Question

How does the theme of fear emerge in the poem?

Answer 1

Answer:

B. The narrator is startled when he hears a tapping at his door and sees the purple curtains in his room shake.

Explanation:

In the poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe, the speaker is suffering for the loss of his beloved Lenore. One night, when he is almost asleep, he hears some tapping at his door. He immediately tells himself it is only a visitor, nothing more. As he looks around, he sees the purple curtains of his room moving. He is suddenly afraid, "filled with terrors", and again tries to convince himself it is only a late-night visitor. As we can see, that is the moment when the theme of fear emerges in the poem. Readers are now aware of what the speaker is feeling and how scary and mysterious his surroundings are.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

   So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

   “’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—

           This it is and nothing more.”