![Book Cover of The Raven](/image/book/the-raven.webp)
The Raven
'The Raven' Summary
The poem is made up of 18 stanzas of six lines each. Generally, the meter is trochaic octameter – eight trochaic feet per line, each foot having one stressed syllable followed by one unstressed syllable.
Poe, however, claimed the poem was a combination of octameter acatalectic, heptameter catalectic, and tetrameter catalectic. The poem also makes heavy use of alliteration ("Doubting, dreaming dreams ..."). 20th-century American poet Daniel Hoffman suggested that the poem's structure and meter is so formulaic that it is artificial, though its mesmeric quality overrides that.
Poe based the structure of "The Raven" on the complicated rhyme and rhythm of Elizabeth Barrett's poem "Lady Geraldine's Courtship". Poe had reviewed Barrett's work in the January 1845 issue of the Broadway Journal and said that "her poetic inspiration is the highest – we can conceive of nothing more august. Her sense of Art is pure in itself." As is typical with Poe, his review also criticizes her lack of originality and what he considers the repetitive nature of some of her poetry. About "Lady Geraldine's Courtship", he said "I have never read a poem combining so much of the fiercest passion with so much of the most delicate imagination."
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1845Author
![Edgar Allan Poe image](/thumbs/image/author/edgar-allan-poe.webp)
Edgar Allan Poe
United States
Poe and his works influenced literature around the world, as well as specialized fields such as cosmology and cryptography. He and his work appear throughout popular culture in literature, music, film...
More on Edgar Allan PoeDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
![The Temple Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-temple.webp)
The Temple by George Herbert
In The Temple, a collection of poems written in the early 17th century, George Herbert weaves together intricate verses that explore the depths of fai...
![Tithonus Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/tithonus.webp)
Tithonus by Lord Alfred Tennyson
In the realm of Greek mythology, Tithonus, the Trojan prince, is granted the gift of immortality by his beloved goddess, Eos. However, in a cruel twis...
![Any Woman To A Soldier Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/any-woman-to-a-soldier.webp)
Any Woman To A Soldier by Grace Ellery Channing
Amidst the clamor of war and the heart-wrenching farewells, Grace Ellery Channing's "Any Woman to a Soldier" stands as a poignant testament to love's...
![Amoretti and Epithalamion Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/amoretti-and-epithalamion.webp)
Amoretti and Epithalamion by Edmund Spenser
This is a captivating collection of sonnets and a longer lyrical poem that explores the depths of love and devotion. Written by the renowned English p...
![Etiquette Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/etiquette.webp)
Etiquette by W. S. Gilbert
Amidst Victorian airs and poised façades, "Etiquette" unfurls a tale where honesty invades. Lord Lavender, a mirthful disruptor of norms, shatters dec...
![The Botanic Garden, a Poem in Two Parts. Part 1 Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-botanic-garden-a-poem-in-two-parts-part-1.webp)
The Botanic Garden, a Poem in Two Parts. Part 1 by Erasmus Darwin
Step into a realm where science and poetry entwine, where nature's secrets unfurl in mesmerizing verses. "The Botanic Garden, a Poem in Two Parts. Par...
![India's Love Lyrics Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/indias-love-lyrics.webp)
India's Love Lyrics by Laurence Hope
Prepare to embark on a mesmerizing journey through the poetic heart of India with Laurence Hope's timeless classic, India's Love Lyrics. With an air o...
![From The Temple Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/from-the-temple.webp)
From The Temple by George Herbert
Herbert's poetry is on the surface about God, religion, devotion and other mind-numbing (to me) generalities. However, these doctrinal MacGuffins are...
![Selection From Many Voices Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/selection-from-many-voices.webp)
Selection From Many Voices by Edith Nesbit
This book of poems has many elements which would appeal to children but there’s also some exploration of her feelings of love, lust and longing which...
![Endymion Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/endymion.webp)
Endymion by John Keats
In "Endymion," John Keats crafts an epic poem that transports readers to a realm of enchantment and explores the depths of human desire. The story re...
Reviews for The Raven
No reviews posted or approved, yet...