In Poe's story "The Raven", Poe shows how a person can drive themself to depression and insanity. The narrator knows that the Raven only says "Nevermore", yet he asks questions that you would not want the answer to be "Nevermore". He asks if Lenore is in heaven, and if he will meet her there, knowing full well that the Raven's response will be "Nevermore". Then, another question is presented in "The Raven." Is the Raven really there, or it is a hallucination by the narrator which feeds his own depression. The final line of "The Raven" is "And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted-nevermore!" The Raven's shadow here represents the weight of the narrator's depression. This man has used this hellspawn to fuel his own depression, his lack of hope. And now the weight of his sorrow is so great, thathe knows he will never escape it.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2001

Answers

I liked this interpretation, but how about a slightly different variation? I completely agree with your assessment of his grief and depression, but what about the Raven as a real entity? Maybe a simple Raven that flew in, but that the narrator's sub-conscious mind projected what his thinking mind feared. All the questions he asks appear to be questions that he doesn't want to answered because he knows the answer. The question I do pose is, who is "Lenore"? Could he be anticipating Virginia's death?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

The guy in the story was drunk so he died!

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2001

i am hungrey!!!

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2004