Allude

Please replace this my previous "Allude" post with this one. This one is edited because I made some mistakes on the last one. Thank you!


Edgar Allan Poe would often allude to different characters, usually deep emotions or death, by portraying them as either human or personified beings who are symbolically significant of these values. In his famous poem, "The Raven", he alludes to his expressions and feelings of depression and darkness by having a raven represent these inanimate objects. He meticulously describes the sequence of events of depression. First the raven enters a room boldly and strongly where the narrator is seated. This alludes to the feelings that are experienced when depression first comes on, such as after a traumatic event when depression can flare up. Poe is saying that the feelings of darkness and depression of overwhelmingly strong at this point. Then the narrator starts to feel hopeless in the presence of this morbid creature. The narrator becomes timid and upset, as if all feelings of light and happiness are far out of reach and can never again be attained. Then the bird recites the famous line, "Quoth the Raven, Nevermore". And he repeats it numerous times, each time deteriorating and depleting the narrator's mental stability and courage. This turns the narrator into a nervous wreck, unable of being saved. "Quoth the Raven, Nevermore" translates into today's vocabulary as depression and darkness will follow you for all your days and will keep whispering in your ear: frightening you, tearing your courage and hope to bits, consuming your soul until there is none. Then Poe alludes to the narrator's complete and utter breakdown. He does this by describing a sleeping demon with fiery, burning eyes. This leads the narrator to a satanic breakdown and he succumbs to the raven and its evil. This is the end of the narrator's journey. Depression has taken its course and left an empty shell behind.