Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Literary Criticism of Poe's "The Raven"

"The Raven" might be the poem that made Edgar Allen Poe so famous. An intriguing work of art, it makes the reader have to think about the literal meanings and the figurative meanings in order for him or her to fully understand the overall meaning behind the poem.

According to Harold Bloom, "The Raven" is potentially one of "the most recognizable poems in American literature" (Bloom). Bloom praises the poem in his literary criticism, noting its captivating style that will pull readers in. One thing I think is really interesting in Bloom's criticism is his comparison of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" to other famous works of American literature. For example, he compares the line scheme of "The Raven" to another famous poem called "Lady Geraldine's Courtship." According to Bloom, Poe was a very big fan of the lady who wrote that poem, Elizabeth Barrett, and may have been influenced by her style when writing "The Raven" (Bloom). Another comparison I thought was really intriguing was the comparison between the raven in Poe's poem and other birds that have appeared in other well known poems. Apparently, also appearing in English Romantic poetry was an albatross, a nightingale, and a skylark (Bloom). Poe also may have been influenced by these appearances; the birds were usually very symbolic, and Poe may have found that he liked the idea of the birds. Another thing Bloom mentions that may have influenced Poe to include a raven in his story was the Bible. Bloom mentions the typical symbolance of a raven, saying it is often portrayed in the Bible as "a visitor from the dark external world and an emblem of the darkness of grief within the speaker's soul" (Bloom). I find this to be very interesting. Obviously, things people read, see, and hear about are very influential, but the thought that even worldly, famous poets such as Poe were influenced by other stories that came before them that may not stand out today is a thought I have never really considered in depth before. It puts things in a new perspective.

In his literary criticism, Bloom continues to analyze Edgar Allen Poe's poem, comparing certain settings and events to other poems. For example, Bloom wrote that the setting of the night in which the poem took place was very much like that of "In Drear-Nighted December" by Keats (Bloom). Again, I think it is interesting how alike many poems are and the fact that ideas have been used from other works of art.

While Bloom himself wrote in a tone that implied he enjoyed the poem, he also wrote that he understood that some people were not a fan of "The Raven." Some people, apparently, viewed it as demonic or extremely depressing (Bloom). I understand how this could be said after reading the poem myself. While I do not necessarily think that it is really a big deal whatsoever, the bird does possess qualities that could be viewed as demonic, such as the fact that he randomly showed up one night and would not leave, as if trying to show his power. The raven also did make the poem a bit upsetting; when asked about a one true love, the raven would just keep on repeating "never more," which gave the impression that the one true love would never return. The poem was definitely dark and dreary, but I think it gave off the impression Poe was trying to make. I agree with Bloom when he calls it "haunting." It was certainly a very haunting work of art.


Bloom, Harold, ed. "'The Raven'." Edgar Allan Poe, Bloom's Major Poets. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 1999. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMPEAP19&SingleRecord=True (accessed November 23, 2010).

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