Edgar A. Poe. Summary of "The Raven"

Transcription

1 Edgar A. Poe Born in 1809, in Boston, Mass., on January the 19th ~Died in 1849 ~Orphaned within the first two years of his life-parents died within three months of each other ~After parent's death, he was taken in by a family in Richmond, the Allens, though never actually adopted. He was later disowned by them ~Entered University of Virginia in 1826 ~Married his cousin, Virginia, in 1836 ~Virginia died of tuberculosis in 1847 ~Poe died two years after her, on October 7th, 1849 Summary of "The Raven" Here I offer paraphrasing on each stanza of Poe's poem "The Raven" to make it a little easier to understand and grasp. I hope you find these pages helpful. Stanza 1: 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 someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door "'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door- Only this, and nothing more." Paraphrased Stanza 1: Once one gloomy night, while I, tired, looked over Many old legends, both fairytale-like and mysterious I almost had dozed off when I suddenly heard a tapping Almost like someone gently rapping, rapping on the door of my room "It's a visitor," I said to myself, "knocking on my door- That's all it is, and nothing more than that."

2 Stanza 2: 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 book surcease of soorw- sorrow for the lost Lenore- For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore- Nameless here for evermore. Paraphrased Stanza 2: I remember quite clearly, it was in the dreary December, And a faint glow from the dying fire was cast upon the floor. I wished tomorrow would come- with no result I had tried to find In my books an escape from my sorrow- the sorrow I felt for my lost Lenonefor the beautiful, one-of-a-kind girl the angels called Lenore- She no longer lived on this earth. Stanza 3: 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." Paraphrased Stanza 3: And the soft rustling of each purple curtain Made me nervous- filled me with strange fears I'd never felt before So that, in order to calm myself, I repeated to myself "It's just a visitor asking to come in my door- Just a late visitor asking to come in;- That's all it is; nothing more." Stanza 4: 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 dorr,

3 That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door;- Darkness there, and nothing more. Paraphrased Stanza 4: Eventually, I grew braver and did no longer hesitate to speak "Whoever you are," I said, "I beg your forgiveness; You see, I was napping and you rapped on my door so gently, Tapped on my door so faintly That I wasn't even sure I had actually heard you"- at this point I opened the door;- There was nothing there except the darkness of the night. Stanza 5: Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness 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. Paraphrased Stanza 5: I looked deep into the dark night for a long time, dismayed and afraid, Unsure, thinking of things which no other person would ever dare to think of; But it was completely silent, and completely still, And the only thing that was heard was whispered; the word "Lenore!" But I whispered this, and heard it come back to me on an echo, "Lenore!"- Only that, and nothing more than that. Stanza 6: 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."

4 Paraphrased Stanza 6: I turned and went back into my room, feeling a little bit shaken, Soon I heard the tapping again, same as before, except a bit louder "It has to be," I said, "something at my window: I'll go see, then, what is there, and find the answer to this mystery- Calm myself down, and find the answer to this mystery;- It's probably just the wind and nothing more. Stanza 7: 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. Paraphrased Stanza 7: At this point, I flung open the shutter, and with a lot of motion, A grand raven stepped inside, like something from an old tale; He didn't show the slightest bit of respect; he didn't pause at all; But with the bearing of a lord or a lady, he perched above the door- Perched uopn a bust of Pallas just above my door- Perched, sat, and did nothing more. Stanza 8: Then the 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!" Paraphrased Stanza 8: Then the black bird turned my expression from one of sadness to a smile Simply by the grave and stern mannerism of the face it wore, "Though your brow is cut short and shaved, you, "I said, "are definitely not afraid, Frighteningly grim and ancient Raven, coming from the shores of darkness-

5 Tell me what you are called in dark Hades!" The Raven said, "Nevermore." Stanza 9: 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 blest with seeing bird above his chamber door- Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door, With such name as "Nevermore." Paraphrased Stanza 9: I wondered in amazement at this ugly bird being able to make conversation so plainly, Although its answer had almost no meaning and was irrelevant; For we must agree that no living human being Was able to see a bird perched above his door; Bird or beast sitting on the statue above his door, With a name like "Nevermore." Stanza 10: But the Raven, sitting lonely on that placid bust, spoke only That one word, as if its soul in that one word he did outpour Nothing farther then he uttered; not a feather then he fluttered- Till I scarcely more than muttered: "Other friends have flown before- On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before." Then the bird said "Nevermore." Paraphrased Stanza 10: But the Raven, sitting alone on that quiet statue, said only The one word, as if it had poured out his soul in that one word He didn't say anything else; he didn't move a single feather; Till I said, in barely more than a mutter, "Other friends of mine have flown away before; Tomorrow, he'll leave me, just as all my Hopes have flown away before this." Then the bird said, "Nevermore".

6 Stanza 11: 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.'" Paraphrased Stanza 11: I was so startled by the word breaking through the silence with such precision that I said, "what it says is probably the only thing it can say, He picked it up from some unhappy owner who was Hounded constantly by disaster after disaster, until everything he said reflected his unhappiness; Till the sad songs of his lost Hope sang only Of 'Never--nevermore.'" Stanza 12: 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, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore Meant in croaking "Nevermore." Paraphrased Stanza 12: But the Raven, still making my sad soul to smile, I wheeled a cushioned chair in front of the bird and the statue and the door; The, sitting down on the velvet seat, I began to connect Idea with idea, thinking of what this gloomy bird of olden times; What this grim, ungraceful, frightening, think, and gloomy bird of yore Meant when he said "Nevermore."

7 Stanza 13: 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! Paraphrased Stanza 13: I sat, occupied with guessing, but without saying anything To the bird whose fiery eyes now burned, it seemed, deep into my heart; This and more I deduced while I sat, with my head leaning back in comfort On the velvet lining of the chair that the light from my lamp shone over But whose velvet lining with lamp-light shining over it She shall press, ah, nevermore! Stanza 14: 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 hath sent thee Respite--respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore! Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!" Paraphrased Stanza 14: Then, I thought, the air seemed to grow more thick, perfumed by burning incense I couldn't see Sent moving throughout the room by Seraphim, the highest of the Angels, whose footsteps tinkled on the carpeted floor. "Cruel one," I cried, "your God has sent you, by these angels he has sent you Let up- let up and forget your memories of Lenore! Drink, oh, drink this kind potion of forgetfulness and forget dead Lenore!" The Raven said only, "Nevermore."

8 Stanza 15: "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!" Paraphrased Stanza 15: "Prophet!" i said, "thing of evil- but still a prophet, whether you be a bird or a devil!- Whether Satan sent you, or whether you were tossed ashore here by a storm, Unhopeful yet not afraid, on this enchanted place- On this home haunted by horror- tell me the truth I beg of you!" Is there- is there healing in heaven?- tell me- tell me, I beg of you!" The Raven said only, "Nevermore." Stanza 16: 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 mean Lenore- Clasp a rare and radiant whom the angels name Lenore." Paraphrased Stanza 16: Prophet!" i said, "thing of evil- but still a prophet whether you ba a bird or a devil!- By Heaven that is above us- by the god we both worship- Tell my sorrow-laden soul if, within that farawy paradise, There dwells a pure maiden whom the angels call Lenore- Dwells a rare, and beautiful maiden whom the angels call Lenore." The Raven said only, "Nevermore." Stanza 17: "Be that word our sign in 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!

9 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!" Paraphrased Stanza 17: "Let that word be our sign of farewell, bird or demon, whichever you are," I shrieked, getting up- "Go back to the storm and to the shores of Hades! Leave no black feather as a sign of the lie you have told me! Let me stay lonely!- Leave the statue above my door! Take your beak out of my heart, and take yourself off of my door!" Stanza 18: 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 lamplight 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! Paraphrased Stanza 18: and the Raven, never moving, is still sitting On the serene statue of Pallas just above my door; and his eyes seem like those of a demon And the lamplight that streams over him casts his shadown on the floor; And for the rest of my life, my soul will be trapped under the shadow which flickers across the floor.