Question

Read these stanzas from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe.

"Prophet!" said I, “thing of evil! —prophet still, if bird or devil! —
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—
On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—
Is there—is there balm in Gilead? —tell me—tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! —prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."


How does the raven saying "Nevermore" in this excerpt propel the narrative action of the story?

-It lightens the initial mood as the speaker converses with a talking bird.

-Angered by the bird's answer, the speaker curses the bird.

-Hopeful, the speaker calls out to Lenore, knowing she is there.

-It confirms the speaker will never see Lenore again, pushing him closer to insanity.

Answer 1

Answer:

-It confirms the speaker will never see Lenore again, pushing him closer to insanity.

Explanation:

I think it's this one because of how the speaker lashes out at the bird when he calls it "Thing of evil! The bird is almost taunting the speaker as he pines over his lost Lenore.

Answer 2

D. It confirms the speaker will never see Lenore again, pushing him closer to insanity

• "Nevermore" is considered by critics and literature experts to mean 'nothing more'.When the raven says nevermore, it refers to the fact that he will never see his long-lost love ever again and that the sorrow of this revelation will make him spiral into madness.
• Lenore is considered to be Edgar Allen Poe's, long-lost love. Lenore is described to be an angel, a sense of relief in the poet's life. If the raven was a metaphor for sadness, Lenore is a metaphor for relief. However, with the Rave plaguing the poet's mind, he knows that he will never see her again.
• In retrospect, the poet wrote the following poem for his wife who was dying of tuberculosis and hence, we see this poem as a sentiment of grief.

#SPJ3