I have to do an essay about Edgar Allen Poe, and I thought knowing who Lenore was would help.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2003

Answers

Using letters from his own name? A common poetic sounding romanticism many others had used? Poe used Lenore often in the specific context of his ideal of the dead beauty, the musical tone of melancholy and reverberation. Lenore never seemed to stand for any specific woman whereas "Helen" in part did, "Ulalume" did, and "Annabel Lee" shamelessly or teasingly applied by Poe to various courted females.

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2003