Never Come Back by Joe Hart

Author:Joe Hart [Hart, Joe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

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Transcript of Poe, the Man and the Myths: A lecture series with Professor Neil Grayson, Part 7-presented by Ridgewood University in coordination with College Partnership Programming.

Ah! And now we come to Poe’s most famous poem, and arguably his most famous work, “The Raven.” I’m guessing most of you in the room and watching from home could recite the first few lines off the top of your head, it’s that ingrained in American culture. On the surface it’s about a person mourning the loss of someone they love—Lenore. It’s a poem of grief written in a style that nearly sings off the page. But let’s dive a little deeper.

When the narrator begins asking questions of the raven, what are they actually doing? They’re questioning their own beliefs. Their emotions. Their motivations. They’re wondering aloud about the future, but they’re also wondering about what’s going on inside them.

Haven’t we all felt this way at one point or another? We’re torn by our internal struggles and feelings when encountering great triumph or loss. We wonder if what we’re feeling is normal or natural. If it’s in line with society’s expectations. We look outward for validation.

But what comes of great passion that’s unmoored? What comes of untethered grief or anger? The future is shaped by our actions, and actions in turn are shaped by what we feel.

In the end there is no raven. There is only the chaos inside us.

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