Analysis of Persons' Criticism of "The Raven"

Leland Persons’ criticism of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” brings up many interesting points about the work and other works written by Poe. He analyzes the way in which Poe wrote his works; that being for the reader to have their own interpretation of it. Persons’ main idea revolves around the concept that when reading “The Raven,” the reader actually has to compose a philosophy of their own about the events and ideas presented in the work.

The connection is made by Persons that not only is the character in the poem trying to “read” the raven, but the reader of the poem is as well (Persons). The use of solely one word by the raven shows that the story is actually meant to be interpreted. As a reader, one finds themselves trying to formulate and explanation as well as a meaning as to why the raven only says the word “nevermore.” Persons states that the bird is identical to the word it speaks because it has no meaning or representation along with no other words to use (Persons). This I disagree with this statement, because as I read the poem, I felt as though the bird did have a more significant meaning. It seems as though the bird has to represent the character’s lost Lenore, or possible something sent from Lenore to give a message to the lamenting lover.

Persons’ says that the reader has control of the bird throughout the poem, because the one reading in fact controls the meaning of the actions and the single word spoken by it (Persons). This I agree with, because I feel as though, if I were to read this poem while experiencing different emotions or moods, I could create a whole new meaning to the word “nevermore” and a new meaning to the entire poem as well. I think this was actually the intention of Poe when this poem was writing. As a writer, when you can make a work have different meanings for every reader in different moods, then a true work of art has been created. Persons’ quotes Edgar Allan Poe in his saying that it is the readers’ job to compose the raven and create the idea of what it represents (Persons). It is as if Poe did not create an idea for the raven to represent, but rather a basis for representation by interpretation of the reader.

Leland Persons made some very valid points about Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven.” I completely agree with his ideas about the meaning and significance of the raven in the story when he says that it is all about reader interpretation. I found it interesting that he believes that the reader is actually trying to figure out what the raven is at the same time as the character in the story. This method is most likely what Poe wanted when he wrote this poem and it is also what makes it such a great work of art. Even Poe says that this work is all about the readers’ interpretation, and this creates a story that can change among readers and simply the mood of the reader.


Works Cited

Person, Leland S., Jr. "Poe's Composition of Philosophy: Reading and Writing 'The Raven,'" Arizona Quarterly 46, no. 3 (Autumn 1990): pp. 1-2, 8, 12. Quoted as "The Self-Deconstruction of 'The Raven'" in Harold Bloom, ed. Edgar Allan Poe, Bloom's Major Poets. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 1999. (Updated 2007.) Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMPEAP25&SingleRecord=True (accessed November 22, 2010).