Raven Case

Thanantopsis By William Cullen Bryant and “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe be misunderstood if the poems are Transcendentalists or Romantics. They can both br Romantic by both poems talk about how the feelings of the characters make and decide what to do in the situations. “Thanatopsis” uses past experiences as another way to handle a conflict, as in “The Raven” Poe doesn’t. In “The Raven” Poe expresses death as a bad thing and is scared his lost Lenore is back to kill him. In “Thanatopsis” Bryant says it is ok to die. Bryant is right on viewing death because it is natures teaching, god meant for death to happen, and it would destroy the Earth.

Bryant says to “To Natures teaching, while from all around Earth and her still waters, and depths of air comes still a voice.” Here he is saying Nature meant for death to happen. He means if death doesn’t happen, then Natures teachings wouldn’t be the same. In “The Raven” Poe says “Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared before.” This means the character is scared to know what’s at the door and if he is going to die.

Bryant says “To him (god) in the love nature holds Communication with her visible forms she (nature) speaks various language for his grayer hours.” He says God is telling Nature that people need to die, and God is having nature kill them. In “The Raven” Poe still expresses death as a scary thing and that it is not necessary to happen.

“Thanatopsis” says “Nor in the embrace of ocean, shall exist. Thy image. Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim thy growth, to be resolved to earth again.” Bryant is saying here even though we are supposed to die and we have lost a good person, the Earth will renourish that person death, by a baby being born. In “The Raven” by Poe, He is hoping Lenore didn’t die and she should come back because nobody can replace her.