The Raven Group

Question:

kelsie0000
kelsie0000
Student
High School - 12th Grade

What do the two questions posed at the end of the poem concern?

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Posted by kelsie0000 on Thursday August 13, 2009 at 9:41 AM and tagged with conclusion, themes.

Answers:

  1. jennifer-taubenheim
    jennifer-taubenheim Teacher
    Middle School

    eNotes Editor

    The first thing he asks the raven to tell him is his name("...Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore..." Stanza 8).

    The speaker continues talking and gets himself more and more worked up. He says something and the raven says, "Nevermore," which the speaker takes as a response. He addresses the bird as a prophet and asks, "On this home by horrow haunted- tell me truely, I implore- Is there- is there balm in Gilead? -tell me- tell me, I implore (Stanza 15)." Balm, is an ointment that is used to soothe pain and to heal wounds. The balm in Gilead that he mentions is a reference to the Old Testament of the Bible where Gilead was said to contain a powerful healing ointment. It is also a metaphor for the healing for ones soul (and salvation) that one can recieve from God. Basically he is asking the raven if his heart and soul will ever be healed. The raven answers, "Nevermore."

    The he asks another question. "Tell this soul will sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore(Stanza 15)." The Aidenn that he refers to is actually Eden. Aidenn is the poetic way of referencing the biblical garden. The speaker is asking if, when he dies, he will be able to see Lenore again and, once again, the raven answers, "Nevermore."

     

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/raven

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    Posted by jennifer-taubenheim on Thursday August 13, 2009 at 10:52 AM

  2. itsmrd
    itsmrd Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    He asks the raven if there is a balm in Gilead. This is a Biblical reference to a salve to heal wounds. It is symbolic of all wounds being healed in heaven, such as his soul's wound from the loss of Lenore. The raven says there will be no healing. He asks if he will be able to hold Lenore in his arms again in heaven. Again, the answer is Nevermore.

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    Posted by itsmrd on Saturday October 24, 2009 at 11:01 PM