Year 8 - English
Analysing 'The Raven'
Gothic poetry
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils read and explore two nineteenth-century gothic poems by Edgar Allen Poe. They first read and analyse 'The Raven' and 'The Haunted Palace' in isolation, before comparing them to each other and developing a personal response. Finally, they practise performing one of the poems.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to analyse the symbolism in 'The Raven'.
Key Notes
- The poem is about a man who is visited by a foreboding raven, in the night.
- In the poem, the raven symbolises death and the speaker's grief.
- Poe presents the narrator as griefstricken; he has perhaps been influenced by the tragedy in his own life.
- The poem links to the Gothic through the dark, isolated setting.
- The poem links to the Gothic through its portrayal of a speaker, in a state of heightened emotion.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Symbolism: a literary device where a noun represents an abstract quality
- Turbulent: confused and disordered
- Entreat: to entreat someone is to beg them
- Myth: a traditional story, often about a fact of nature
- Melancholy: a long lasting feeling of deep sadness
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Students may misuse the varying forms of the word "symbolism."
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
The poem is about a man who is visited by a foreboding raven, in the night. In the poem, the raven symbolises death and the speaker's grief.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Symbolism'
a literary device where a noun represents an abstract quality.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Students may misuse the varying forms of the word "symbolism.". Correction: Explicitly teach them how the various forms are used in sentences.
More Lessons In This Unit
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