Question

Read the following line from Edgar Allan Poe's "the raven". "Quoth the raven, Nevermore.'''
What effect does this repeated line have on the poem?
A) It adds to the speaker's sense of hopelessness.
B) It shows the speaker's feelings of guilt and anger.
C) The word "Nevermore" express how unhappy the bird is.
D) It shows the relationship between the bird and the speaker.

Answer 1

A, it adds to the speaker's sense of hopelessness. 

Answer 2

Answer: A) It adds to the speaker's sense of hopelessness.

Throughout the poem, the speaker conveys a sense of hopelessness. The origin of this feeling is the fact that the speaker is mourning a woman he loved. However, the feeling is emphasized and increased by the repetitive and mysterious nature of the raven's words. The fact that the raven repeats the word "nevermore" many times shows that the speaker has no chance of learning anything about the afterlife, the fate of his beloved or the purpose of the raven's visit. Therefore, no matter how many questions he poses, he remains as hopeless as he was before.