The poem tells the story of a grieving man who is visited by a mysterious raven late at night. He is mourning the loss of his beloved, Lenore, and tries to distract himself by reading. Suddenly, a raven enters his room and perches on a bust above the door. The man begins to question the bird, hoping it might offer some relief from his sorrow. However, the raven responds only with the word “Nevermore.”

As the man continues to ask questions—ranging from mundane to desperate—the raven’s repeated answer drives him deeper into despair. By the end of the poem, the man is consumed by grief and madness, believing that his soul will never escape the raven’s shadow.