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Edgar Allen Poe
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During Reading Strategy
Use Vocabulary Strategies
Vocabulary from the Selection
Guided Reading Question 1
What is the cause of the author’s sorrow?
Click to answer
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| | Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, |
| | 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. |
| 5 | “’Tis some visiter,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door— |
| | Only this, and nothing more.” |
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| | Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, |
| | And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. |
| | Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had tried to borrow |
| 10 | 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. |
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| | And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain |
| | Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; |
| 15 | So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating |
| | “’Tis some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door— |
| | Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door;— |
| | This it is, and nothing more.” |
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| | Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, |
| 20 | “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. |
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| 25 | Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, |
| | Doubting dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; |
| | But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness 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!” |
| 30 | Merely this, and nothing more. |
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| | Then into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, |
| | Soon I heard again a tapping somewhat 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— |
| 35 | Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;— |
| | ’Tis the wind, and nothing more!” |
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| | Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, |
| | In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore; |
| | Not the least obeisance made he; not an instant stopped or stayed he; |
| 40 | But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door— |
| | Perched upon a bust of Pallas1 just above my chamber door— |
| | Perched, and sat, and nothing more. |
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| | Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, |
| | By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, |
| 45 | “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 Plutonian2 shore!” |
| | Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.” |
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Guided Reading Question 2
What enters through the open window?
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Guided Reading Question 3
Where does the visitor sit?
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| | Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, |
| 50 | Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore; |
| | For we cannot help agreeing that no sublunary3 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.” |
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Guided Reading Question 4
Does the speaker find the visitor’s response meaningful?
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| 55 | But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only | |
| | 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.” |
| 60 | Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.” |
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| | Wondering at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, |
| | “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—so, when Hope he would adjure, |
| 65 | Stern Despair returned, instead of the sweet Hope he dared adjure— |
| | That sad answer, “Nevermore!” |
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| | But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, |
| | Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust, and door; |
| | Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking |
| 70 | 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.” |
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Guided Reading Question 5
Where does the speaker sit?
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| | This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing |
| | To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core; |
| 75 | 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! |
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| | Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer |
| 80 | Swung by angels whose faint 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 Nepenthe4 from thy memories of Lenore! |
| | Let me quaff this kind Nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!” |
| | Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.” |
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| 85 | “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!— |
| | 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?5—tell me—tell me, I implore!” |
| 90 | Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.” |
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Guided Reading Question 6
Of whom is the speaker thinking?
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| | “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil! |
| | By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore— |
| | Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn6, |
| | It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore— |
| 95 | Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.” |
| | Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.” |
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| | “Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting— |
| | 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! |
| 100 | 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.” |
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| | And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting |
| | On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; |
| 105 | And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon 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! |
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Guided Reading Question 7
How has the speaker’s attitude toward the raven’s answers changed?
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