The Raven

By Edgar Allan Poe

The Raven is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student, is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word "Nevermore". The poem makes use of a number of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references. Poe claimed to have written the poem very logically and methodically, intending to create a poem that would appeal to both critical and popular tastes, as he explained in his 1846 follow-up essay, "The Philosophy of Composition". The poem was inspired in part by a talking raven in the novel Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty by Charles Dickens. Poe borrows the complex rhythm and meter of Elizabeth Barrett's poem "Lady Geraldine's Courtship", and makes use of internal rhyme as well as alliteration throughout. "The Raven" was first attributed to Poe in print in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845. Its publication made Poe widely popular in his lifetime, although it did not bring him much financial success. The poem was soon reprinted, parodied, and illustrated. Critical opinion is divided as to the poem's literary status, but it nevertheless remains one of the most famous poems ever written.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sheba Blake Publishing
• Release date: May 19, 2017
• ISBN: 9783961898664

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer, poet, and critic.  Best known for his macabre prose work, including the short story “The Tell-Tale Heart,” his writing has influenced literature in the United States and around the world.

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Reviews for The Raven

[avoraciousreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5*Book source ~ Free onlineEdgar Allan Poe’s celebrated poem available and narrated by Christopher Walken.It’s Edgar Allan Poe and Christopher Walken. How bad can it be? As it turns out, not bad at all. There were a few times the background noise was distracting (the guitars for instance), but overall this was wonderful.

[jami_leigh · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Getting a head start, reading some of the shorter works to dispel the boredom in reading through Grimm.

[26kathryn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Raven is a classic poem that I expect everyone has heard of. Imagine how you'd feel if you heard a knock at your door, only there was nobody there. Then you hear it again and so you open the window, only to have a raven fly in and perch itself above your door. It then just sits there looking at you and croaking "Nevermore". That's what happens in this poem and it's really very haunting.I loved the way the words flowed so easily in this poem. It almost sounds like a song.

[dedede-36 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

awsome poetry

[js126863 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Raven is a narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe. The poem tells a story about a talking raven that mysteriously visits a man in the night. The man is mourning the lose of his love, Lenore. The raven seems to make this man who is suffering suffer even more by telling him "nevermore". The main theme of this poem is undying devotion. The man starts out being "weak and weary" and ends with him turning into a mad man. I absolutely love this poem. It is a tragic poem about the lose of a loved one. After the poem, the kids could tell you what they think the poems meaning is.

[clq_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've read The Raven a few times in the past, but never "properly". Because of the reputation this poem has, I hoped that this was why I didn't appreciate it as much as it seems I should have.I decided to finally sit down and read through it a few times slowly, and think about it properly.And yes, it does get better with repetition, and yes, it is worth spending some time thinking about. Rather than wondering why people really like The Raven, I now really like it myself. I still don't find it exceptional, but it's definitely a thoughtful, emotional piece of writing that I think is not only worth reading, but also worth re-reading and thinking about.

[jimocracy · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I'm sure this story is chocked full of symbolism and meaning but I didn't see it.

[bdtrump · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A must read for anyone - Poe's genius at play.

[lquilter_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Still creepy! And memorable to my 6yo who was quoting it weeks later. As chance would have it, I was in Charleston a month later, and hearing the ghost story about the little girl who was the "lost love" object of this poem, Poe then being in his 20s and the girl being 12 or 13 when he surreptitiously courted her.

[angelajmaher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Raven is a legendary poem, but within the other poems included are more words that will ring with great familiarity. Beautifully flowing poetry from an iconic author.

[scottcholstad · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very high quality work from Poe. Possibly among the best work produced by American writers...