爱伦·坡的长诗《乌鸦》发表于1845年。诗作发表之后引起轰动,有出版商请著名的插画家Gustave
Doré为这首长诗创作了25幅插画。
爱伦·坡(Edgar Allan Poe)
,生于1809年,他27岁时与自己14岁的表妹弗吉尼亚·克莱姆结婚。他们婚后的生活穷困潦倒。1847年,爱伦·坡的妻子被病魔夺去了生命。两年后,他也死于饮酒过度。他的悲伤就如诗中失去至爱的主人公。他的灵魂,如诗中那团在地板上漂浮的阴暗被擢升,且永不复还!诗中的“Nevermore”是无法翻译的忧伤和绝望。
这首诗真的是很好,有兴趣的人应该看看的。它反映了美国文学的一些特点。。
原文是这样的!!
The Raven
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weakry.
Over many a quint and curious volume of forgotten lore.
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door--
Only this, and nothing more."
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; -vainly I had tried to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow(1)-sorrow for the lost Lenore-
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Nameless here for evermore
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;-