Poe & Jeremiah

[Benyameen]

I am trying to interpret a line from Poe's The Raven. It goes:

"Is there--is there balm in Gilead?--tell me--tell me, I implore!"

I know Poe is alluding to Jeremiah 8,22 but I can't really make sense of it. I think the narrator in The Raven is searching for some sort of cure, like the Prophet was searching for balm of Gilead in order to save his people (the daughter of my people=Zion).

The point I am struggling with is this: For who, or what, does the narrator need cure (the balm of Gilead)? For himself, to ease his emotional pain, or is he complaining that his wife wasn't cured when she still lived?

Or am I totally on the wrong track?

Looking forward to reading what you think!!

[Dark Muse]

I agree the poem is a bit unclear in its meaning here, but based upon my reading of it, I am inclined to think that it is from his own mental anguish and despair that he seeks the a cure. To be freed from his pain. But it could be read the other way as well.

[Benyameen]

yeah, ok, but why the connection to Jeremiah???

[Dark Muse]

The point I am struggling with is this: For who, or what, does the narrator need cure (the balm of Gilead)? For himself, to ease his emotional pain, or is he complaining that his wife wasn't cured when she still lived?

By my reading of your question, I took it you were asking what it was the narroator of the poem was seeking a cure for.

[floorboards]

he thought the raven came from hell, or 'night's plutonian shore', and i think he only wanted to know how it was like in hell, for he believed her lost love, lenore, was there. so he asked about gilead, and asked how lenore existed with these things in hell.