Final answer:
In "The Raven," Edgar Allan Poe builds suspense through a grim and mysterious setting, vivid details and imagery, strategic use of repetition and rhythm, and a narrative descent into madness that mirrors themes in other works like "The Fall of the House of Usher."
Step-by-step explanation:
Edgar Allan Poe builds suspense in "The Raven" through several literary techniques. The poem begins with a setting that is both somber and mysterious, described as "a midnight dreary," which sets the tone for the unnerving events that follow. Poe employs vivid details and imagery, allowing readers to imagine the tapping sound at the narrator's chamber door. This seemingly mundane occurrence is transformed into something ominous due to the narrator's already weary state and the poem's haunting atmosphere.
The suspense in "The Raven" is amplified by the poet's use of repetition and rhythm. The tapping sound is repeated, and the phrase "nothing more" at the end of the stanza creates a hypnotic effect that both soothes and unsettles. Poe's strategic use of the refrain "Nevermore" spoken by the raven also contributes to the growing unease. Every utterance from the raven is a nail in the coffin of the narrator's hope, driving both him and the reader towards a sense of inescapable doom.
Additionally, the narrative structure of the poem mirrors a descent into madness, with the narrator's questioning of the raven becoming more frantic and disjointed. This structure connects to the theme of fatalism evident in Poe's other works, like "The Fall of the House of Usher," where elements like mirror images and reflections intensify the sense of inevitable demise. Throughout "The Raven," Poe plays with the reader's anticipation and dread, mastering the art of suspense and leaving a lasting impression of the macabre.