Page 44 of 172 NOTES - Complete Poetical Works

NOTES.

1. THE RAVEN

"The Raven" was first published on the 29th January, 1845, in the New York 'Evening Mirror'--a paper its author was then assistant editor of. It was prefaced by the following words, understood to have been written by N. P. Willis:

"We are permitted to copy (in advance of publication) from the second

number of the 'American Review', the following remarkable poem by

Edgar Poe. In our opinion, it is the most effective single example of

'fugitive poetry' ever published in this country, and unsurpassed in

English poetry for subtle conception, masterly ingenuity of

versification, and consistent sustaining of imaginative lift and

'pokerishness.' It is one of those 'dainties bred in a book' which we

feed on. It will stick to the memory of everybody who reads it."

In the February number of the 'American Review' the poem was published as by "Quarles," and it was introduced by the following note, evidently suggested if not written by Poe himself.

["The following lines from a correspondent--besides the deep, quaint

strain of the sentiment, and the curious introduction of some

ludicrous touches amidst the serious and impressive, as was doubtless

intended by the author--appears to us one of the most felicitous

specimens of unique rhyming which has for some time met our eye. The

resources of English rhythm for varieties of melody, measure, and

sound, producing corresponding diversities of effect, have been

thoroughly studied, much more perceived, by very few poets in the

language. While the classic tongues, especially the Greek, possess, by

power of accent, several advantages for versification over our own,

chiefly through greater abundance of spondaic feet, we have other and

very great advantages of sound by the modern usage of rhyme.

Alliteration is nearly the only effect of that kind which the ancients

had in common with us. It will be seen that much of the melody of 'The

Raven' arises from alliteration and the studious use of similar sounds

in unusual places. In regard to its measure, it may be noted that if

all the verses were like the second, they might properly be placed

merely in short lines, producing a not uncommon form: but the presence

in all the others of one line--mostly the second in the verse"

(stanza?)--"which flows continuously, with only an aspirate pause in

the middle, like that before the short line in the Sapphio Adonic,

while the fifth has at the middle pause no similarity of sound with

any part beside, gives the versification an entirely different effect.

We could wish the capacities of our noble language in prosody were

better understood."

ED. 'Am. Rev.']

		Fathers should be neither seen nor heard. That is the only proper basis for family life. Oscar Wilde