what was the speaker doing, and what was his state of mind when his encounter with the raven occurred? cite…

Brief Explanations:

In Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven", the speaker is initially reading and trying to forget his lost love Lenore, as indicated by "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore." His state of mind is one of melancholy and grief. When the raven appears, he is startled at first but then becomes increasingly obsessed with it, showing his descent into madness - "Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."

Answer:

The speaker was reading and trying to forget his lost - love Lenore. His state of mind was one of melancholy and grief initially, which then turned to obsession and madness upon encountering the raven. Evidence: "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore." and "Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."