# The Raven; with literary and historical commentary/The Raven

* THE RAVEN.
* I.
* NCE upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary 1
* Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
* While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
* As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
* "'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door—
* Only this, and nothing more."
* II.
* Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,7
* And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
* Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow
* From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—
* For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
* Nameless here for evermore.
* III.
* And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain 13
* Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
* So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
* "'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—
* Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;
* This it is and nothing more."
* IV.
* Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, 19
* "Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
* But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
* And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
* That I scarce was sure I heard you"—here I opened wide the door;—
* Darkness there, and nothing more.
* V.
* Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, 25
* Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
* But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
* And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"
* This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"—
* Merely this, and nothing more. ​
* VI.
* Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, 31
* Soon again I heard a tapping something louder than before.
* "Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
* Let me see, then, what thereat is and this mystery explore—
* Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—
* 'Tis the wind and nothing more!"
* VII.
* Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, 37
* In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore.
* Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
* But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—
* Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—
* Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
* VIII.
* Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, 43
* By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
* "Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said "art sure no craven,
* Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—
* Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
* Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
* IX.
* Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, 49
* Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;
* For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
* Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—
* Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
* With such name as "Nevermore."
* X.
* But the Raven, sitting lonely on that placid bust, spoke only 55
* That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
* Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—
* Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before—
* On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."
* Then the bird said "Nevermore."
* XI.
* Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, 61
* "Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store
* Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
* Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—
* Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
* Of 'Never—nevermore.'"
* XII.
* But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, 67
* Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
* Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
* Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore
* What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
* Meant in croaking "Nevermore".
* XIII.
* This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing 73
* To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
* This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
* On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
* But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
* She shall press, ah, nevermore.
* XIV.
* Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer 79
* Swung by seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
* "Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
* Respite—respite and nepenthé from thy memories of Lenore!
* Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthé and forget this lost Lenore!"
* Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
* XV.
* "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!— 85
* Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
* Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—
* On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—
* Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!"
* Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
* XVI.
* "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil—prophet still, if bird or devil!91
* By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—
* Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
* It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
* Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
* Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
* XVII.
* "Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting—97
* "Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
* Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
* Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
* Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
* Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
* XVIII.
* And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
* On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
* And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
* And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
* And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
* Shall be lifted—nevermore!
Variations in 1845.
Line 9. Tried for sought.
Line 27. Darkness for stillness.
Line 31. Then for back.
Line 32. Soon I heard again, &c.
Line 39. Instant for minute.
Line 51. Sublunary for living human.
Line 55. The for that.
Line 60. Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
Line 61. Wondering for startled.
Lines 64-66. Followed fast and followed faster:—so, when Hope he would adjure,
Stern Despair returned, instead of the sweet Hope he dared adjure,
That sad answer, Nevermore.
Line 80. Swung by angels whose faint foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
Line 84. Let me quaff, &c.
Line 105. Demons for demon's.