The Night's Plutonian Shore

[justcarol67]

Steve (bboyminn wrote):
<snip>
> The mystery is "...Night's Plutonian shore...". Now I know that is something of a reference to hell, or to the edge or shores of hell, but why is it capitalize the way it is? 
> 
> Why not ... night's Plutonian Shore...?
> 
> Why not ... night's Plutonian shore...?
> 
<snip>
> 
> What is so special about Night that it is capitalized, and what is so insignificant about shore that it is not? 

Carol responds:
Normally, when Night is capitalized, it's a personification, almost a goddess or deity, but in "the Raven," Night is treated metaphorically as a *place* with an edge or shore that leads into or merges with Pluto's realm, Hades. "Plutonian" is a proper adjective, derived from the proper noun (name) Pluto; "shore" is just a common noun. There's no such place as the Plutonian Shore. The idea is that the night, which he personifies, is hellish and connected with death.

At any rate, Night is an entity with identifiable properties whereas "shore" is just an ordinary noun. I can't imagine a deity with that name.

Think of Night as a terrifying, hellish into which you can sail, leaving the safety of light and land behind. It seems to be for Poe and his narrator) a place or state of nightmares and demons (like the raven).

Just my interpretation. My (very old) Norton Anthology of American Literature merely says, "The infernal regions were ruled by Pluto," a very inadequate explanation, I agree. (The Heath Anthology of North American Literature has a similar explanation equating Pluto with hell, no reference to Night or "shore.")

Steve:
> 
> Nepenthe - is apparently a reference to Homer's Odyssey. It is a drink the relieves sorrow.

Carol:
Yes, sort of. Nepenthe was a plant that came from Egypt and was mixed with wine to induce forgetfulness.

Steve: 
> Balm of Gilead - I knew this one instinctively. He is asking
> if there is any spiritual peace from the sorrow of his lost
> Lenore, and of course the Raven replies - Nevermore. Impling
> to the Sad main character that there is no relief from the
> heartache.

Carol:
It's a biblical allusion: "Is there no balm in Gilead?" (Jeremiah 6:22). Balm (a healing salve) from the land of Gilead is also mentioned in the story of Joseph: "[B]ehold, a company of Ishmeelites [sic] came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt" (Genesis 37:25).

Steve: 
> "Tell this soul with sorrow laden, if, within the distant Aidenn, I shall clasp a sainted maiden, whom the angels named Lenore - "
> 
> Aidenn is paradise or Eden. I think in the context, it means Heaven. When I get to Heaven will I be able to hold Lenore again, and of course, the Raven says - Nevermore.

Carol:
That sounds right to me. It seems to be an alternate spelling of Eden chosen to rhyme with "maiden."

Steve: 
> I suspect, in their day, many of these references we commonly known. 
<snip>

Carol:
Yes. Poe expected his readers to be familiar with both Greco-Roman mythology and the Bible. I think he would have been shocked that even mid-twentieth-century readers required footnotes or glosses to understand his poetry.

Carol, glad that Steve is still on his poetry binge and recommending Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner" if you like "The Raven"