The Raven
Summary
Stanzas 1-4
Stanza 1
it is a dreary midnight evening. The narrator is falling asleep as he is reading. Suddenly someone knocks on his chamber door. He is startled awake an says that it is just someone knocking on his door
Stanza 2
The narrator gives us more information about the setting. It happened in December. The embers from the fire in the fireplace.
He is looking for relief(surcease) from his sorrow of his lost love, Lenore.
Stanza 3
The rustling of the purple curtains frighten the narrator so much that he keeps repeating to himself that it is just a visitor at his door.
Stanza 4
Finally the narrator gets the courage to answer the door. He begs the person to forgive him for not hearing their knocking at first because he was sleep.
However, when he opened his door, no one was there.
Stanzas 5-8
Stanza 5
The narrator looks down the dark hallway. He is a little frightenend by the fact that one one was at the door. He whispers, "Lenore." He wonders is it is the ghost of Lenore. He hears his echo of the name, "Lenore."
Stanza 6
The narrator goes back into his chamber. Then he hears louder tapping and realizes that it is at his window. He goes to the window, his heart beating fast as he goes to the window. He tells himself that it is just the wind.
Stanza 7
He opened the shutters of the window. A raven flies into the room and perches itself on the "bust of Pallas" which is above the chamber door.
Stanza 8
The narrator is relieved that it was only a bird that was the source of the rapping and tapping. This made the sad narrator smile. The narrartor asked tthe raven his name. The raven said, "Nevermore."
Stanzas 9-13
Stanza 9
The narrator is intrigued by this raven. He feels he that the word "Nevermore" did not mean anything Yet he found the bird interesting.
Stanza 10
The raven said only one word,"Nevermore." The narrator is worried that the bird will leave. It just says,"nevermore."
Stanza 11
The narrator is startled that this is the only word that the bird ways.
Stanza 12
The narrator, still intrigued by the bird, takes a cushioned chair and put it in front of the bird. He is wondering what the raven means by the word, "nevermore."
Stanza 13
The narrator kept staring at the bird while he is sitting in his velvet cushioned seat.
Stanza 14-18
Stanza 14
The narrator feels that the air is getting thicker. He thinks is may be a ghost or an angel. He starts thinking back to lost Lenore He wonders if God is giving him a sign to forget Lenore. The Raven says, "nevermore."
Stanza 15
The narrator speaks to the raven. He says whether he is the Tempter or and angel, tell him whether he will getting any relief from his sorrow. The raven replies, 'nevermore"
Stanza 16
The narrator is getting upset. He asks the raven if he will see Lenore again. The raven says, "nevermore."
Stanza 17
Now the narrator is screaming. He yells at the raven to leave him. The raven says, "nevermore."
Stanza 18
The raven is still sitting on the bust of Pallas above the chamber; torturing the narrator.