The Raven BY EDGAR ALLAN POE

he finds no one there but only hears "the silence unbroken, and the stillness gave no token." He then notices an old raven perched atop a bust of Pallas and begins to converse with it. Although initially startled by its presence, he soon starts to take comfort in the bird’s mysterious words: “Nevermore.” Asking questions of this strange creature in order to find solace from his grief-stricken state, each time he receives only one reply – “nevermore” – until eventually succumbing to despair as all hope for finding peace fades away. In this way Poe paints a vivid picture of human suffering caused by overpowering grief that can never be alleviated or forgotten. The persona in "The Raven" is an unnamed narrator who is struggling with grief after losing his beloved Lenore; however we do not know much about him other than what we learn through his dialogue with the bird itself (i.e., that he was once happy until Lenore's death). He appears to be someone deeply familiar with literature as evidenced by lines such as "Ah distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December" which recall Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's work "A Psalm Of Life". Despite knowing so little about him we are able to feel sympathy towards him due to our understanding of how debilitating grief can be and how futile attempts at seeking solace often are. Overall, Poe uses elements such as personification (of both sorrow & nature) and imagery (in particular darkness) throughout “The Raven” in order craft a story that speaks directly into our own experiences with loss and deep sadness which linger long after loved ones have gone - providing us both comfort and cautionary tale alike. This timeless poem serves as an ever-present reminder that pain does not discriminate but rather creeps up on us unexpectedly - regardless if rich or poor - making sure we never forget those who have left us behind yet still remain close within our hearts forever more