"The Raven" Analysis

Literal Meaning:
One night, as I was pondering life, nearly asleep, I heard something knocking on my door.
I thought to myself, "It must just be some visitor tapping on my door."
I remember the details of that December night very clearly.
I wished for tomorrow to come. I was reminded of Lenore, and I missed her.
I heard the curtains rustling, and I grew very excited and anxious. I called out to see who was there, but when I opened the door, no one was there.
I peered out into the darkness, but I saw nothing and heard nothing except for the echo of my own voice as I whispered, "Lenore."
I turned back into the room, upset, and then I heard the noise again.
I thought to myself, "There must be something hitting up against the window; it must be the wind. I'll go check it out."
I flung open the shutter, and there was a raven.
The bird just sat there, perched up upon my door.
I realized the bird was no ordinary raven, and I asked him what his name was.
The raven replied, "Nevermore."
I realized how rare it was to have this raven perched on my door, especially a raven with the name of Nevermore.
That word, "Nevermore," seemed to be the only thing the raven could say.
He sang the word very sadly.
I pulled up a seat in front of the door and sat there with the bird, trying to figure out why he kept repeating that word.
I sat there for some time trying to figure this out, when I finally caught on.
My thoughts came together.
I yelled at the bird, shouting that the Lord must have sent him to make me forget the memories of Lenore.
All the raven said was, "nevermore."
I accused the raved of being of a higher power, then asked if there was really balm in Gilead.
The raven said, "nevermore."
I then tried to find out if the raven, who had to be of a higher spirit, knew of Lenore.
The raven replied, "nevermore."
I shouted at the bird to leave and go back to his spiritual world, for he had given me no information.
I told him not to leave any remains behind.
I told him to go away.
I told him to make everything he had brought upon me here go away.
All he said in return was, "nevermore."
The bird did not leave; it is still perched there. My soul will never again be lifted.

Poetic Devices:
Poe uses many different poetic devices in this poem. He has a rhyme scheme; the pattern is ABABB. He also uses repetition; at the end of every line he either says, "nothing more," "ever more," or "Nevermore." Alliteration is used in the poem; for example, he says "doubting, dreaming dreams." Similes and metaphors are also used. One example of a simile is when Poe writes, "as if his soul in that one word he did outpour." Poe's use of poetic devices make the poem very much more dynamic; it gives more drama to the situation and allows for a clearer perspective.

Figurative Meaning:
Poe writes of a man that was affected very greatly by his love, Lenore. He thought about her and mourned over her loss all the time. When the man heard the tapping, he immediately thought of Lenore, and when he saw it was a raven that seemed to be spiritual and not of this world, he questioned it about his love, Lenore. The Raven did not answer his specific questions. Instead, the raven just kept repeating the word "Nevermore." The man grew upset and tried to make it leave, but the raven stayed perched on the man's door, repeating "nevermore" over and over. The man realized with a heavy heart that he would never again be with Lenore.