Stanza 7 is when the raven flies into the room and sits on the state of Pallas (Greek goddess of wisdom)
At first, the narrator is amused that it's just a bird. He asks the bird its name and it said, "Nevermore."
The narrator mentioned earlier of the lost of his love Lenore, and he doesn't know if the raven's repetition of "nevermore" is connected to his sorrow - or if it's just a coincidence.
"<em>On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.</em>
<em>Then the bird said 'Nevermore'</em>"
The narrator mentions the arrival of angels (Seraphim, "by the angels he hath sent thee) who burn incense and hopes that the raven is there to help him forget his sorrows. He wants to drink a potion to forget his sadness.
quaff = drink
nepenthe = medicine to treat sadness
(Stanza 14)
<em> Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
</em>
<em>Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
</em>
<em> “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
</em>
<em> Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;
</em>
<em>Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”
</em>
<em> Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”</em>
He assumes the bird will leave tomorrow, and the raven appears to deny it.
Through stanzas 14 - 17 he asks the raven a series of questions (are you evil? will you help me heal? Will I see Lenore in heaven? which it answers all of them with the word "nevermore." At last, he demands the raven to leave, to which it also replied, "nevermore."
In the last stanza, the raven looks over the narrator, while the narrator dwells on his sorrow. It suggests that the narrator will never recover from his sadness.
<em>And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
</em>
<em> Shall be lifted—nevermore!
</em>
