The Raven: a Comparsion of The Poem and The Film Adaptation

The poem, “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe, is known for its rhyming, repetition, and language. The poem speaks of a raven's visit to an upset lover, making the man fall into sadness. In the film depicting Poe’s poem “The Raven” the director chose to reflect the source text in his adaption of the stories setting, characters, and mood.

The first element that ties well into the film from the story is the setting. One example of the setting is the month of December, a harsh month that can symbolize the end of life due to it being the end of the year. Making the film set in this month can symbolize the man's emotions throughout the film. Another example of the setting is the time of the events; the film took place at midnight, creating the illusion of a dark atmosphere, and the feeling of sadness and apprehension. Because the main point of the poem is to express an upset lover, midnight is the perfect setting to express the feeling of depression and madness. The last example that expresses the setting is the room that the man is in – the chamber. In this film, this specific room is used to create the feeling of a lifeless, depressing atmosphere, to give off the meaning behind the film. Because the film is in black and white, the chamber can express the feeling of loneliness, or more so mysterious elements. Another element that the director chose to reflect the source of the text is characters.

The second element that ties well into the film from the short story is the confusing and dispirited characters. One example of the characters is the Raven. In the film, the raven is used to express the heartbreaking remembrance of the narrator’s lost one, Lenore. When the raven enters the room, it holds domination over the narrator. The bird's darkness symbolizes death; therefore, death becomes a continuous reminder for the man. Another example of the characters is the unnamed man. The man is sad about the loss of someone he loved, leading to him believing he is fighting with the raven, but he is fighting with himself and his emotions. In order for the director to reflect the source of the text, another element he chose is mood.

The third element that ties well into the film from the short story is mood. One example the director uses to establish the mood is the lighting. Lighting in a film can establish the mood for the scene and can also tell a lot about the plot. In this film, the director used lowkey lighting to create contrast and harsh shadows to construct the feeling of sadness, and loneliness. Another example the director uses to establish the mood is camera angles. In a film, camera angles can affect the emotional reaction towards the characters, and can also express the mood that the director is trying to release. In this film, the director used a high angle to set the mood. By using this angle, the mood is expressed by making the raven look more dominant than the man. The last example the director uses to establish the mood in the film is color. The director incorporated colors when the man is having flashbacks/hallucinations; the colors that are used are red, blue, and green. In a film, these colors establish the mood: danger, hurt, and isolation. In the film, all these elements helped reflect the source of the text.

In conclusion, in the film depicting Poe’s poem “The Raven,” the director chose to reflect the source text in his adaption of the stories setting, characters, and mood. All of these story elements help make the film run smoothly and develops action that viewers can follow along with, without creating confusion.