The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

1. The Ravenby Edgar Allan Poe Feature Menu Introducing the Selection Literary Focus: Sound Effects Reading Skills: Interpreting Meaning Through Oral Reading Writing Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer Tech Focus

2. The Ravenby Edgar Allan Poe When are people most likely to sense that nature is “speaking” to them?

3. The Ravenby Edgar Allan Poe Click on the title to start the video.

4. The RavenIntroducing the Selection Has something outside of you—an object in nature, an animal, a landscape—ever echoed your feelings so strongly that it seemed to “speak” to you?

5. The RavenIntroducing the Selection At midnight on a bleak December night, a weary student is studying in his room and mourning his dead love, Lenore. • Suddenly, he hears a tapping at his door. • He is filled with terror. • Is it only a visitor, or is it something more? [End of Section]

6. The RavenLiterary Focus: Sound Effects Like a catchy song, “The Raven” has pleasing and familiar sound effects. evocative rhythms Once’ upon’ a mid’night drear’y • alliteration (repetition of consonant sounds) While I nodded, nearly napping clever rhymes “On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.” Then the bird said “Nevermore.”

7. The RavenLiterary Focus: Sound Effects Poe’s “The Raven” also contains less common sound effects. internal rhymes: rhyme occurring within a line “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary” onomatopoeia: words whose sounds echo their sense or, in this case, alliteration achieving a similar echo the “silken, sad, uncertain rustling” of curtains

8. The RavenLiterary Focus: Sound Effects Another sound effect Poe uses in this poem is the refrain, the repetition of a phrase or line, usually at the end of a stanza. “. . . nothing more.” “. . . nothing more.” “. . . nothing more.”

9. The RavenLiterary Focus: Sound Effects As you read or listen to the poem, consider the purpose of Poe’s literary sound effects. • What is Poe trying to accomplish with the repetition of certain rhythms and sounds? • How do these sound effects help create the atmosphere of the poem? [End of Section]

10. The RavenReading Focus: Interpreting Meaning Through Oral Reading Reading the poem aloud or listening to an oral reading draws your attention to Poe’s use of rhyme, onomatopoeia, and refrain. As you read or listen, bear in mind that literary sound effects—just like movie sound effects—have a purpose. Think about what Poe is trying to accomplish with the sound effects he creates in “The Raven.”

11. The RavenReading Focus: Interpreting Meaning Through Oral Reading Into ActionIn a chart like the one below, write down the sound effects in the poem. Determine what type each sound effect is. Type of Sound Effect Line and Example internal rhyme Line 1: dreary and weary [End of Section]

12. The RavenWriting Focus: Think As a Reader/Writer Find It in Your ReadingPoe uses a regular rhyme scheme throughout the poem. Write down the end rhymes to see if the scheme continues. “. . .while I pondered, weak and weary,” A B “. . . curious volume of forgotten lore—” C “. . . suddenly there came a tapping” B “. . . rapping at my chamber door,” B “. . . tapping at my chamber door,” B “. . . and nothing more.” [End of Section]

13. The Raven Tech Focus As you read, imagine how you might transformthis spooky poem into a radio play. What sound effects could you use to bring the poem’s mood to life on the air? [End of Section]

14. The End