Poe’s “The Raven” mourns the death of Poe’s

In 'The Raven' (1845) the grieving speaker mourns 'the lost Lenore', the 'rare and radiant maiden' whose death leaves him in despair, and the raven's 'Nevermore' denies him any hope of meeting her again. The speaker is a dramatic figure rather than Poe himself, though the poem is often linked with Poe's grief over the illness of his wife Virginia. Abigail, a pet animal and lost heritage play no part in the poem.