“The Raven” – Poe
Discussion Guide
Name: ____________________
Date/Pd.: _________________
Stanza 1 – The purpose for the discussion of this stanza is to begin developing a sense of
character, setting, and mood.
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the narrator doing in the opening stanza?
What does he hear?
What mood is conveyed in the stanza and what words lead you to that conclusion?
What time of day or night is it?
Stanza 2 – This stanza develops further characterization, setting, and mood, but also
provides an insight into the character’s internal conflict.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
What time of year is the setting for the event the narrator is going to relate?
What reason does the narrator give for reading?
Why might the narrator wish for the night to be over?
What words or phrases in this stanza further develop the dreary mood?
What does the narrator likely think about Lenore?
Why might the narrator say that Lenore would be “Nameless here forever more”?
What conflict is the narrator struggling with in this stanza?
Stanza 3 – This stanza further creates suspense by focusing on the narrator’s feeling of
terror.
1. If you ever have been home alone late at night and are suddenly startled, what thoughts
have gone through your mind? What physical reactions have you experienced?
2. What effect does Poe create with these lines: “And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of
each purple curtain / thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before”?
Stanza 4 – In this stanza, the narrator takes action and confronts his fear.
1. What words indicate that the narrator is overcoming his fear?
2. Through the closed door what excuse does he offer the visitor for not responding more
quickly?
3. When the narrator answers the door and no one is there, what might he think? How might
he feel? How would you feel?
Stanza 5 – This stanza continues to develop a mood of mystery and terror by reintroducing
Lenore.
1. Why might the narrator think that Lenore has rapped at his door?
2. How does the alliteration of the “d” sound I the words deep, darkness, doubting,
dreaming, dreams, dared, and dream reinforce the narrator’s actions so far?
3. So far each stanza has ended with the words more or evermore. What effect does this
repetition have?
4. Why might the narrator whisper Lenore’s name instead of calling out to her?
“The Raven” – Poe
Discussion Guide
Name: ____________________
Date/Pd.: _________________
Stanza 6 – The mystery of the rapping continues and the suspense builds in this stanza.
1. What do the phrases “all my soul within me burning” and “Let my heart be still a
moment” indicate about the narrator’s state of mind?
2. Instead of a visitor rapping at his door as he thought before, to what does the narrator
now attribute the tapping?
Stanza 7 – The visitor to the chamber is finally identified as a raven.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Do you think what is at the door is as frightening as the narrator expected?
What words indicate the Raven’s demeanor?
What do you know about ravens?
What is “Pallas?” (you might have to look it up…)
What might Poe have meant by having the raven sit on the bust of Pallas?
Stanza 8 – The stanza begins the dramatic monologue that continues throughout the
remaining of the poem, as the narrator attempts to interpret the raven’s presence or
meaning.
1.
2.
3.
4.
How does the narrator’s mood change in this stanza?
What is the meaning of the second line?
What conclusions does the narrator voice to the raven in lines 3 and 4?
Why do you think Poe has the raven repeat Nevermore?
Stanza 9 – In this stanza the narrator is again mystified by the strangeness of the raven’s
presence and ponders its meaning.
1. What does the narrator marvel at in this stanza?
2. What does the raven represent? What does Pallas represent?
3. Why does Poe repeat the image of the raven perched on the “sculptured bust” of Pallas?
Stanza 10 – The narrator continues pondering the bird’s presence and begins to
contemplate its departure.
1. When a person “pours out his soul,” what is he doing?
2. What do the first two lines mean?
3. In the last three lines, the narrator mutters that his other friends have flown before. What
could this mean?
Stanza 11 – The narrator rationalizes the repetition of the bird’s single word,
“Nevermore.”
1. Why might the narrator have personified Hope and Disaster?
2. What is a dirge? How might the word dirge reflect what is happening in the narrator’s
mind?
3. Why is it so important to the narrator to decipher the meaning of the raven’s utterance?
“The Raven” – Poe
Discussion Guide
Name: ____________________
Date/Pd.: _________________
Stanza 12 – The narrator continues contemplating the meaning of the bird’s presence and
utterance.
1. What is the narrator’s mood at this point? How is it different from his initial mood when
encountering the bird?
2. What are the alliterative words in this stanza? Why might the poet have chosen those
words?
3. Juxtaposed to the harsh croaking sound of the raven’s voice are the soft, tactile
descriptions associated with the narrator’s surroundings. What creates this image?
Stanza 13 – Sitting on a cushioned seat, the narrator engages his mind in “divining” the
meaning of the raven’s word.
1. While the narrator is pondering or divining, what is the raven doing?
2. What suggests the narrator is becoming more relaxed?
3. The word gloating has several meanings. What might Poe have meant by choosing this
word?
4. Who is the she referred to in the last line?
5. What might the narrator be thinking as he reclines, watching the raven?
6. Does this realization make him happy or sad?
Stanza 14 – The narrator, now apparently overcome with loneliness and sorrow, cries for a
potion that will alleviate his misery and allow him to forget Lenore.
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the narrator’s mood? How is it different from the mood in the last few stanzas?
What caused this change of mood?
Whom is the narrator calling a “wretch”?
Why did the raven respond to this outburst with “Nevermore”?
Stanza 15 – The attitude of the narrator changes from one of inquisitiveness and wonder
about the raven to one of impatience and disdain.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why would the narrator call the raven a prophet?
What other names does the narrator give the bird?
Why might Poe have personified the abstract ideas of horror and tempter?
What is the relationship between “nepenthe” and “balm in Gilead”?
Stanza 16 – The narrator continues his interrogation of the raven, demanding to know if he
will ever hold Lenore in heaven.
1. How is this stanza similar to the previous?
2. What does the narrator want to know from the raven? How might he feel after hearing the
raven’s answer?
“The Raven” – Poe
Discussion Guide
Name: ____________________
Date/Pd.: _________________
Stanza 17 – Anger is the overriding emotion in this stanza. The narrator demands that the
bird leave his chamber.
1. Contrast this stanza to stanza 10, where the narrator laments that the bird will leave him,
just like his friends and hopes.
2. If the bird represents a bad omen and the bust of Pallas represents reason, what
conclusion can be drawn about what the narrator is asking?
Stanza 18 – The poem ends with a sense of eternal hopelessness for the narrator. He is
destined to live in the shadow of the dark feelings the raven represents.
1. What does the effect of the repetition of “still is sitting” have?
2. Explain the meaning of the last two lines.
3. One of Poe’s poetic principles was unity. Does this poem reflect the importance he
placed on unity? Explain.