Works of art or literature profoundly reveal their creator’s psychology

The use of ” I” is the poem indicates unnamed narrator being fearful and irritated as he describes the sound in rather negative term ” rapping”. According to TheFreeDictionary, the word corresponds to a series of rapid audible blows in order to attract attention. This rapping sound generated which is described is making the narrator aware of his surroundings more and he begins to fear for himself. Narrator also uses ” gentle” which portrays yet another descriptive aspect, the gentle tap made the narrator aware of his situation and was able to respond to it.

The narrator also shows his irritated nature: ” Tis some visitor,” I muttered, ” tapping at my chamber door / Only this and nothing more.” Narrator now moves on to remembering his lost beloved Lenore. He can be evidently seen to showcase his unconscious through a moment of flashback, a specific time that he is reliving again in that chamber. The use of words ” dying embers” showcases a trigger generated in the narrator about his lost Lenore.

This uncanny attitude towards death is evident of the nature of Poe. Poe regards death as an inevitable concept in this narrative poem. The horrors that the narrator faces are portrayed through the musical effect of silken purple curtain, sad, uncertain rustling of purple curtain, narrator is now terrified of this sound and reassures himself that it might be some visitor who seeks entrance at his chamber door. From the initial concept of death as an inevitable phenomena, the transformation has made death generating fear inside narrator.

The narrator is now fearful of the ambience around him as it generates the flashback of his lost love. And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtainThrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating”‘T is some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door, Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door: This it is and nothing more.” (The Raven 113)

The Raven plays a crucial role in this poem. This Raven not only acts as a simple animal doing its bidding, but acts as a pivot to unleash the emotions narrator carries with him. Now the conception of death has yet again transformed. Death has now materialized in the form of The Raven. The raven is first and foremost, considered a bird of evil. This bird has long since been associated with different mythologies. In Norse mythology, for instance, Raven signifies as a messenger. Odin’s two ravens, Hugin and Munin, Thought and Memory; flew across the world to collect news of the day and report back to Odin.

It is also associated to be a harbinger of death and doom, with strong associations with storms and floods. Narrator now fascinated and excited of the entrance of the Raven ” ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling” (Raven 43) asks the creature of its name. The raven surprises the speaker by saying ” Nevermore”. Narrator curious to know more starts inquiring the Raven of its whereabouts. He thinks for a minute as to what can he ask from the bird when his mind starts to wander back to his lost Lenore.

No matter how one individual tries to make it go away, the course of nature undertaken by death would never shift from its original path. The Raven does not move as is ” still sitting on the bust of Pallas just above my chamber door”. The repetition of the word ” Nevermore” adds to the mood of the poem. Nevermore is a negative word, which means never again, which evokes emotions of helplessness and despair, sadness and melancholy; all the attributes concerning the death of someone.

In this poem, this word evokes emotion concerning the death of a beloved. According to Freud’s theory on death, the speaker attitude towards the death of his beloved is unconsciously portrayed. The speaker travels in flashbacks, remembering the past encounters with his love and re living those emotions unconsciously. He could not sever his dependence from his lover’s memories.