Question

Now that the beginning of your script sounds active and engaging, it’s time to keep writing. You would ideally like to include a few lines of the poem, which you plan to read in a dramatic voice to heighten the tension of the video. You’re hoping to find lines that could speak to a modern-day reader.

Which lines do you think work best to heighten tension and draw viewers in with words and emotions that still work in a modern context?
Question 2 options:

"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there/ wondering, fearing,/ Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before…"


"Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning/ Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before."


"So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood/ repeating/ ''Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door…"


"Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a/ flirt and flutter,/ In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of/ yore…"

Answer 1

All four have dramatic value, but for a modern audience the most immediate, tense lines are:

- "Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there / wondering, fearing, / Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before…"
Why: it captures internal dread and insomnia — universal, very relatable. The cadence (“wondering, fearing”) builds nervous momentum and the phrase “dreams no mortal…” is visceral and memorable.

- "So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood / repeating / 'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door…"
Why: it puts the physiological reaction front and center (a racing heart), then gives the speaker a fragile, rationalizing line that viewers will recognize: trying to calm themselves even as fear persists. That contrast heightens tension.

How to use them in performance (short tips):
- Read the darkness/peering lines slowly at first; let the trailing lists (“wondering, fearing…”) quicken slightly to build nervousness. Pause after “dreams” so the final phrase lands.
- For the heartbeat line, use a tighter, breathier voice; pause on “beating of my heart” as if you can hear it, then drop into the slightly defensive “’Tis some visitor…” with a forced steadiness. A subtle background thump timed with the phrase can amplify it.
- If you want a rising arc, follow those two with the tapping line ("Back into the chamber turning…") to add an external sound cue, and save the shutter/flapping Raven line for a final, cinematic reveal.

Those choices will grab modern viewers by mixing interior terror with a clear, physical reaction and giving you clean moments to dramatize with pacing and sound.