Duality In The Raven

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“The Raven” is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous romantic poems, narrating a grieving man’s descent into madness. A frequent theme throughout the narrative is the balance, or lack thereof, between light and dark. Although “The Raven” contains symbols that allude to duality, the narrator’s struggle between dark and light and his ultimate submission to darkness demonstrate the inevitable supremacy of one over the other. After the death of his loved one Lenore, the narrator is on the brink of madness, fighting to maintain hold of his rationality. He initially gives off an air of reason and assures himself that nothing is out of the ordinary: “Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door-/This it is and nothing more” (Lines 17-18).…show more content…
The Raven represents the darkness and insanity within the narrator. Once the Raven enters, the narrator assumes it comes from the Underworld: “Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!” (46). The narrator’s immediate connection of the Raven to the Underworld reflects his obsession over Lenore. He seeks to find anything that could relate to his late love, even reverting to supernatural explanation. Its presence pushes him closer to the clutches of madness and irrationality. The Pallas represents the rationality and light within the narrator. As the Raven enters, it perches itself onto the white bust of Pallas Athena: “Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door” (41). Its position above the chamber door symbolizes the dominance light has over the narrator initially. When the Raven enters, it rests on top the Pallas, thus establishing its place above rationality. The Raven’s superior position portends the ultimate supremacy of darkness over light. The dominance of darkness becomes even more apparent as the narrator loses his composure, however there is a sense of peace afterwards. After the narrator snaps after his last question the Raven remains perched upon the bust: And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting (103). The serenity only comes after darkness overpowers,
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