What inspired edgar allen poe to write the poem the raven?
We can only speculate. First, Poe was addicted to drugs, alcohol and gambling and was a sad, melancholic figure. Some literary critics attribute the inspiration for his writings to his drug-induced delusions. Second, look at what was going on in his life when “The Raven” was published in 1845: In 1836 Poe married his 13-year-old cousin Virginia Clemm. She burst a blood vessel in 1842, and remained a virtual invalid until her death from tuberculosis five years later (in 1847). “The Raven” was published in 1845 — the time when his wife was bedridden. In that poem, he writes of his lost love “Lenore” and his deep grief. We don’t know for certain that there is a connection; however, Poe’s writings were autobiographical. After the death of his wife, Poe began to lose his struggle with drinking and drugs. He addressed the famous poem “Annabel Lee” (1849) to her.
