The narrator’s mind begins to unravel as the tapping persists, and the mysterious raven makes its entrance. What was once a mere curiosity transforms into an obsession.
The narrator, already lost in grief, watches as the raven perches upon a bust of Pallas Athena. He begins questioning the bird, but each inquiry is met with the same ominous reply: "Nevermore."
“Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.”
“Quoth the Raven, ‘Nevermore.’”
The raven's repeated response seems at first like mere mimicry, but soon takes on a sinister meaning. The narrator projects his fears onto the bird, spiraling deeper into despair.
Continue your journey to The Confrontation with the Raven.