Final answer:
Edgar Allan Poe employs alliteration in 'The Raven' by repeating consonant sounds, which creates suspense and enhances the poem's dark atmosphere.
Step-by-step explanation:
Edgar Allan Poe's poem, "The Raven," uses alliteration to build suspense and engage the reader. Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words, which can enhance the mood and rhythm of a poem. In the lines, "Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing," Poe uses alliteration of the 'd' sound in 'deep', 'darkness', and 'dreaming' and the 'w' sound in 'wondering' and 'fearing' to emphasize the depth of the speaker's emotional turmoil and to heighten the feeling of suspense. Each alliterative phrase slows down the reading pace and focuses the reader's attention, causing them to anticipate something ominous or significant is about to occur. This technique, coupled with the dark and gloomy imagery, creates an atmosphere of foreboding that defines the poem's suspenseful tone.