Analysis of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe :: essays research papers

?The Raven? by Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe?s ?The Raven? is a dark reflection on confounded love, death, and loss of hope. The poem examines the emotions of a young man who has lost his sports fan to death and who tries unsuccessfully to distract himself from his tribulation through books. Books, however, prove to be of little help, as his night becomes a nightmare and his solitude is tattered by a single visitor, the raven. Through this poem, Poe uses symbolism, imagery and tone, as healthful as a variety of poetical agents to enforce his theme of sadness and death of the one he loves. Within the poem Poe divides the characters and imagery into devil conflicting aspects of wake and dark. Almost everything in the poem reflects one conception or the other. For example, Lenore, who is repeatedly described as ?radiant? epitomizes the world of roost along with the angels she has joined. Another image of light would be the lamplight the character uses to light his chamber , his refuge from the darkness of the outside. However, The Raven, as well as the dreary declination night shows signs of darkness. These images of light and darkness go even further to make up life and death, the man?s hope of an afterlife with Lenore and his fear of everlasting(a) loneliness. The poem consists of an undeniable narrative structure. Told from the third person, Poe also uses symbolism to occasion a strong melancholy tone. For instance, both midnight and December symbolize an complete of something and the hope of something new to happen. Another example is the chamber in which the vote counter is placed, this is employ to show the loneliness of the man. Along with imagery and symbolism, Poe incorporates many poetic elements to express his feeling. These include assonance, alliteration, and rhyme. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. For example ?For the zip and radiant maiden, whom the angels name Lenore.? This repeats the vowel sound of ?a?. Poe also used a lot of alliteration. For example, ?Doubting fancying dreams no mortal level, dared to dream before?. Notice the repetition of the ?d? sound. One last element used in ?The Raven? is rhyme.