“The Raven” is a poem of horror and sorrow about a raven and the grief for his never-returning love, Lenore. It is illustrated by the American writer Edgar Allen Poe. First published in January 1845 and following the publication of his piece, it was met with great praise and critical acclaim, despite having been an author and journalist for many years. "The Raven" is one of Poe's greatest poems. In his poetry, Edgar Allen Poe uses many different rhetorical devices that draw the reader in and add interest to his writing, such as alliteration, symbolism, rhyme scheme, language, etc. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Because "The Raven" is a poem and not a more formal writing, Poe uses pathos only as a way to connect with the reader. Poe's artwork is absolutely an emotional appeal. At the beginning Poe helps the reader identify with the protagonist through the description of the emotions the grieving lover is feeling. He describes the protagonist as sleep-deprived and full of pain and sadness over his loss. The lover is “weak and tired,” but is still awake at midnight in “bleak December” examining Lenore's book collection. This forms the image of a man who is heartbroken. Furthermore, when the protagonist opens the door of his room, hoping to see Lenore on the other side, Poe shows the desire that the lover has for his deceased girl. Poe uses ethics to make the story more relatable, Poe's audience consists of people who cannot let go of their loved ones, but also people who try to ignore or forget their past. Also use repetition. Repetition is a literary device that repeats the same words or phrases. The words "Nevermore" and "Nothing More" are used many times, both words create a melancholic tone to the poem. Both words have a negative connotation, showing the reader the protagonist's sadness. It also represents the feeling of something that will not leave the mind. By ending the poem with “And my soul from that shadow that lies floating on the floor / Will not be relieved – never again,” Poe is showing that there is nothing you can gain by ignoring or obsessing over your past. Poe also made this poem stand out more by using winter as the tone of the initial setting and using bleak December as the use of the setting. Poe knew how to create a setting using time and place to portray death. “The Raven” is also an example of symbolism. Symbolism is the use of symbols to indicate ideas and quantities by giving them symbolic meanings other than their literal sense. Poe illustrated ravens because they often represent death or sadness, as the poem shows. The crows, also believed to be messenger birds, may also have given a message that will not leave the reader's mind like "Evermore". Another rhetorical device in "The Raven" is the use of rhyme in his poem. “I longed for tomorrow; - in vain I had sought a loan” although it sounds interesting, it gives the poem a musical tone for the audience. He creates a dark musical tone for his poem to make it sound more sad and depressing. Edgar Allen Poe includes many examples of alliteration. Alliteration is used throughout the poem to add rhythm to his writing, as well as affect the reader's mood. "Once upon a sad midnight, while I pondered, weak and weary, upon many quaint and curious volumes of forgotten lore - As I nodded, almost dozing, suddenly I heard a touch..." Poe uses "weak" alliteration and tired", two words that have related meanings. Both words sound.
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