The events of Midnight Dreary take place primarily in Richmond, Virginia, and Baltimore, Maryland. Poe had been raised in Richmond. Soon after his birth on January 19, 1809, in Boston, his father abandoned his family. In 1811, his mother, Elizabeth, died of tuberculosis in Richmond. Her children were split among other families to be raised, with Edgar being sent to live with John and Frances Allan. John owned a successful import-export business. By many accounts, Poe seems to have been very spoiled, with Frances Allan doting on him, but John Allan may have been a parsimonious man, for he sent Poe to college with less money than was needed to pay for food, housing, and books. Poe's debts outraged him, and Poe's college career ended when Allan refused to send him any more money.

Allan always felt betrayed by Poe's behavior, saying that Poe was ungrateful for the many years of...