Poe's Vocabulary in “The Raven” - SAS

Poe's Vocabulary in “The Raven”

Grade Levels

10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade

Course, Subject

English Language Arts

Related Academic Standards

L.F.2.4.1 L.F.2.4.1

Interpret and analyze works from a variety of genres for literary, historical, and/or cultural significance.

L.F.2.5.1 L.F.2.5.1

Identify, explain, interpret, describe, and/or analyze the effects of personification, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, satire, foreshadowing, flashback, imagery, allegory, symbolism, and irony in a text.

L.F.2.5.2 L.F.2.5.2

Identify, explain, and analyze the structure of poems and sound devices.

L.F.2.5.3 L.F.2.5.3

Identify and analyze how stage directions, monologue, dialogue, soliloquy, and dialect support dramatic script.

L.N.2.3.4 L.N.2.3.4

Explain, interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate theme in a variety of nonfiction:

the relationship between the theme and other components of the text
comparing and contrasting how major themes are developed across genres
the reflection of traditional and contemporary issues, themes, motifs, universal characters, and genres
the way in which a work of literature is related to the themes and issues of its historical period

Expand

Description

Language and Vocabulary In ‘The Raven’

Use a dictionary to look up the CAPITALIZED words. These words are in the poem’s context so that their meanings could be more easily deciphered.

forgotten LORE...
bird (friend) of FIEND
dying EMBER...
OMINOUS bird of yore...
the MORROW...
SURCEASE of sorrow...
ENTREATING entrance...
IMPLORE...
stillness gave no TOKEN...
in stepped a RAVEN...
Not the least OBEISANCE made he...
with MEIN of lord or lady...
EBONY
BEGUILING my sad fancy into smiling...
grave and STERN DECORUM...
the COUNTENANCE it wore...
the CREST was shaven...
the crest was SHORN and shaven...
the DIRGES of his hope...
MELANCHOLY
I sat DIVINING...
perfumed from a CENSER by SERAPHIM
QUAFF, oh, quaff the nepenthe...

Essential Question

How can one use context to gain understanding of vocabulary?

Duration

20 minutes or less

Assessment

Students will be able to apply definitions to their comprehension of the poem 'The Raven'.