The Raven is the story of a somewhat older disfigured and single, well off woman who gives a dinner party for her relatives, who are clearly the ravens of the title story in their greed after her money. They are plotting to get her admitted into a psychiatric ward in order to get to her money and possessions early. In the final paragraph it becomes clear that she sees right through them and plans to spend her money so there won’t be much of an inheritance left when she’ll be dead: “What has life given me? Now I want to see them dance until they are weeping at my grave side.”

She also notices the meanness of her servants who are appalled by her disfigurements but who think she does not notice. A servant who looks at her as if she looked at a “cadaver at the waterfront”. She retaliates in small ways like calling for a servant who she knows is busy.

In typical Bang style the story is told almost completely through dialogues that are splendid in the way they let the reader see the machinations, hints, and subtle sexuality, both straight and gay of the characters.

And striking: published in 1903 and already phones are lamented:
‘I at least need a room without a telephone now and then.’
William Ask said: ‘There are people who just cannot do without those chimes.’
Bella smiled. ‘That’s true’, she said, ‘but it remains a nuisance when you are reading.’

A fine novella by a great writer.