First published in 1845, ‘The Raven’ is a narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe, an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, specifically his tales of mystery and the macabre. The poem is often commented on for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mystifying visit to an agitated lover, tracing the man's slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student, is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further distress the protagonist with its constant repetition of the word ‘Nevermore’. The poem makes use of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references.