on the door. He merely pushes it away as just the wind and continues to ponder of his lost love Lenore. The rustling of the curtains in the wind startles him so he continues to remind himself its just a visitor to keep himself calm. After mustering up enough courage the speaker confronts the person and tells them that he heard them knocking and when he opens the door he sees only darkness. The speaker closes the door and sits back down , when he sits he hears a tapping on the window. He brushes this aside as just the blowing wind.

The speaker opens the window and when he does he sees a raven sitting on the Pallas. While looking at the raven he begins to smile and the he asks the raven what is his name and the raven replies "never more". The speaker is marveled by this odd name, the raven implies no actions and it only utters the words "never more", he wonders why this is so and begins to conjure up ideas as to why he says this and only those selected words.

After playing with that idea for a while the speaker begins to think what exactly did he mean, so he sat back in his chair staring at the raving trying to decipher what he meant by never more but the raven sat there motionless, and this image captivated the speakers mind leaving him with no conclusion to his quest.

The speaker notes the air getting denser from some unseen space, the speaker hears footsteps on the floor and then he says that god has sent him angels from the memory of his Lenore, he asks for the memories of Lenore to be taken away by a ancient Greek drink that is supposed to erase memories, and the raven says to him "nothing more".

The speaker becomes angry with the bird because he believes he has come to bring him evil prophesies. He angrily shouts at the raven asking him why was his sent here but the raven only replies "never more". He continues to ask him and this time he asks if Lenore sent him, but the raven's reply continues to be the same. The speaker is now extremely upset and he begins to shout, telling someone who I believe to be Lenore, to leave him alone and take the raven with her. Leaving him in his loneliness and to stop knocking at his door. The raven continues to sit then the shadow of the speaker is now on the floor and his soul leaves his body, and he is the same nevermore.

Answer 2

Very very simply. Crows and ravens are associated with death. You have a grieving man facing the death of his lost Lenore. Often in the middle of the night is when people ponder the problems of the day. It's a time when no one intrudes and you have only your thoughts for company. It's this idea from where the saying comes about being able to sleep at night-that you have done the right thing. It's also the hardest time to deal with grief and the very loneliest time of the day.

Answer 3

The Simpsons had it as a Halloween episode. The poem itself additionally has a lot Shakespearean conversation. "raven poe artwork" in bing brings up a couple of well hyperlinks you could wish to assess. EDIT: Bob, you're the person!

Answer 4

Once upon a midnight dreary:
Once at midnight on a dreary night

While I pondered, weak and weary
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore:
While I sat reading old books and I was very tired

While I nodded, nearly napping:
I was almost falling asleep while I read

Suddenly there came a tapping:
um..suddenly I heard tapping :)

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door:
The tapping I heard was someone knocking at my door

" 'Tis some Visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door":
The tapping must just be someone coming to visit

"Only this and nothing more.":
The tapping is nothing to worry about


Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December:
I remember a time in bleak December

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor:
All the ash coming from the fire that would be warming the room turned white and fell to the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow:
I waited impatienlty for tomorrow

Vainly I had sought to borrow from my books surcease of sorrow:
I tried to read to forgot how sad I was

Sorrow for the lost Lenore:
I was sad because Lenore (a woman he loved) is gone.

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore:
Lenore was unique and beautiful, almost like she came from heaven

Nameless here for evermore:
Lenore will never be named here again

And the silken, sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain thrilled me-filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before:
The purple curtains were blowing in the wind and I was scared

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating " 'Tis some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door. This it is and nothing more":
I was scared so I just kept telling myself that the tapping was only a friend coming to visit.

Presently my sould grew stronger:
I calmed myself down and stopped being so afraid

Hesitating then no longer, "Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore. :
I wasn't scared anymore so I didn't hesitate, but said "Sir or Madam, Please forgive me"

But the fact is I was napping:
I was sleeping

and so gently you came rapping And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door That I scarce was sure I heard you:
and you knocked so quietly at my door that I wasn't even sure anyone was knocking.

Here I opened wide the door:
I opened the door.

Darkness there and nothing more:
When I opened the door, no one was there.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering fearing:
I stood there staring out the door, wondering what the noise had been and I was afraid.

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before:
I was imagining scary things

But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
I kept looking but nobody said anything

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
I heard the word "Lenore"

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!":
I must have just whispered Lenore's name without noticing and it echoed back at me.

Merely this and nothing more:
That was all it was.

Back into the chamber turning, All my sould within me burning:
I turned back into my room

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before:
The tapping started again and this time it was louder

"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice":
It sounds now like somebody's tapping on my window shutter

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore:
I'll go check to see what it could be

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore:
I'll go see what it is and try not to be so scared

" 'Tis the wind and nothing more!"
It's probably just the wind

Open her I flung the shutter:
I opened the shutter

When with many a flirt and flutter In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore:
When I opened the shutter, a raven flew in

Not the least obeisance made he:
The raven didn't acknowledge me

Not a minute stopped or stayed he:
He didn't stay by the window and look at me or hesitate

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door:
He just flew right in and landed above the door to my room.

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door:
He landed on a statue of the Greek godess Athena above my door.

Perched, and sat and nothing more:
He landed up there and just sat and didn't do anything else.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore:
Then the black bird looked so serious, even though I was sad I had to smile

`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven:
He said to the bird "You're definitely not a coward."

Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
"Tell me Raven, what's your name on this Dark night (Pluto was god of the underworld in Roman myth. So it's as dark as the underworld"

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.':
The Raven said "Nevermore":

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly:
I was shocked that the Raven spoke.

Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
Even though what it said didn't really mean anything.

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door:
Because this is really weird to have this bird above my door

Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door:
Nobody's ever had a bird or animal land on the statue over their door.

With such name as `Nevermore.'
Not one named "Nevermore"

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour:
The raven sat up on that statue and that was all he said and it seemed like he was telling me everything he felt when he said it.

Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered:
He didn't say anything else and he didn't move.

Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before. On the morrow will he leave me, as my hopes have flown before:
I said to myself that he'll leave tomorrow, just like everything I've wished for has left me.

Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'
Then the bird said, 'Nevermore.'

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken:
It was quiet so I was startled when he said it and I was startled that it made sense that time.

`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore:
He must have just learned the word "Nevermore" from his owner who was unhappy and kept saying the word over and over.

Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."':
Till he couldn't say anything else.

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door:
I was still able to smile at the bird and moved a chair in front of it.

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.':
I sat down and started thinking "What could this bird that's like an omen mean when it says "nevermore"".

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core:
I sat wondering but didn't say anything to the bird that was just staring at me.

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,:
I sat back, relaxing while I continued to think about it on the velvet chair.

But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
But she (Lenore will never sit on this velvet chair again.)

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer:
Then it seemed like the air grew thick

Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor:
like angels had come and were walking around.

`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
I yelled at the bird "God sent you!"

Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
So I could be distracted and not have to think about Lenore!

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
The raven said "Nevermore"

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!:
You've come to tell the future, but you're not from god, but maybe the devil.

Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore:
Whether you were sent by the devil or my own despair sent you here.

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!':
Tell me, is there a cure for my misery?

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
The Raven said "Nevermore".


`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
You see the future! whether you're just a bird or the devil

By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore:
By heaven and by god.

Tell this soul with sorrow laden:
Tell me, who is so upset

if, within the distant Aidenn,It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore:
if Lenore is in heaven

Tell me
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?:
again.

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
The raven said Nevermore.

`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting :
"Then Leave! Whether you're bird or devil" I yelled

`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
"Go back to hell where you came from"

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
"Don't even leave a feather. You've lied about Lenore.

Leave my loneliness unbroken!
Some distracting me from my sorrow

quit the bust above my door!
Get off the statue over my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!':
You've pierced my heart (not literally) so take it own and get down from above my door!

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
The raven said "Nevermore"

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
But the raven still didn't move and is STILL sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
On that statue of Athena above my door.

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And I can see the devil in his eyes

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And the light casts his shadow on the floor

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!
And he has my soul and it will never be lifted.


I hope this helps. I'm very tired I'm sure there are a million typos. This really is a great poem. Even if you're having trouble getting through some of the trickier parts, I hope you can at least appreciate how amazing all the meter (syllables in the lines) and rhyming is.