Difference between revisions of "133: The Raven"

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This comic is a take on the ambiguousity of the word "rapping".
 
This comic is a take on the ambiguousity of the word "rapping".
  
The title of the comic (and indeed the cited poem) is a reference to horror writer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe Edgar Ellen Poe]'s book [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raven "The Raven"]. "Eminem" in the image text is a reference to the rapper [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eninem Eninem], best known for his alter ego and 1999's record "The Slim Shady LP". Which explains the punchline: where the poem recites rapping as "to knock", Eminem would be rapping by "speaking or chanting rhyming lyrics".
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The title of the comic (and indeed the cited poem) is a reference to horror writer {{w|Edgar Allan Poe}}'s book "{{w|The Raven}}". "Eminem" in the image text is a reference to the rapper {{w|Eninem}}, best known for his alter ego and 1999's record "The Slim Shady LP". Which explains the punchline: where the poem recites rapping as "to knock", Eminem would be rapping by "speaking or chanting rhyming lyrics".
  
 
{{Comic discussion}}
 
{{Comic discussion}}

Revision as of 07:40, 19 October 2012

The Raven
Yes, Eminem is wearing a sleeveless hoodie. What of it?
Title text: Yes, Eminem is wearing a sleeveless hoodie. What of it?

Description

This comic is a take on the ambiguousity of the word "rapping".

The title of the comic (and indeed the cited poem) is a reference to horror writer Edgar Allan Poe's book "The Raven". "Eminem" in the image text is a reference to the rapper Eninem, best known for his alter ego and 1999's record "The Slim Shady LP". Which explains the punchline: where the poem recites rapping as "to knock", Eminem would be rapping by "speaking or chanting rhyming lyrics".


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Discussion

Rikthoff (talk) Date is definitely incorrect. Could someone fix that?

I must admit curiosity as to how you equated "rapping on a door" with "rape". "Rapping" as used in the poem means exactly what it says; to tap on the door. Electric doorbells didn't exist in the 1800s and people would announce their presence at your door by knocking (rapping) on it. It has nothing to do with rape.

Agreed, and fixed. The original posting made the incorrect association of rapping (to knock or strike) with rape (originally to sieze or carry away, in addition to its more contemporary meaning) which was incorrectly described as "too force open"... but that's the nature of wikis: we all can post, and we all can correct. Thanks for pointing it out. -- IronyChef (talk) 14:26, 14 August 2012 (UTC)

Should it be mentioned that the actual poem says "as of someone gently rapping" rather than "as if"? -- 141.101.104.25 22:33, 21 February 2015 (UTC)

I was about to say the same thing. A rare, uncorrected Randall error probably bears comment. 108.162.237.175
Added to Trivia. Yfmcpxpj (talk) 10:44, 3 December 2019 (UTC)

Is there any possible connection between the fact that in the original it was a raven, and now it's a white rapper, instead of a black one? 108.162.218.118 05:17, 12 May 2016 (UTC)

Should have been "as of someone gently rapping." Koro Neil (talk) 21:17, 27 December 2018 (UTC)

Added to Trivia. Yfmcpxpj (talk) 10:44, 3 December 2019 (UTC)