Who Wrote The Raven? Edgar Allan Poe’s Poem, Its Raven, and English Phrases to Practice
The writer of "The Raven" is Edgar Allan Poe. Learn what his poem is about, how he said he wrote it, why he chose a raven, and practice related English phrases.
The writer of "The Raven" is American writer Edgar Allan Poe, and the work is a narrative poem.
The writer and the poem’s rise to fame
"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe.
The poem was first published in January 1845.
The poem was first attributed to Poe in print in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845.
"The Raven" was first published in January 1845.
"The Raven" was first attributed to Edgar Allan Poe in print in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845.
The poem’s publication made Poe popular during his lifetime but did not bring him much financial success.
The poem was soon reprinted, parodied, and illustrated.
Critical opinion is divided as to the poem's literary status, though it remains one of the most famous poems ever written.
The poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere.
What happens in "The Raven"?
The poem tells of a distraught lover who is visited by a mysterious raven that repeatedly speaks the single word "nevermore".
The narrator of the poem is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore.
The poem follows an unnamed narrator on a dreary December night who sits reading "forgotten lore" to forget Lenore's death.
In the poem the raven perches on a bust of Pallas above the door.
The narrator assumes the raven learned the word "Nevermore" from some unhappy master and that it is the only word the bird knows.
The narrator escalates from being "weak and weary" to regret, frenzy, and finally madness during the poem.
How Poe said he composed "The Raven"
Poe stated he composed the poem in a logical and methodical manner in his 1846 essay "The Philosophy of Composition".
In 1846 Poe published his essay "The Philosophy of Composition" describing his methodical composition of the poem.
Poe based the poem's complex rhythm and meter on Elizabeth Barrett's poem "Lady Geraldine's Courtship" and used internal rhyme and alliteration throughout.
Why a raven? Symbol and influences
Poe chose a raven because he wanted a non-reasoning creature capable of speech and considered a raven equally capable as a parrot for this purpose.
Poe said the raven was meant to symbolize "Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance."
Poe said the poem was inspired in part by a talking raven in Charles Dickens's 1841 novel Barnaby Rudge.
Charles Dickens's novel Barnaby Rudge, with a talking raven named Grip, was published in 1841 and was later cited by Poe as partial inspiration for "The Raven".
Poe's review of Dickens's Barnaby Rudge commented that Dickens's raven should have served a more symbolic, prophetic purpose.
The Free Library of Philadelphia displays a taxidermied raven reputed to be the one Dickens owned that helped inspire Poe's poem.
Timeline of "The Raven"
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1841 | Charles Dickens's novel Barnaby Rudge, with a talking raven named Grip, was published and later cited by Poe as partial inspiration for "The Raven". |
| January 1845 | "The Raven" was first published. |
| January 29, 1845 | "The Raven" was first attributed to Edgar Allan Poe in print in the New York Evening Mirror. |
| 1846 | Poe published his essay "The Philosophy of Composition" describing his methodical composition of the poem. |
Language corner: phrases from "The Raven"
Use the following phrases related to "The Raven" as prompts for your own English sentences.
- "narrative poem" – Write one sentence describing a poem you imagine, beginning with: "I want to write a narrative poem about..."
- "a distraught lover" – Write one sentence that starts: "The story follows a distraught lover who..."
- "on a dreary December night" – Write one sentence setting a scene that begins: "On a dreary December night, I..."
- "forgotten lore" – Write one sentence using this as an object, for example: "I was reading forgotten lore when..."
- "weak and weary" – Write one sentence about your day ending with "...left me weak and weary."
- "Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance" – Write one sentence that uses this exact phrase as a noun phrase.
Practice task with example answer
Try this focused writing exercise using information about Poe’s raven:
- Write a short paragraph (3–4 sentences) explaining why Poe chose a raven, and include the exact phrase "Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance" somewhere in your paragraph. Base your paragraph only on the facts given above.
Example answer (this is a learner’s model, not Poe’s own words):
Short explanation: the example paragraph takes three separate statements about Poe’s choice of a raven and combines them smoothly, while repeating key words such as "raven" and the quoted phrase to keep the focus clear.
One more thing to try
As a final exercise, create your own mini-timeline of "The Raven" on a notebook page: include the 1841 publication of Barnaby Rudge, the January 1845 first publication of "The Raven", the January 29, 1845 attribution to Poe in the New York Evening Mirror, and the 1846 publication of "The Philosophy of Composition", copying the dates and events carefully from this article.