Poetry · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in Poetry by Edgar Allan Poe.
Narrator
major
Also known as Unknown, Mine, Thy, mine, myself, Thou, thy, thee
The unnamed first-person narrator who appears throughout many poems, often reflecting on love, loss, and death.
Eulalie
supporting
A beautiful woman celebrated in the poem 'Eulalie,' representing idealized love and joy.
Nesace
supporting
A celestial or angelic figure who serves as a focal character in 'Al Aaraaf,' embodying divine beauty.
Edgar Allan Poe
major
Also known as Edgar Poe, Poe
The author appears as a self-referential character in several poems, reflecting his own life and sorrows.
Death
supporting
A personified figure of death that appears in multiple poems as a looming presence or antagonist.
Psyche
supporting
A mythological figure representing the soul, appearing as a character in poems like 'Ulalume.'
Annabel Lee
major
Also known as de Leon
The beloved maiden in the poem 'Annabel Lee,' whose love transcends death.
Annie
supporting
A comforting female figure addressed in 'For Annie,' representing solace and devotion.
Ianthe
minor
A celestial or mythological figure appearing in 'Al Aaraaf,' associated with beauty and light.
Israfel
supporting
An angelic poet from the poem 'Israfel,' whose heart is attuned to divine music.
Milton
minor
A reference to John Milton, invoked as a poetic influence in 'Al Aaraaf.'
The Raven
major
Also known as Quoth the Raven, Quoth
A mysterious raven that visits the narrator in 'The Raven,' repeating 'Nevermore.'
Helen
supporting
Also known as Mrs. Whitman, Mrs. S. Helen Whitman
A woman addressed in 'To Helen,' symbolizing idealized beauty and classical grace.
Al Aaraaf
minor
A celestial realm personified in the poem 'Al Aaraaf,' serving as a setting and character.
Young Love
minor
Also known as Love
A personified figure of youthful love appearing in early poems.
Angelo
minor
A character mentioned in 'The Coliseum,' possibly a historical or poetic figure.
Lenore
supporting
A lost beloved woman mourned in the poem 'Lenore,' representing grief and death.
Eldorado
minor
A mythical land of gold personified in the poem 'Eldorado,' sought by a knight.
Beauty
minor
Also known as young Beauty
A personified concept of beauty that appears as a character in several poems.
