Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" Part 1 Online Quiz | Literature

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In Poe's "The Raven," the narrator tells a story about himself that took place within his private chamber. At the very start of the poem, what does the narrator describe his emotional state as?

Answer: Sad and tired

The opening line of the poem reads: "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary."

Poe wastes no time setting the tone of the poem, which is all expressed through the memory of the narrator. It was a dark sad night; and, the narrator remembers having pondered while being very tired.

Poe is also able to cleverly rhyme the two words "dreary" and "weary" in the opening line of "The Raven."

2. What was the narrator pondering over?

Answer: Books

"Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore".

The narrator is searching for something in his books (volume) about a "forgotten lore." Because the "lore" was "forgotten", and considering the nature of the poem as we will read it, its topic would seem to be some type of alchemy or magic. He has read these books so vigorously and has been so frustrated in finding his solution, that he is now exhausted.

3. The narrator is startled to hear a tapping noise. From where does he think that he hears this tapping?

Answer: The door

"'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, 'tapping at my chamber door - Only this and nothing more.'"

Who could it be? Might they help him overcome his sorrow?

4. "The Raven's" second stanza continues to describe the poem's setting and mood. In what month does the narrator recall that the events of the poem took place?

Answer: December

"Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December"

December is the last month of the year, signifying that the narrator is going through an "end" experience, as does the fact that the time is 12 midnight, which is the end of the day. The bleakness of the month reflects well the sorrow that Poe writes about. December is the darkest month, with December 21 being the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year.

5. As the second stanza continues, Poe has the narrator reveal to us the reason for his great sorrow.

Answer: He misses his lady friend.

"...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 named Lenore..."

Now we know that the narrator suffers from the loss of the woman that he loved named Lenore. Although not expressed, the darkness of the poem would seem to suggest that Lenore had suffered a tragic death. Now we can better understand this poor narrator's sadness, locked alone in his chamber, anguishing "for the lost Lenore" that he had so greatly loved.

6. Poe opens the third stanza through the use of a most ingenious poetic style: "And the silken sad uncertain rustling..." Each of these last four words contain a clear "s" sound; and, when the four words are read in order, it produces a mournful eerie sound like the blowing of the wind. What is the name of this poetic technique?

Answer: Consonance

Consonance is the resemblance in sound of constants. Free verse is poetry without rhyme or meter, definitely not "The Raven." Hyperbole is exaggeration. And, dissonance is when words are harsh sounding.

7. The narrator tells of being "filled with fantastic terrors never felt before"; but, then his "soul grew stronger." What action, in the fourth stanza, does the narrator take?

Answer: He opens the door.

"...here I opened wide the door; darkness there, and nothing more."

Poe has the narrator break his isolation in the hoping of meeting "some late visitor entreating entrance..." Could this be Lenore! Oh! But sorrow! It is only the terrible darkness!

8. "Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before" Poe, has his narrator bravely stare into that unknown horror that so often confronts humanity. In his desperation, he dreams of "dreams no mortal ever dared dream before..." But still, even by looking right into the terror of the darkness, the poor narrator is left dissatisfied. What is the only word spoken and heard within this terrible darkness?

Answer: "Lenore"

"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."

How powerful a scene with the whispered name of his absolute love and then an echo back of the same word all within such darkness!

9. Back into his chamber the narrator turns, with "all my soul within me burning," clearly this sad and exhausted man at the start of the poem is now wide awake and is feeling wild and powerful emotions. Again he hears the tapping even "louder than before." What does this cause the narrator to do?

Answer: Open the window.

"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."

As the narrator was falling asleep, while reading ancient mysterious texts, somehow he had unconsciously summoned a most mysterious raven from the dark night to hopefully assist him in overcoming his great sorrow.

10. A raven enters the narrator's room and perches upon a bust of Pallas; who is Pallas?

Answer: Athena

Pallas actually was a Titan whom Athena had killed during a battle against the gods. Athena had then assumed the name. By having the raven perch on the bust of Pallas (Athena), Poe has the raven be a representative of a messenger of wisdom; because, Pallas (Athena) is the Greek goddess of wisdom.

11. What response does the raven initially cause the narrator to have?

Answer: He smiles.

"Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore..."

The entrance of this black bird with a serious expression of importance would cause most people to forget their sadness and smile.

12. What did the narrator then ask of the raven?

Answer: What is his name?

"'Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore.'"

This is the first time of six that, in the poem, that the raven will say "Nevermore."

13. After pondering the purpose of this bird what is the next action that the narrator takes?

Answer: He wheels a chair in front of the raven.

"Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door..."

By bringing forth this chair to sit in, the narrator can better think about this amazing bird that has come into his dark and sad life.

14. As the narrator continues to puzzle over this raven he remembers his Lenore that he had been so missing. He connects her to the raven's word "nevermore" as he grows angry at the bird. What word does he first call the raven in his fury?

Answer: "Wretch"

'Wretch,' I cried, 'thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!'

The narrator recalls becoming furious at the raven who he saw as symbolizing the end of Lenore, with no hope of her return.

"Nepenthe" which he calls for, was a drug of fiction from the Ancient Greek period; its purpose was to take away pain.

15. The narrator in desperation asks the raven "is there balm in Gilead?" From where did Poe get this question?

Answer: The Bible

Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

This Bible passage seeks a balm, or medicine, that will improve the health of the daughter of Israel so her suffering will be reduced.

After the narrator implores this question the dark bird sadly croaks "Nevermore."

Source: Author star_gazer

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor trident before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" Part 1 Quiz

Together, let us: "Deep into that darkness peer..."

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