Topic > The Raven: A Comparison of the Poetry and the Film Adaptation

Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven" is known for its rhyme, repetition, and language. The poem is about a crow's visit to a troubled lover, which causes the man to fall into sadness. In the film depicting Poe's poem “The Raven,” the director chose to reflect the original text in his adaptation of the setting, characters and atmosphere of the story. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The first element that ties in well with the film's story is the setting. An example of the setting is the month of December, a harsh month that can symbolize the end of life 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 setting is the time of events; the film occurred at midnight, creating the illusion of a dark atmosphere and a feeling of sadness and apprehension. Since the main point of the poem is to express a troubled lover, midnight is the perfect setting to express the feeling of depression and madness. The last example that expresses the setting is the room the man is in: the bedroom. In this film, this specific room is used to create the feeling of a lifeless and depressing atmosphere, to convey the meaning behind the film. Since the film is in black and white, the camera can express the feeling of loneliness, or even more mysterious elements. Another element that the director chose to reflect the source of the text are the characters. The second element that links well to the film based on the story are the confused and discouraged characters. An example of the characters is the Crow. In the film, the raven is used to express the heartbreaking memory of the narrator's lost person, Lenore. When the raven enters the room, it dominates the narrator. The darkness of the bird symbolizes death; therefore death becomes a continuous reminder for man. Another example of the characters is the man with no name. The man is sad over the loss of someone he loved, which leads him to believe he is fighting with the crow, 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 links well to the film based on the story is mood. One example that the director uses to create atmosphere is lighting. Lighting in a film can establish the mood of the scene and can also say a lot about the plot. In this film, the director used low-key lighting to create contrast and harsh shadows to build the feeling of sadness and loneliness. Another example the director uses to establish mood is camera angles. In a film, camera angles can influence the emotional reaction towards the characters and can also express the mood the director is trying to convey. In this film, the director used a high angle to create the atmosphere. By using this angle, mood is expressed by making the raven appear more dominant than the man. The final example the director uses to establish the mood of the film is color. The director incorporated colors when the man has flashbacks/hallucinations; the colors used are red, blue and green. In a film, these colors set the mood: danger, pain and isolation. In the film, all these elements helped reflect the source of the text. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, in the film depicting Poe's poem "The Raven," the director chose to reflect the original text in his.