* Setting: The poem's setting, a bleak December night in the speaker's "chamber" filled with books and memories of his lost love Lenore, immediately establishes an atmosphere of gloom and melancholy. This sets the stage for the arrival of the raven, a symbol of death and despair.
* Speaker's State of Mind: The speaker is already deeply grieving, haunted by memories and seeking solace in "forgotten lore." His fragile mental state makes him susceptible to the raven's pronouncements and the encroaching sense of hopelessness.
* Symbolism: The poem uses symbols that are laden with negative connotations: the raven itself, the "grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore", is a symbol of death and sorrow. Other symbols like the bust of Pallas, a goddess of wisdom, and the speaker's "chamber," a space of contemplation and introspection, suggest a futile search for knowledge and comfort in the face of loss.
* Repetition and Rhyme: The poem's repetitive structure and mournful rhyme scheme, especially the constant refrain of "Nevermore," reinforce the theme of despair and the speaker's descent into madness. This rhythmic structure, along with the dark imagery, creates an oppressive and inescapable atmosphere.
* The Raven's Arrival: The raven's arrival is sudden and unexpected, disrupting the speaker's already fragile state. This sudden intrusion, combined with the raven's ominous presence and pronouncements, foreshadows the speaker's eventual surrender to despair.
These elements work together to create a sense of foreboding and inevitability, suggesting that the speaker's journey will lead him to a tragic end. While the poem doesn't explicitly state what will happen, the pervasive sense of gloom and the symbolic weight of the imagery strongly hint at the speaker's impending doom.