In the story the “lottery” by shirley jackson

As soon as hitler took over, he began persecuting jews. what does persecuting mean in this context

When first i engaged in this work, i resolved to leave neither words nor things unexamined, and myself with a prospect of the hours which i should revel away in feasts of literature . . –preface to a dictionary of the english language, samuel johnson what is the connotation of the word revel in this passage?

In the poem i felt a funeral, in my brain what rhyme scheme does the poet use and how does it contribute to the poem?