What does the raven symbolize (besides death)?

Question

Whenever I ask a friend about the symbolism of the Raven from *The Raven*, they always seem to say death. **Is that the only thing the Raven is meant to symbolize?**

Answer 1

It absolutely depends on how you look at it! The raven itself can represent death, sure, but it can also represent the narrator's own state of mind. The raven may be real, but it also may be a figment of the narrator's imagination. The narrator is distraught as it is, and he is full of pain and sorrow over Lenore, so he is trying to find some relief to his sadness. The raven does represent death, but it also can represent grief, insanity/madness, and loneliness.