Why did Poe use the name Lenore?
Poe's poem about a lovely girl dying young was not titled "Lenore" until 1843, when it was published. The same poem was first published as "A Paean," which is a poem that celebrates or respects its subject. Lenore is also the name of the lamented lady in "The Raven," which may explain why it looks familiar. Poe probably chose "Lenore" because it is a beautiful name and he wanted to honor his wife. He originally called the poem "Annabel Lee." Annabel means "princess" or "queen," and Lee was his wife's name. He changed it to "A Paean" when it was published in New York in 1843 but later changed it back to "Lenore" when it was again published in Philadelphia in 1845. Poe loved his wife deeply and was very sad when she died in 1847 at the age of thirty-seven. She had given birth to a son who died shortly after being born. Her death left him heartbroken and he wrote many poems about her including this one. It is believed that he wrote the poem within hours of receiving news of her death in Baltimore. Poe was a great poet and writer who has been cited as an influence on such poets as Edgar Allan Poe and William Shakespeare. He is even considered one of the founders of the detective story because of his many tales featuring detectives.