--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then, methought, the air grew denser…" description: "\"“Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. “Wretch,” I cried..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/amy-a-bartol-5771_quoth-raven_then-methought-the-air-grew-denser-perfu_2499987.jpg" --- # Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an… ![“Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he has sent thee Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore! Quaff, oh quaff this kind…” quote by Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/amy-a-bartol-5771_quoth-raven_then-methought-the-air-grew-denser-perfu_2499987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/amy-a-bartol-5771_quoth-raven_then-methought-the-air-grew-denser-perfu_2499987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/amy-a-bartol-5771_quoth-raven_then-methought-the-air-grew-denser-perfu_2499987.jpg) > ““Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he has sent thee Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore! Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!” Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”” [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker uses vivid, poetic language to describe a surreal, grief‑laden scene invoking angels and the Raven. **In simple terms:** A dramatic, grief‑filled poetic vision. Key Takeaway Channel emotion through creative expression. Themes grief mythology literature Mood melancholic dramatic Type poetic literary When to use this quote - writing poetry - therapy - artistic performance - literary analysis Key Concepts symbolism escapism memory Questions to Reflect On - What emotions does the imagery evoke? - How does myth enhance the grief narrative? A Different Perspective The dense allusion may obscure clear meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lost Lenore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-lenore-1050597/) [Nepenthe Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nepenthe-forget-1050596/) [Quoth Raven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quoth-raven-308830/) [Thee Respite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thee-respite-1050598/) [Wretch Cried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wretch-cried-1050599/) ## Related quotes > [Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor. "Wretch," I cried,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/then-methought-the-air-grew-denser-perfumed-from-an-unseen-censer-3/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/quaff-oh-quaff-this-kind-nepenthe-and-forget-this-lost-lenore/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/once-upon-a-midnight-dreary-while-i-pondered-weak-and-weary-over-many-2/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“Other friends have flown before — On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.” Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/other-friends-have-flown-before-on-the-morrow-he-will-leave-me-as-my/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/quoth-the-raven-nevermore/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“though I said art sure no craven vastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore, tell me why thy lordly name is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edger-allen-poe/though-i-said-art-sure-no-craven-vastly-grim-and-ancient-raven/) [Edger Allen Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edger-allen-poe/) > [Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore! Quoth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/ghastly-grim-and-ancient-raven-wandering-from-the-nightly-shore-tell/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!” Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/take-thy-beak-from-out-my-heart-and-take-thy-form-from-off-my-door/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore. Though thy crest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/then-this-ebony-bird-beguiling-my-sad-fancy-into-smiling-by-the-grave/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) ## More by Amy A. Bartol > [“I can't figure out what's wrong with her feet! -Nothing's wrong with my feet! -They are an alluring shade of pink. -Jax, that's nail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/i-can-t-figure-out-what-s-wrong-with-her-feet-nothing-s-wrong-with-my/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“Reason doesn't always stand up to pain and come out the victor. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/reason-doesn-t-always-stand-up-to-pain-and-come-out-the-victor/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“Whatever it is that’s making you cry, look away from it. It doesn’t have you. I do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/whatever-it-is-that-s-making-you-cry-look-away-from-it-it-doesn-t/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“Reed's blood is now mixed with mine, so that he is always with me, no matter where I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/reed-s-blood-is-now-mixed-with-mine-so-that-he-is-always-with-me-no/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“security…” he trails off, picking up my black bikini top that was flung over the lamp. I pluck what’s left of the top out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/security-he-trails-off-picking-up-my-black-bikini-top-that-was-flung/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“Reed’s face inches closer to mine on the pillow as he says, “Let me try to explain something to you, Evie. All of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/reed-s-face-inches-closer-to-mine-on-the-pillow-as-he-says-let-me-try/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“If they took you from me, it would be like they concealed my heart from me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/if-they-took-you-from-me-it-would-be-like-they-concealed-my-heart/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“Instead of asking yourself how you can change that aspect of you, maybe you should be asking yourself why you were created that way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/instead-of-asking-yourself-how-you-can-change-that-aspect-of-you/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“You have made no secret of the fact that you hate me.” His eyes soften again. “Hate you?” he asks. “Not as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/you-have-made-no-secret-of-the-fact-that-you-hate-me-his-eyes-soften/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“You’re not her. You’re better. 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They're one in the same...Be this soul in Thine hands...I stop, unable to pray for her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/do-i-pray-for-her-life-or-mine-they-re-one-in-the-same-be-this-soul/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“Reed lifts his lips from mine, and looking into my eyes, he murmurs, “I want those thousand years with you, Evie, you have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/reed-lifts-his-lips-from-mine-and-looking-into-my-eyes-he-murmurs-i/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) > [“Just when you think that maybe Brennus is running' out of crazy, he shows up with a brand new can of it... economy size.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/just-when-you-think-that-maybe-brennus-is-running-out-of-crazy-he/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) [Explore all 100 Amy A. Bartol quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) ## More Quoth Raven quotes > [“Other friends have flown before — On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.” Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/other-friends-have-flown-before-on-the-morrow-he-will-leave-me-as-my/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/quoth-the-raven-nevermore/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“though I said art sure no craven vastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore, tell me why thy lordly name is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edger-allen-poe/though-i-said-art-sure-no-craven-vastly-grim-and-ancient-raven/) [Edger Allen Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edger-allen-poe/) > [Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore! Quoth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/ghastly-grim-and-ancient-raven-wandering-from-the-nightly-shore-tell/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!” Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/take-thy-beak-from-out-my-heart-and-take-thy-form-from-off-my-door/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore. Though thy crest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/then-this-ebony-bird-beguiling-my-sad-fancy-into-smiling-by-the-grave/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) [Browse all 7 Quoth Raven quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quoth-raven-308830/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he has sent thee Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore! Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!” Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amy A. 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