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The Raven and The Philosophy of Composition
This vintage book from 1906 has been converted to digital format with original illustrations. A great classic for the home or classroom, an interesting old-fashioned reference book, and an outstanding find.
Foreword:
The initial intention of the publishers to present “The Raven” without preface, notes, or other extraneous matter that might detract from an undivided appreciation of the poem, has been somewhat modified by the introduction of Poe’s prose essay, “The Philosophy of Composition.” If any justification were necessary, it is to be found both in the unique literary interest of the essay, and in the fact that it is (or purports to be) a frank exposition of the modus operandi by which “The Raven” was written. It is felt that no other introduction could be more happily conceived or executed. Coming from Poe’s own hand, it directly avoids the charge of presumption; and written in Poe’s most felicitous style, it entirely escapes the defect—not uncommon in analytical treatises—of pedantry.
It is indeed possible, as some critics assert, that this supposed analysis is purely fictitious. If so, it becomes all the more distinctive as a marvelous bit of imaginative writing, and as such ranks equally with that wild snatch of melody, “The Raven.” But these same critics would lead us further to believe that “The Raven” itself is almost a literal translation of the work of a Persian poet. If they be again correct, Poe’s genius as seen in the creation of “The Philosophy of Composition” is far more startling than it has otherwise appeared; and “robbed of his bay leaves in the realm of poetry,” he is to be “crowned with a double wreath of berried holly for his prose.”
Foreword:
The initial intention of the publishers to present “The Raven” without preface, notes, or other extraneous matter that might detract from an undivided appreciation of the poem, has been somewhat modified by the introduction of Poe’s prose essay, “The Philosophy of Composition.” If any justification were necessary, it is to be found both in the unique literary interest of the essay, and in the fact that it is (or purports to be) a frank exposition of the modus operandi by which “The Raven” was written. It is felt that no other introduction could be more happily conceived or executed. Coming from Poe’s own hand, it directly avoids the charge of presumption; and written in Poe’s most felicitous style, it entirely escapes the defect—not uncommon in analytical treatises—of pedantry.
It is indeed possible, as some critics assert, that this supposed analysis is purely fictitious. If so, it becomes all the more distinctive as a marvelous bit of imaginative writing, and as such ranks equally with that wild snatch of melody, “The Raven.” But these same critics would lead us further to believe that “The Raven” itself is almost a literal translation of the work of a Persian poet. If they be again correct, Poe’s genius as seen in the creation of “The Philosophy of Composition” is far more startling than it has otherwise appeared; and “robbed of his bay leaves in the realm of poetry,” he is to be “crowned with a double wreath of berried holly for his prose.”
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1846
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583 people want to read
About the author
Edgar Allan Poe
9,880 books28.6k followersThe name Poe brings to mind images of murderers and madmen, premature burials, and mysterious women who return from the dead. His works have been in print since 1827 and include such literary classics as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Fall of the House of Usher. This versatile writer’s oeuvre includes short stories, poetry, a novel, a textbook, a book of scientific theory, and hundreds of essays and book reviews. He is widely acknowledged as the inventor of the modern detective story and an innovator in the science fiction genre, but he made his living as America’s first great literary critic and theoretician. Poe’s reputation today rests primarily on his tales of terror as well as on his haunting lyric poetry.
Just as the bizarre characters in Poe’s stories have captured the public imagination so too has Poe himself. He is seen as a morbid, mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries or crumbling castles. This is the Poe of legend. But much of what we know about Poe is wrong, the product of a biography written by one of his enemies in an attempt to defame the author’s name.
The real Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second of three children. His other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would also become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie Poe would grow up to teach penmanship at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents had died, and he was taken in by the wealthy tobacco merchant John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live with other families. Mr. Allan would rear Poe to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman, but Poe had dreams of being a writer in emulation of his childhood hero the British poet Lord Byron. Early poetic verses found written in a young Poe’s handwriting on the backs of Allan’s ledger sheets reveal how little interest Poe had in the tobacco business.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_al...
Just as the bizarre characters in Poe’s stories have captured the public imagination so too has Poe himself. He is seen as a morbid, mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries or crumbling castles. This is the Poe of legend. But much of what we know about Poe is wrong, the product of a biography written by one of his enemies in an attempt to defame the author’s name.
The real Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second of three children. His other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would also become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie Poe would grow up to teach penmanship at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents had died, and he was taken in by the wealthy tobacco merchant John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live with other families. Mr. Allan would rear Poe to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman, but Poe had dreams of being a writer in emulation of his childhood hero the British poet Lord Byron. Early poetic verses found written in a young Poe’s handwriting on the backs of Allan’s ledger sheets reveal how little interest Poe had in the tobacco business.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_al...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 12, 2021
No encontré la edición del audiolibro but me conformo con esta.
Lo he escuchado junto con algunos chicos del club de lectura Embajadores Literarios de la booktuber Laly Arce y, aunque habían partes en las que quedé en la nada, puedo decir que amé el narrador y por momentos me sentí dentro de la historia. Además el audiolibro era dramatizado, con lo cual escuchábamos puertas chirriar, el cuervo graznar, los gritos, los pasos, el viento, ¡y vaya! Eso le puso más emoción a todo. Pero claro, ya olvidé de que trata jeje así que sólo le doy 3 estrellas.
Lo he escuchado junto con algunos chicos del club de lectura Embajadores Literarios de la booktuber Laly Arce y, aunque habían partes en las que quedé en la nada, puedo decir que amé el narrador y por momentos me sentí dentro de la historia. Además el audiolibro era dramatizado, con lo cual escuchábamos puertas chirriar, el cuervo graznar, los gritos, los pasos, el viento, ¡y vaya! Eso le puso más emoción a todo. Pero claro, ya olvidé de que trata jeje así que sólo le doy 3 estrellas.
November 1, 2020
"In the essay The Philosophy of Composition, Poe proports to demonstrate how he wrote The Raven and how it should be read, as well. He claimed that many people would stop him and ask, 'Why, Mr. Poe, how did you write the The Raven?' This [essay] was his answer. Whatever the reason for its creation, the work is a vital text in understanding Poe criticism. It contains a through analysis of his creative process, which has led to significant debate regarding the accuracy of Poe's description of his compositional process. . . . He identifies issues that determine the success or failure of a poem, with emphasis upon length, the effect to be conveyed, and the province, beauty in this case, Poe asserts, 'there is a distinct limit of one sitting.' Although he allows that a novel may require more time, the limit should never be exceeded in a poem. The choice of effect is a second consideration, and Poe argues that the poet should determine in advance the effect he wishes to create. For Poe the province of the poem should be 'Beauty,' 'because it is an obvious rule of Art that effects should be made to spring from direct causes.' He then applies his observation to the The Raven to provide examples of his theory. It is this very detailed and carefully delineated discussion that created debate as to how honest Poe was in assessing his writing of The Raven. Critics who doubted the premise expressed doubt that the creative process could be so straight-forward and logical." Sova, Dawn B. (2001). Edgar Allan Poe, A to Z : the essential reference to his life and work New York: Checkmark Books. (185-186) By reading many different versions of Poe's biographies and also getting a feel for Poe through his essays I have no trouble believing the very logical nature of Poe. He loved mathematics and cryptographs both employing logic as their basic premise. Poe was meticulous in constructing his poems and stories along with carefully choosing the words he used as their building blocks. Therefore, I believe Poe was being honest when writing this essay and for Poe his creative process was very straight-forward and logical. IMHO The Raven is Poe's magnum opus.
July 26, 2020
Ενδιαφέρουσα μετάφραση της κυρίας Πολίτη σε μια εν γένει καλόγουστη και περιποιημένη έκδοση από την -πάντα υπέροχη- Άγρα που συνοδεύεται από συλλογή εικονογραφησεων άλλων εκδόσεων, καθώς και από το δοκίμιο του Πόου περί φιλοσοφίας της σύνθεσης του.
October 19, 2022
“The Raven” and the Philosophy of Composition or Why Edgar Allan Poe is a Genius.
November 22, 2022
Me identifiquei muito (também sou doida e converso com passarinhos).
November 30, 2021
This "book" is really just a brief essay and a poem, but the poem is world-famous and the essay was surprisingly influential for many decades, so it deserves to be in print as a thing in itself.
I read this as a youngster, then again when I was in college, and because I've recently been seeing several references to it in my reading, I decided to revisit it. A couple of students had asked me to review it, as well.
What Poe was doing in the essay was explaining his method for composing what was already a world-famous poem, "The Raven." Many people have wondered if he really went about the composition in that way, and we'll never know, but after years of composing my own poems and stories -- by a variety of methods -- I suspect that what he's describing is a lot of how it actually went. You learn, with study and practice, what certain key elements of composition are, and the Muse says, "Oh, you'll be needing a thread that runs like this," and you lay that down in the text and then the next "general principle" comes to mind, and you do that...
What made this essay both controversial and influential, though, is that Poe pitched the thing as a General Theory of Narrative. Since the poem is a narrative, he suggests that writing a short story should work the same way. And thus, for several generations, the special theory of how to compose "The Raven" became the absolute rule for all fiction whatsoever.
This worked for many writers, because he was giving good writing advice. It also failed, because there are all sorts of stories that work well, but don't adhere to the needs or structure of that one specific poem.
One of the key elements of poetry and prose writing is the sounds of the language, and how you can use them to set a mood. We discuss this in music classes, but it's mostly left out of creative writing classes. Any poet can tell you, though, that often a poem begins as a single line that has a certain sound, and writing the poem primarily consists in repeating that same sound effect. The meaning of the words is important, but what you're actually doing is working with the sound. Poe tells us that he built the poem on a sound, and the product seems to suggest the truth of this assertion.
I had forgotten that one of the very first items he discusses is the dénouement of the story being the starting place for writing fiction. "Nothing is more clear than that every plot, worth the name, must be elaborated to its dénouement before anything be attempted with the pen. It is only with the dénouement constantly in view that we can give a plot its indispensable air of consequence, or causation, by making the incidents, and especially the tone at all points, tend to the development of the intention." That advice was widely taken to heart for a century, and many of the best practitioners followed it religiously. But you might want to look at Raymond Chandler's Introduction to Trouble Is My Business, 1934, in which he explains that noir mystery/detective fiction had specifically abandoned the primacy of the dénouement. The rule that Chandler outlines for noir fiction in his introduction has become the general rule for all genres, these days. (Of course, it's been 90 years since Chandler's essay, just as his was 90 years after Poe, so it may be time for another revolution.)
Poe's poem is about the loss of a beloved, and he gives us this paragraph about the appropriate tone: "Regarding, then, Beauty as my province, my next question referred to the tone of its highest manifestation -- and all experience has shown that this tone is one of sadness. Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears. Melancholy is thus the most legitimate of all the poetical tones." I could not help remembering Robert Graves quoting a colleague that the only real theme of Poetry is "What remains of the beloved?" when I re-read this section. I'm not sure we can accept Poe's assertion as a universal, but he is certainly on to something for quite a range of poems and stories.
Later in the essay he asks, "'Of all the melancholy topics, what, according to the universal understanding of mankind, is the most melancholy?' Death -- was the obvious reply..." Again the remark quoted by Robert Graves recurs to mind.
Poe brilliantly discusses how the refrain in his poem works to bind it, while he deliberately diversified the thoughts that precede it in each case. I will tell you that this is an excellent way to organize fiction as well: the protagonist will try a variety of approaches to solving their problems, and the result (acting as a refrain) will be failure each time. Until, perhaps, at the end. Repetition and variety, tightly bound, build both interest and tension.
Finally, he discusses the importance of an under-current of "suggestiveness" as being important to giving a story or poem an extra lift (and he takes a swipe at preachy writing). This passage is a bit vague, it seems to me, but anyone can tell you that Poe was a master at suggestive under-currents; which is why he has so much influence even today. Someday I may tackle this subject in an essay, because it's a secret I learned early (partly from this passage in Poe, I believe) and I have seen it work for me.
I read this as a youngster, then again when I was in college, and because I've recently been seeing several references to it in my reading, I decided to revisit it. A couple of students had asked me to review it, as well.
What Poe was doing in the essay was explaining his method for composing what was already a world-famous poem, "The Raven." Many people have wondered if he really went about the composition in that way, and we'll never know, but after years of composing my own poems and stories -- by a variety of methods -- I suspect that what he's describing is a lot of how it actually went. You learn, with study and practice, what certain key elements of composition are, and the Muse says, "Oh, you'll be needing a thread that runs like this," and you lay that down in the text and then the next "general principle" comes to mind, and you do that...
What made this essay both controversial and influential, though, is that Poe pitched the thing as a General Theory of Narrative. Since the poem is a narrative, he suggests that writing a short story should work the same way. And thus, for several generations, the special theory of how to compose "The Raven" became the absolute rule for all fiction whatsoever.
This worked for many writers, because he was giving good writing advice. It also failed, because there are all sorts of stories that work well, but don't adhere to the needs or structure of that one specific poem.
One of the key elements of poetry and prose writing is the sounds of the language, and how you can use them to set a mood. We discuss this in music classes, but it's mostly left out of creative writing classes. Any poet can tell you, though, that often a poem begins as a single line that has a certain sound, and writing the poem primarily consists in repeating that same sound effect. The meaning of the words is important, but what you're actually doing is working with the sound. Poe tells us that he built the poem on a sound, and the product seems to suggest the truth of this assertion.
I had forgotten that one of the very first items he discusses is the dénouement of the story being the starting place for writing fiction. "Nothing is more clear than that every plot, worth the name, must be elaborated to its dénouement before anything be attempted with the pen. It is only with the dénouement constantly in view that we can give a plot its indispensable air of consequence, or causation, by making the incidents, and especially the tone at all points, tend to the development of the intention." That advice was widely taken to heart for a century, and many of the best practitioners followed it religiously. But you might want to look at Raymond Chandler's Introduction to Trouble Is My Business, 1934, in which he explains that noir mystery/detective fiction had specifically abandoned the primacy of the dénouement. The rule that Chandler outlines for noir fiction in his introduction has become the general rule for all genres, these days. (Of course, it's been 90 years since Chandler's essay, just as his was 90 years after Poe, so it may be time for another revolution.)
Poe's poem is about the loss of a beloved, and he gives us this paragraph about the appropriate tone: "Regarding, then, Beauty as my province, my next question referred to the tone of its highest manifestation -- and all experience has shown that this tone is one of sadness. Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears. Melancholy is thus the most legitimate of all the poetical tones." I could not help remembering Robert Graves quoting a colleague that the only real theme of Poetry is "What remains of the beloved?" when I re-read this section. I'm not sure we can accept Poe's assertion as a universal, but he is certainly on to something for quite a range of poems and stories.
Later in the essay he asks, "'Of all the melancholy topics, what, according to the universal understanding of mankind, is the most melancholy?' Death -- was the obvious reply..." Again the remark quoted by Robert Graves recurs to mind.
Poe brilliantly discusses how the refrain in his poem works to bind it, while he deliberately diversified the thoughts that precede it in each case. I will tell you that this is an excellent way to organize fiction as well: the protagonist will try a variety of approaches to solving their problems, and the result (acting as a refrain) will be failure each time. Until, perhaps, at the end. Repetition and variety, tightly bound, build both interest and tension.
Finally, he discusses the importance of an under-current of "suggestiveness" as being important to giving a story or poem an extra lift (and he takes a swipe at preachy writing). This passage is a bit vague, it seems to me, but anyone can tell you that Poe was a master at suggestive under-currents; which is why he has so much influence even today. Someday I may tackle this subject in an essay, because it's a secret I learned early (partly from this passage in Poe, I believe) and I have seen it work for me.
February 10, 2025
"My first object (as usual) was originality. The extent to which this has been neglected, in versification, is one of the most unaccountable things in the world. Admitting that there is little possibility of variety in mere rhythm, it is still clear that the possible varieties of meter and stanza are absolutely infinite—and yet, for centuries, no man, in verse, has ever done, or ever seemed to think of doing, an original thing. The fact is, that originality (unless in minds of very unusual force) is by no means a matter, as some suppose, of impulse or intuition. In general, to be found, it must be elaborately sought, and although a positive merit of the highest class, demands in its attainment less of invention than negation."
December 15, 2016
Oh lord, how does Poe do it? I know that this is the most popular Poe poem of all time, and the most widely recognized, quoted, etc., but it just is that good!
To be honest, the first time I read this, I did not like it so much. It was mainstream, it was dull, it was depressing, and it was just something that wasn't pleasant to read for a "happy endings" type of person like myself. But, alas, life has changed me, and now I appreciate a sad ending as good as a happy one, provided that it has meaning. And this has meaning.
Vaguely, I remember hearing the James Earl Jones reading of this poem in a Studies in Literature Horror Fiction course in high school. The recording was good, but having to analyze the poem is what really got me to understand it. Re-reading it now, almost a year later, I get what all the hype is about. The speaker could be anyone whose lost someone they love and is sinking into the darkness--either of madness or of death, though I prefer to think of it as suitable to both rather than choosing just one.
There's an attempt at reason and rationality, but with one word--'Nevermore'--that's all discarded and we're left with the same bleak emptiness that the speaker is. With each "ore" rhyme, it has to be read like gravity itself pulling one down, which is probably by James Earl Jones's recording of it is so well-matched for the subject material. To hear how depression and loss can literally weigh down on something is something that only a poem of this curious magnitude can accomplish.
Is the Raven itself important? Well, not necessarily, as Poe could have chosen any animal that symbolizes bad fortune, but in this case, well suited to be the bearer of bad news. After all, if it was a vulture or a snake or the like, many other things could be interpreted, whereas a Raven is just innocent and yet dark enough to deliver the message. Somehow, the "innocent" aspect of the Raven is what makes it stand out. Of course, now it will be linked to Poe's name forever.
I strongly recommend hearing the James Earl Jones version of this, which I believe can be found on YouTube. To read it in text is impressive and powerful enough, but to hear it being read in a deep and contemplative voice is just above and beyond. For an experience of deep expression, in a mournful yet meaningful way, please go right ahead.
To be honest, the first time I read this, I did not like it so much. It was mainstream, it was dull, it was depressing, and it was just something that wasn't pleasant to read for a "happy endings" type of person like myself. But, alas, life has changed me, and now I appreciate a sad ending as good as a happy one, provided that it has meaning. And this has meaning.
Vaguely, I remember hearing the James Earl Jones reading of this poem in a Studies in Literature Horror Fiction course in high school. The recording was good, but having to analyze the poem is what really got me to understand it. Re-reading it now, almost a year later, I get what all the hype is about. The speaker could be anyone whose lost someone they love and is sinking into the darkness--either of madness or of death, though I prefer to think of it as suitable to both rather than choosing just one.
There's an attempt at reason and rationality, but with one word--'Nevermore'--that's all discarded and we're left with the same bleak emptiness that the speaker is. With each "ore" rhyme, it has to be read like gravity itself pulling one down, which is probably by James Earl Jones's recording of it is so well-matched for the subject material. To hear how depression and loss can literally weigh down on something is something that only a poem of this curious magnitude can accomplish.
Is the Raven itself important? Well, not necessarily, as Poe could have chosen any animal that symbolizes bad fortune, but in this case, well suited to be the bearer of bad news. After all, if it was a vulture or a snake or the like, many other things could be interpreted, whereas a Raven is just innocent and yet dark enough to deliver the message. Somehow, the "innocent" aspect of the Raven is what makes it stand out. Of course, now it will be linked to Poe's name forever.
I strongly recommend hearing the James Earl Jones version of this, which I believe can be found on YouTube. To read it in text is impressive and powerful enough, but to hear it being read in a deep and contemplative voice is just above and beyond. For an experience of deep expression, in a mournful yet meaningful way, please go right ahead.
February 15, 2012
Bez Filozofie básnické skladby Havrana ani nečtěte. Nemá to smysl. Poe ho prakticky rozebere za vás, navíc vám dá jeho osobní náhled na dílo, ke kterému se klasickým rozborem nedostanete. Zjistíte, proč volil trochej a jako refrén zrovna nevermore. Doporučuji pro všechny, kteří chtějí Havrana nejen číst, ale i pochopit.
January 13, 2013
The Raven, I loved it! =)
June 28, 2019
Εκπληκτικό και μεστό!
October 1, 2019
"«¿De todos los temas melancólicos, ¿cuál lo es más por consenso universal?» La respuesta obvia era: la muerte. «¿Y cuándo» –me pregunté—«este tema, el más melancólico, es el más poético?» Después de lo que ya he explicado con algún detalle, la respuesta era igualmente obvia: «Cuando está más estrechamente aliado a la Belleza; la muerte, pues, de una hermosa mujer es incuestionable el tema más poético del mundo; e igualmente está fuera de toda duda que los labios más adecuados para expresar ese tema son los del amante que ha perdido a su amada.»"
Supongamos que esta edición que elegí es la que yo leí, supongamos. La mía era una traducción de Cortázar.
March 20, 2023
Poe rivela le fasi che hanno portato alla stesura della poesia "Il corvo". Prima di tutto l'autore confessa che sia in prosa che poesia tutta la composizione è "studiata", come se seguisse un calcolo matematico.
Nel caso de "Il corvo" l'iter seguito è il seguente: stabilire lunghezza, gli effetti da suscitare nel lettore, il fine da perseguire, il tono della lirica e la definizione del refrain (o ritornello).
Disclaimer: ho scoperto il titolo grazie ad un master in editoria.
Nel caso de "Il corvo" l'iter seguito è il seguente: stabilire lunghezza, gli effetti da suscitare nel lettore, il fine da perseguire, il tono della lirica e la definizione del refrain (o ritornello).
Disclaimer: ho scoperto il titolo grazie ad un master in editoria.
November 5, 2024
“The death, then, of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world.” Girl…
“The fact is that originality (unless in minds of very unusual force) is by no means a matter, as some suppose, of impulse or intuition. In general, to be found, it must be elaborately sought.”
“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, / Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before.”
“The fact is that originality (unless in minds of very unusual force) is by no means a matter, as some suppose, of impulse or intuition. In general, to be found, it must be elaborately sought.”
“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, / Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before.”
September 29, 2020
Leyendo La Filosofía de la Composición es mucho más clara la estructura moderna del cuento universal, dejando de lado la gran deuda del cuento latinoamericano, ya que en sí toda la literatura está en deuda con esta forma de escribir.
El Cuervo. ¿Qué más se puede decir de El Cuervo? Poema hermoso, sonoro, lleno del símbolo característico de la literatura.
El Cuervo. ¿Qué más se puede decir de El Cuervo? Poema hermoso, sonoro, lleno del símbolo característico de la literatura.
January 15, 2022
De los indispensables para aquellos que tienen interés por la escritura. En este ensayo, Poe, con una sutileza increíble, descompone el proceso de escritura y lo divide en 10 preceptos que son, a mi parecer, aplicables a las obras de casi todos los escritores de cuentos.
Un buen título para iniciar con pie derecho en la escritura como oficio.
Un buen título para iniciar con pie derecho en la escritura como oficio.
November 13, 2020
Indisputably the best edition of Poe's poem and exquisite essay in Greek language accompanied by beautiful engravings.
December 15, 2021
Well... I like this poem a lot! And the essay that accompanies it, is also very nice to read. The comments of the master himself :)
June 3, 2023
Audiobook
November 29, 2023
Fundamental para escribir como corresponde.
January 2, 2025
Neat read If you’re interested in Poes choices for “The Raven”
March 4, 2025
you dont understand the things I would do to talk with this man
August 31, 2025
cool essay, better than the poem itself
May 25, 2025
4.5⭐
Me he quedado flipando cuando me he dado cuenta que este poema es el que usa Suzanne Collins en Sunrise on the Reaping como canción para el nombre de Lenore Dove Baird. Madre MÍA. Me lo habré leído como unas 18 veces en un mes a lo tonto xd.
La filosofía de la composición super chula, me ha gustado meterme en el cerebro de Poe para saber cómo compuso el poema.
ALSO es la primera obra de Edgar Allan Poe que DISFRUTO en mayúsculas.
¡¡¡CELEBRAMOS!!!
Me he quedado flipando cuando me he dado cuenta que este poema es el que usa Suzanne Collins en Sunrise on the Reaping como canción para el nombre de Lenore Dove Baird. Madre MÍA. Me lo habré leído como unas 18 veces en un mes a lo tonto xd.
La filosofía de la composición super chula, me ha gustado meterme en el cerebro de Poe para saber cómo compuso el poema.
ALSO es la primera obra de Edgar Allan Poe que DISFRUTO en mayúsculas.
¡¡¡CELEBRAMOS!!!
May 18, 2024
A unos treinta años de haberlo leído (comentario de 2024).
Recuerdo que me impresionó el grandilocuente título, respaldado por la celebridad del autor, por supuesto. Tenía una inconmensurable voracidad por aprender todo aquello que los demás pasaban por alto o habían desestimado pero que, potencialmente, encerrara una chispa para entender mejor el mundo. Otro librillo que compré y leí por esos días, con el mismo afán de desentrañar secretos de incalculable valor, versaba sobre la programación neurolingüística (PNL). Je je. ¡Qué zopenco!
Este libro-folleto me decepcionó y me maravilló al mismo tiempo. Pronto descubrí que eso de "filosofía de la composición", en el mejor de los casos era un proyecto en etapa muy incipiente. Casi nada de teoría y sí mucha especulación acerca del arte de escribir. Tomado como tratado, el librillo era mucho ruido y pocas nueces.
Sin embargo lo gocé como ensayo apasionado sobre la creación artística. Los intentos de Poe por diseccionar los elementos estéticos de un poema son, a su vez, poéticos. ¡El libro es un cuasifractal ‘poiético’!
Recuerdo que me impresionó el grandilocuente título, respaldado por la celebridad del autor, por supuesto. Tenía una inconmensurable voracidad por aprender todo aquello que los demás pasaban por alto o habían desestimado pero que, potencialmente, encerrara una chispa para entender mejor el mundo. Otro librillo que compré y leí por esos días, con el mismo afán de desentrañar secretos de incalculable valor, versaba sobre la programación neurolingüística (PNL). Je je. ¡Qué zopenco!
Este libro-folleto me decepcionó y me maravilló al mismo tiempo. Pronto descubrí que eso de "filosofía de la composición", en el mejor de los casos era un proyecto en etapa muy incipiente. Casi nada de teoría y sí mucha especulación acerca del arte de escribir. Tomado como tratado, el librillo era mucho ruido y pocas nueces.
Sin embargo lo gocé como ensayo apasionado sobre la creación artística. Los intentos de Poe por diseccionar los elementos estéticos de un poema son, a su vez, poéticos. ¡El libro es un cuasifractal ‘poiético’!
November 12, 2017
While poetry in general is not my favourite literary genre, The Raven belongs to my favourite reads!
I can read it over and over again, vividly imagining the scene described - the dark room lit by the dying fire, the raven entering and sitting on the Greek bust, the lamenting narrator changing his mood from reluctant and sleepy to excited to mad.
In my opinion, this poem deserves solid five stars!
(review October 20, 2015)
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(note November 12, 2017)
Oh how I love this poem! Today, the weather has been grey and cold and stormy (I'm so happy it's been a Sunday without any plans to go outside), so rereading The Raven has been perfect.
I can read it over and over again, vividly imagining the scene described - the dark room lit by the dying fire, the raven entering and sitting on the Greek bust, the lamenting narrator changing his mood from reluctant and sleepy to excited to mad.
In my opinion, this poem deserves solid five stars!
(review October 20, 2015)
------------------------------
(note November 12, 2017)
Oh how I love this poem! Today, the weather has been grey and cold and stormy (I'm so happy it's been a Sunday without any plans to go outside), so rereading The Raven has been perfect.
May 19, 2012
The dark setting, the grim colors, the unsettling sounds and the growing fears of a trembling soul - all combine in rhymes echoing with growing terror. Even if short - the poem leaves the reader with a heart and mind ravished by fear.
"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!"
"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!"
August 21, 2013
Do you really think this kind of work needs a review? I mean, this is freaking Poe we're talking about! It's so much suspense, drama and a twisted kind of story-poem it's brilliant, I have to say I've read most of the books of this author, and I love him!
I never had an opportunity to read it until now, and believe me I regret I didn't read it sooner (what was I thinking?)this is one of his greatest writings I swear, anyway is just my opinion, but really I think everyone should definitely read The raven. There´s NO way you can let yourself die without reading this!
I never had an opportunity to read it until now, and believe me I regret I didn't read it sooner (what was I thinking?)this is one of his greatest writings I swear, anyway is just my opinion, but really I think everyone should definitely read The raven. There´s NO way you can let yourself die without reading this!
October 16, 2023
With Mike Flanagan (my favourite writer/director) having just released The Fall of the House of Usher, where each episode is based on a work of Edgar Allen Poe, and the finale being The Raven (my favourite miniseries episode ever) I had to read the original poem.
I’ve never been hugely in to classic dialect in literature, but here the consistent and clear use of repetition and structure kept me invested. It’s eerie and the repetition of “Nevermore” gets under your skin over time, and with such a selection of iconic quotes it’s hard to not love it.
It was a high 7/10 for me.
I’ve never been hugely in to classic dialect in literature, but here the consistent and clear use of repetition and structure kept me invested. It’s eerie and the repetition of “Nevermore” gets under your skin over time, and with such a selection of iconic quotes it’s hard to not love it.
It was a high 7/10 for me.
March 20, 2012
I'm not reading this exact book, but a compilation of Poe's poetry and prose, including "The Raven" and "Philosophy of Composition," so I'm putting this up.
I wax and wane on Poe, especially his poetry. I'm having fun touching base again with his work just to keep my hand in - besides, I think this book has a copy of "Murders in the Rue Morgue," which is awesome (spoiler: monkey), and "Philosophy of Composition" is an invaluable read for any comp teacher.
I wax and wane on Poe, especially his poetry. I'm having fun touching base again with his work just to keep my hand in - besides, I think this book has a copy of "Murders in the Rue Morgue," which is awesome (spoiler: monkey), and "Philosophy of Composition" is an invaluable read for any comp teacher.
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