Similarities Between Edgar Allan Poe And The Raven
The Life of Edgar Allen Poe and “The Raven”
One of the most celebrated American Poets of the nineteenth century is Edgar Allen Poe. As a reader of his poems and short stories, it is evident that his “life had many hardships that inspired his work” (“Edgar Allen Poe’s Inspiration” 1). There is a clear “connection to Poe and the other people in his life to the characters in his poems and stories” (“Edgar Allen Poe’s Inspiration” 1). Specifically, “The Raven”, which was published in 1845, Poe himself considers it to be “the greatest poem that ever was written” (Ackroyd 119). Examining this poem, it is clear, that Poe’s writing of “The Raven” was greatly influenced by the events that took place in his short and tragic life.
The poem, “The …show more content…
Raven,” and the events in the life of its author both exhibit the theme of loss. For example, In “The Raven”, the mood of the poem is set when the reader is informed of the narrator’s mourning over the death of his love Lenore. He sits in a large room all alone, looking for “from [his] books, a surcease of sorrow-sorrow for the lost Lenore” (Poe 1). This relates to many instances of loss in Poe’s own life. Both of Poe’s parents died when he was very young. His father left the family shortly after Edgar was born, but was soon taken ill and died before Edgar was two years old (Binns 8-9). His mother, Elizabeth Poe, was an actress who supported her family off of little pay (Binns 8). She “became ill and gave her last performance on October 11th 1811” (Binns 9). Less than three months later she died with her three “children by her side” (Binns 9). Not yet three years old, this left young Edgar an orphan (Binns 9). Upon death of his parents, Edger went to live with the Allen family, who showed little sympathy, and never formally adopted him. (Binns 10). When he was old enough to attend grammar school, he befriended another young boy by the name of Robert Stanard (Binns 18-19). Soon after, Edgar met Robert’s mother, Jane who, “was a kind and beautiful woman” (Binns 18-19). “He came to think of her as a substitute mother” (Binns 18-19). However, tragedy struck and “In April 1824, Jane Stanard died after a period of mental illness” (Binns 19). Overcome with immense grief, Edgar regularly “[visited] her grave at night” (Binns 19). Much later in his life, while Edger Allen Poe was actually writing the Raven, he was anticipating the death of his wife Virginia Clemm Poe. He would stay at “the Brennan farmhouse” which was the home of a close friend (Ackroyd 119). The Poe’s went to this farmhouse “with Virginia’s health in mind” as she became very weak and sickly during 1845 (Quinn 414). Although she deceased almost two after the publishing of “The Raven”, Poe was worried about her fleeting health during the time he was composing the poem. Edgar Allen Poe suffered the death of those he loved during his life, and this was reflected in the themes of his writing.
In the life of Edgar Allen Poe and the Poem, “The Raven”, there is evidence that both Poe and the narrator were both mentally unstable. In the beginning of “The Raven”, the narrator heard a “tapping at [his] chamber door” (Poe 1). Has he really heard this “tapping” and “rapping” or is it only imaginary, due to grief which overtakes his ability to reason? (Poe 1).The plot of the poem continues, with the narrator’s imagination causing him to think that the raven is squawking, “Nevermore” (Poe 2). Finally, he allows this silly talking bird to affect his emotions, causing his moods to change radically within just a few moments. At one moment the bird was “beguiling all [his] sad soul into smiling” and moments later the narrator yells, “Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore” (Poe 2-3). This shows similarities to events in the life of Poe. During his short life, the poet “was plagued by depression and ill health” (“Poe, Edgar Allen” 2). Later in life, after the death of his wife, Edgar attempted to end his own life by “swallowing an overdose of Laudanum” which contains morphine and opium (Ackroyd 84). Also during this time period it was said that Poe “collapsed from stress” (“Biography of Edgar Allen Poe” 2). In addition to his mental insanity, Poe also made frequent use of alcoholic drink, which may have inhibited his judgment. While he was a teenager at the University of Virginia Poe “proved to be a model pupil, adept at translation from Latin as well as Italian” (Ackroyd 28-29). However, he “would ‘put himself under the influence’ of drink in order to ‘quit the excessive nervous excitability under which he laboured’” (Ackroyd 29). This habit of drinking deteriorated Poe’s reputation as a good student. Many critics say that the author was “born, not made, a drinker” (Ackroyd 30). In addition to his drinking problem, Poe had an unnatural obsession with darkness. Most of his poems, including “The Raven” revolve around death and fear. Edgar Allen Poe “[had] a perverse delight in frightening himself, as well as others” (Ackroyd 26). He even said on the topic of death, “I could not love except where death was mingling his with beauty’s breath” (Ackroyd 26). Both the narrator from “The Raven” and Edgar Allen Poe showed signs of mental instability, perhaps even moments of insanity.
The renowned poem, “The Raven,” and the life of its author both reflect the themes of loss and disappointment.In the poem, the narrator continually lets the raven’s taunts frustrate him and make him upset.
The raven ridicules him, saying that he shall be united with his dead sweetheart Lenore “nevermore” (Poe 3). The “ominous bird” continues his jeers, making the narrator forget about Lenore for a period of time, but then bringing the pain of her death back gradually. The bird finishes his ridicules by saying that his shadow “that lies floating on the floor shall be lifted- ‘nevermore’” (Poe 3). These taunts, make the narrator not only disappointed, but also seem a failure. The same is true in the life of Edgar Allen Poe. During his life Poe was very often in need of finances. As he began gambling, “he played cards endlessly, often losing large sums of money” (Ackroyd 30). John Allen taunted Edgar, not providing enough money to support himself in any way (Ackroyd 31). Thus, after he left the University of Virginia “Edgar had no money, no job skills, and had been shunned by John Allen” (“Biography of Edgar Allen Poe” 1). In turn, this caused John Allen to “resent his young charge “(Ackroyd 31). Not only was Poe a disappointment due to lack of finances and skills, he was also a dissatisfaction to the father of his young lover. When he was about 16 years old, Edgar “became attached to, a fifteen-year-old girl” by the name of Elmira Royster (Ackroyd 32). “Elmira and Edgar were engaged, but her father” was “worried that Edgar was an orphan, too young, and had no profession” (Binns 21). After coming home from the university, Edgar “learned that his letters to Elmira Royster had been kept from her by her father, and that she was about to be married to another man” (Ackroyd 32). In addition to being a disappointment, Edgar Allen Poe was also a failure during his youth. While studying at West Point, Edgar neglected his duties and he “simply stopped going to classes or
drills” (Binns 35, 42). Later in his life, Poe was accused of plagiarizing other works of literature under his own name (Binns 46). He was even threatened to be arrested by authorities because of all of his unpaid debts for studies and also gambling (Binns 48). The tragic poet’s life was plagued by failure and disappointment, themes which are ironically magnified in his most successful poem, “The Raven”.
As evidenced in many of Poe’s literary works, the events that took place during his life dramatically influenced his writing, specifically, “The Raven”. Both “The Raven” and Poe’s life reflect the theme of loss, especially the death of a loved one. Similarly, both the narrator of the poem and Poe himself show some form of mental instability, even moments of insanity. Finally, both reflect strong central themes of failure and disappointment. Readers can learn that often what happens in the life of a person can affect their attitude towards their writing or event directly influence it in a strong way.
One of the most celebrated American Poets of the nineteenth century is Edgar Allen Poe. As a reader of his poems and short stories, it is evident that his “life had many hardships that inspired his work” (“Edgar Allen Poe’s Inspiration” 1). There is a clear “connection to Poe and the other people in his life to the characters in his poems and stories” (“Edgar Allen Poe’s Inspiration” 1). Specifically, “The Raven”, which was published in 1845, Poe himself considers it to be “the greatest poem that ever was written” (Ackroyd 119). Examining this poem, it is clear, that Poe’s writing of “The Raven” was greatly influenced by the events that took place in his short and tragic life.
The poem, “The …show more content…
Raven,” and the events in the life of its author both exhibit the theme of loss. For example, In “The Raven”, the mood of the poem is set when the reader is informed of the narrator’s mourning over the death of his love Lenore. He sits in a large room all alone, looking for “from [his] books, a surcease of sorrow-sorrow for the lost Lenore” (Poe 1). This relates to many instances of loss in Poe’s own life. Both of Poe’s parents died when he was very young. His father left the family shortly after Edgar was born, but was soon taken ill and died before Edgar was two years old (Binns 8-9). His mother, Elizabeth Poe, was an actress who supported her family off of little pay (Binns 8). She “became ill and gave her last performance on October 11th 1811” (Binns 9). Less than three months later she died with her three “children by her side” (Binns 9). Not yet three years old, this left young Edgar an orphan (Binns 9). Upon death of his parents, Edger went to live with the Allen family, who showed little sympathy, and never formally adopted him. (Binns 10). When he was old enough to attend grammar school, he befriended another young boy by the name of Robert Stanard (Binns 18-19). Soon after, Edgar met Robert’s mother, Jane who, “was a kind and beautiful woman” (Binns 18-19). “He came to think of her as a substitute mother” (Binns 18-19). However, tragedy struck and “In April 1824, Jane Stanard died after a period of mental illness” (Binns 19). Overcome with immense grief, Edgar regularly “[visited] her grave at night” (Binns 19). Much later in his life, while Edger Allen Poe was actually writing the Raven, he was anticipating the death of his wife Virginia Clemm Poe. He would stay at “the Brennan farmhouse” which was the home of a close friend (Ackroyd 119). The Poe’s went to this farmhouse “with Virginia’s health in mind” as she became very weak and sickly during 1845 (Quinn 414). Although she deceased almost two after the publishing of “The Raven”, Poe was worried about her fleeting health during the time he was composing the poem. Edgar Allen Poe suffered the death of those he loved during his life, and this was reflected in the themes of his writing.
In the life of Edgar Allen Poe and the Poem, “The Raven”, there is evidence that both Poe and the narrator were both mentally unstable. In the beginning of “The Raven”, the narrator heard a “tapping at [his] chamber door” (Poe 1). Has he really heard this “tapping” and “rapping” or is it only imaginary, due to grief which overtakes his ability to reason? (Poe 1).The plot of the poem continues, with the narrator’s imagination causing him to think that the raven is squawking, “Nevermore” (Poe 2). Finally, he allows this silly talking bird to affect his emotions, causing his moods to change radically within just a few moments. At one moment the bird was “beguiling all [his] sad soul into smiling” and moments later the narrator yells, “Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore” (Poe 2-3). This shows similarities to events in the life of Poe. During his short life, the poet “was plagued by depression and ill health” (“Poe, Edgar Allen” 2). Later in life, after the death of his wife, Edgar attempted to end his own life by “swallowing an overdose of Laudanum” which contains morphine and opium (Ackroyd 84). Also during this time period it was said that Poe “collapsed from stress” (“Biography of Edgar Allen Poe” 2). In addition to his mental insanity, Poe also made frequent use of alcoholic drink, which may have inhibited his judgment. While he was a teenager at the University of Virginia Poe “proved to be a model pupil, adept at translation from Latin as well as Italian” (Ackroyd 28-29). However, he “would ‘put himself under the influence’ of drink in order to ‘quit the excessive nervous excitability under which he laboured’” (Ackroyd 29). This habit of drinking deteriorated Poe’s reputation as a good student. Many critics say that the author was “born, not made, a drinker” (Ackroyd 30). In addition to his drinking problem, Poe had an unnatural obsession with darkness. Most of his poems, including “The Raven” revolve around death and fear. Edgar Allen Poe “[had] a perverse delight in frightening himself, as well as others” (Ackroyd 26). He even said on the topic of death, “I could not love except where death was mingling his with beauty’s breath” (Ackroyd 26). Both the narrator from “The Raven” and Edgar Allen Poe showed signs of mental instability, perhaps even moments of insanity.
The renowned poem, “The Raven,” and the life of its author both reflect the themes of loss and disappointment.In the poem, the narrator continually lets the raven’s taunts frustrate him and make him upset.
The raven ridicules him, saying that he shall be united with his dead sweetheart Lenore “nevermore” (Poe 3). The “ominous bird” continues his jeers, making the narrator forget about Lenore for a period of time, but then bringing the pain of her death back gradually. The bird finishes his ridicules by saying that his shadow “that lies floating on the floor shall be lifted- ‘nevermore’” (Poe 3). These taunts, make the narrator not only disappointed, but also seem a failure. The same is true in the life of Edgar Allen Poe. During his life Poe was very often in need of finances. As he began gambling, “he played cards endlessly, often losing large sums of money” (Ackroyd 30). John Allen taunted Edgar, not providing enough money to support himself in any way (Ackroyd 31). Thus, after he left the University of Virginia “Edgar had no money, no job skills, and had been shunned by John Allen” (“Biography of Edgar Allen Poe” 1). In turn, this caused John Allen to “resent his young charge “(Ackroyd 31). Not only was Poe a disappointment due to lack of finances and skills, he was also a dissatisfaction to the father of his young lover. When he was about 16 years old, Edgar “became attached to, a fifteen-year-old girl” by the name of Elmira Royster (Ackroyd 32). “Elmira and Edgar were engaged, but her father” was “worried that Edgar was an orphan, too young, and had no profession” (Binns 21). After coming home from the university, Edgar “learned that his letters to Elmira Royster had been kept from her by her father, and that she was about to be married to another man” (Ackroyd 32). In addition to being a disappointment, Edgar Allen Poe was also a failure during his youth. While studying at West Point, Edgar neglected his duties and he “simply stopped going to classes or
drills” (Binns 35, 42). Later in his life, Poe was accused of plagiarizing other works of literature under his own name (Binns 46). He was even threatened to be arrested by authorities because of all of his unpaid debts for studies and also gambling (Binns 48). The tragic poet’s life was plagued by failure and disappointment, themes which are ironically magnified in his most successful poem, “The Raven”.
As evidenced in many of Poe’s literary works, the events that took place during his life dramatically influenced his writing, specifically, “The Raven”. Both “The Raven” and Poe’s life reflect the theme of loss, especially the death of a loved one. Similarly, both the narrator of the poem and Poe himself show some form of mental instability, even moments of insanity. Finally, both reflect strong central themes of failure and disappointment. Readers can learn that often what happens in the life of a person can affect their attitude towards their writing or event directly influence it in a strong way.