Comprehension Questions for “The Raven”

1. List three verbs that show what the poem’s narrator is doing in the first stanza.
- The three verbs that the narrators enacted are pondered, nodded and
muttered.

2. The narrator of the poem is sad because his lost love is dead. What is her name
and how does he try to escape his sorrow?
- The narrator’s lost love was Lenore. He tries to cope in with his sorrow by
reading ancient traditional book.

3. What fills the narrator’s heart with terror in stanza 3?

- The silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain as an
unwelcome visitor trying to enter to his house at midnight.

4. What does the narrator see when he first opens the chamber door (stanza 4)?
- He sees only nothing but darkness.

5. In stanza 7, the raven flies into the narrator’s chamber. Where does the raven
perch?
- Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above the chamber door.

6. What is the first question the narrator asks the raven (stanza 8)?
- “Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!” (or
simply 'what is your name?').

7. What is the raven’s only answer to the narrator’s questions?

- The raven answers the narrator's question only “nevermore”.

8. In stanza 12, the narrator sits down in front of the raven. What is the narrator
thinking as he looks at the bird?
- As the narrator is sitting on the chair, he's thinking what does the
word nevermore mean by the bird.
9. As the poem progresses, the narrator becomes more and more furious with the
raven. Why does he become so angry?
- The narrator becomes more furious because the raven cannot give a
decent answer to him like are Lenore and him will be reunited again?
But the bird only answers nevermore.
-
10. Where is the raven at the end of the poem (stanza 18)? What does the raven’s
presence tell the reader about the narrator’s grief?
- The raven still sits on the pallid bust of Pallas. The presence of the
raven signifies the truth that even how much tears does the narrator
shed, it will not bring back the life of their loved ones.

Literary Questions

11. Edgar Allan Poe is famous for using symbolism in his stories and poetry. How
could the raven be a symbol in this poem? What clues does Poe give you to
imply that the raven is a symbol rather than a literal creature?
- Symbolism is a way of the authors to give more excitement to
readers. In Poe's “The Raven”, the bird symbolizes The bird’s
symbolizes death; hence, death becomes a constant reminder, an
imperious intruder. We do not know when death will come, all we
know is that all of us will pass through that.

12. Poe is also famous for using allusions in his writing. Use your glossary of literary
terms to define allusion. Then find and write down two examples from “The
Raven.” Next to each example you provide, write down the type of allusion it is
(literary, mythological, biblical, etc.).
- Gilead: Gilead is a region in Jordan, famed in the Bible for producing
botanical medicines. The “balm in Gilead” has become a common
metaphor for a universal cure.
- Aidenn:  “Aidenn” is a poetic spelling of Eden, which in the context
of “The Raven” represents the narrator’s desire to return to a state of
innocence.
 13. How would you describe the atmosphere created by the setting? Which images
in the beginning of the poem create this atmosphere?
- The atmosphere of the poem was so dark. It is full of sorrows,
regrets, heartache and tears. On the first and second stanza, it
shows how tragic his life now without Lenore.

Who among the characters in the poem are the:

ID
the narrator
- he is eager to see his lover Lenore. Despite having all knowledge that it will
never happens, still he will do everything for Lenore.

EGO
Lenore
-signifies the reality that she is gone wherein people will come forth unto death.

SUPEREGO
the raven
-it is in this category because it speaks about how much hard we do to bring back
to life someone, it will not happen. All we have to do is to move on and continue our
journey.