What is the purpose of the stanza?
example: The purpose of this stanza is to develop a general time and place - setting - for 'The Raven'. In this stanza, the month is identified as a cold one and an unsavory one. Additionally, a fire is dying as a person seeks to grieve through reading a book. He is grieving over the loss of his love, Lenore. At this point, because it's so early in the narrative poem, no real tension - stress - has been developed, but we can begin to wonder over how the character will cope with the loss of his love. After all, he does refer to her as a "rare and radiant" maiden.
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;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.