"
The Raven" is a
narrative poem by American writer
Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language and
supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a distraught lover who is paid a visit by a mysterious
raven that repeatedly
speaks a single word. The lover, often identified as a student, is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a
bust of
Pallas, the raven seems to further antagonize the protagonist with its repetition of the word "nevermore". The poem makes use of
folk,
mythological, religious, and
classical references.
