Edgar Allen Poe, though documented as a troubled man, was a brilliant writer. He held his own sense of direction when it came to writing, as expressed in his essay, "The Philosophy of Composition", "My first object (as usual) was originality" (Poe 725). His poem "The Raven" verifies this statement for it has an original tale interwoven with and ancient theme, death of a lover. Yet he takes this simple theme and superimposes the Gothic style to carry a truly original story to the readers. The simple themes that has been retold countless times in every genre throughout innumerable generations across the world, now has been reformed to reflect the Gothic traditions by adding the mystery of death holding sway over the living while creating a type
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Poe seemed particularly obsesses with the refrain of "The Raven" that while the meaning of the world remains vastly unchanging, the shifting perspective of the narrator interprets the world differently throughout the poem; hinting at a deeper meaning behind the innocuous phrase, "Quoth the raven "Nevermore" (640). Poe mentions that "the sound of the refrain being thus determined, it became necessary to select a word embodying this sound, and at the same time in the fullest possible keeping with that melancholy which I had predetermined as the tone of the poem" (723). It was this mindful intent behind the chosen world that allowed the subtly growing madness caused by the grief of his lover's death to be exposed through the reaction of the narrator to the repeated phrase. He is asking questions to this mysterious bird to help in dealing with his grief, but when is he is unable to find any real answers he falls into slowly into madness. Just like any person when they lose a loved one they reach out for any hint as to what had happened to their beloved after their death. However instead of any answers he receives a Raven that only increases his grief and frustration, while each time the Raven says, "Nevermore" (640) a little of the narrator's mind slips away eventually dooming his own soul to never reach heaven because of his grief weighing down his soul. The entire poem is
Poe seemed particularly obsesses with the refrain of "The Raven" that while the meaning of the world remains vastly unchanging, the shifting perspective of the narrator interprets the world differently throughout the poem; hinting at a deeper meaning behind the innocuous phrase, "Quoth the raven "Nevermore" (640). Poe mentions that "the sound of the refrain being thus determined, it became necessary to select a word embodying this sound, and at the same time in the fullest possible keeping with that melancholy which I had predetermined as the tone of the poem" (723). It was this mindful intent behind the chosen world that allowed the subtly growing madness caused by the grief of his lover's death to be exposed through the reaction of the narrator to the repeated phrase. He is asking questions to this mysterious bird to help in dealing with his grief, but when is he is unable to find any real answers he falls into slowly into madness. Just like any person when they lose a loved one they reach out for any hint as to what had happened to their beloved after their death. However instead of any answers he receives a Raven that only increases his grief and frustration, while each time the Raven says, "Nevermore" (640) a little of the narrator's mind slips away eventually dooming his own soul to never reach heaven because of his grief weighing down his soul. The entire poem is