The Raven is a narrative poem that is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, who is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore, tracing the man's slow fall into madness. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word "Nevermore".
The Raven is meant to symbolize the mournful and never-ending remembrance of Lenore. It serves as a fragment of the narrator's soul and represents his subconscious that instinctively understands his need to mourn. The ebony bird actively stimulates his thoughts of Lenore and eventually makes him realize that he will never meet his Lenore, not even in paradise. Hence, it also seems to be an aesthetic representation of his fears.
"The Raven" introduces the menacing black bird as a symbol of tragedy and life's loses. The dark mood of the poem is set by placing the narrator in a gloomy & lonely chamber in the bleak and cold month of December with dying amber in the fireplace turning in to ashes.
"The Raven" introduces the menacing black bird as a symbol of tragedy and life's loses. The dark mood of the poem is set by placing the narrator in a gloomy & lonely chamber in the bleak and cold month of December with dying amber in the fireplace turning in to ashes.

To distract himself from the painful memories of Lenore, the narrator seeks refuge in a book of ancient stories but suddenly hears a tapping on his chamber door.

Opening the door after a short while, he finds none but darkness. He stood there for a long time dreaming of his beloved and called out her name only to hear the echo back. Later however, when he hears a louder knock on the window, he opens the window shutter and discovers a black raven bird which flies into his room, fluttering its wings with the air of a Lord, and parches on the statue of bust of Pallas, the goddess of wisdom, kept above his chamber door.

Amused by the Raven's shaven crest & its comically serious disposition, the narrator demanded to know its name. Its answer- "Nevermore" surprised him but shortly led him into sad contemplation that the raven will soon fly out of his life, just as his hope & his other friends have flown before. As if answering, the raven responds again with an unexpected relevance-"Nevermore". To this, the narrator reasoned that the bird might have learned the word that seemed to synchronize with his situation, from some 'unhappy master' and that; it was the only phrase it knew.

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