week 2 reading

Overview

• A grieving scholar laments his lost love, Lenore, on a bleak December night.

• He hears a tapping and eventually a Raven enters his chamber, perching on a bust of Pallas.

The Raven's Message

• The narrator asks the Raven its name; it croaks, "Nevermore."

• Initially, the narrator believes the bird learned the word from a former unhappy master.

Despair and "Nevermore"

• The narrator questions the Raven about forgetting his sorrow for Lenore and reuniting with her in the afterlife.

• To every question regarding solace or reunion, the Raven consistently replies, "Nevermore."

• This repetitive answer drives the narrator into deeper despair, confirming his eternal sorrow and separation from Lenore.

Conclusion

• The Raven remains perched above the door, its shadow symbolizing the narrator's inescapable grief.

• His soul, burdened by the loss of Lenore and the Raven's message, will "nevermore" be lifted from despair.