Who is Lenore in The Raven?

Lenore is a key character in Edgar Allan Poe’s poem "The Raven." She is depicted as the lost love of the poem’s narrator, who is mourning her absence and the sorrow it brings him.

Throughout the poem, Lenore symbolizes idealized beauty and the pain of loss. Her name evokes deep feelings of grief and longing, making her a central figure in the narrator’s emotional turmoil. The poem begins with the narrator reflecting on his memories and the profound sadness of losing Lenore, which is intensified by the eerie visit from the raven.

The raven, a symbol of death and despair, repeatedly utters the word "Nevermore," which serves to emphasize the inescapable nature of his grief over Lenore. This interplay between the raven and the memory of Lenore highlights themes of loss and the struggle with mortality, making her more than just a character but a representation of unattainable love and enduring sorrow.

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