"Evening Star" is a lyric poem by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in his early collection Tamerlane and Other Poems in 1827. The poem features a stargazer who perceives most stars as distant and cold, except for one, the "Proud Evening Star," which stands out due to its warm and inviting glow. Poe was influenced by Thomas Moore’s poem "While Gazing on the Moon’s Light" in crafting this work. Despite its initial appearance in Poe's first collection, "Evening Star" was not included in his second collection, Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems, and was not reprinted during his lifetime. In 1993, the poem was adapted by choral composer Jonathan Adams into a musical composition titled Three Songs from Edgar Allan Poe.
"Evening Star" Poem Text by Edgar Allan Poe
‘Twas noontide of summer,
And mid-time of night;
And stars, in their orbits,
Shone pale, thro’ the light
Of the brighter, cold moon,
‘Mid planets her slaves,
Herself in the Heavens,
Her beam on the waves.
I gazed awhile
On her cold smile;
Too cold—too cold for me—
There pass’d, as a shroud,
A fleecy cloud,
And I turned away to thee,
Proud Evening Star,
In thy glory afar,
And dearer thy beam shall be;
For joy to my heart
Is the proud part
Thou bearest in Heaven at night,
And more I admire
Thy distant fire,
Than that colder, lowly light.
Quick Facts
| Title: | Evening Star |
| Author: | Edgar Allan Poe |
| Published: | 1827 |
| Meter Type: | Iambic Tetrameter |
| Rhyme Scheme: | AABCCB (varied) |
| Structure: | Lyric Poem |
Summary of "Evening Star"
In this poem, the narrator spends a summer night gazing at the stars, which appear cold and distant, especially under the harsh light of the moon. Finding the moon's light too cold for comfort, he turns his attention to the Evening Star, which he finds warm and comforting. The star’s distant but warm glow provides the narrator with a sense of joy and admiration, in contrast to the cold, impersonal light of the moon.
Critical Analysis of "Evening Star"
"Evening Star" delves into the themes of isolation and yearning as the narrator contrasts the warmth of the Evening Star with the coldness of the moon. Poe uses the celestial bodies to explore the narrator’s emotional state, highlighting his preference for the distant warmth of the Evening Star over the moon’s cold, detached light. This contrast reflects a deeper search for emotional connection and warmth in an otherwise cold and distant universe.
The use of celestial imagery, including stars and the moon, evokes both wonder and a sense of emotional distance. The warmth of the Evening Star becomes a symbol of hope and desire, a beacon of light that the narrator admires from afar, which resonates with the Romantic ideal of unattainable beauty.
Poe’s frequent themes of death, melancholy, and beauty are evident in this poem as well. The juxtaposition of the cold moon and the warm Evening Star can be seen as an inner conflict between despair and hope, with the Evening Star representing a glimmer of hope that shines even in the darkest of nights.
Major Themes in "Evening Star" by Edgar Allan Poe
- Isolation: The narrator feels a sense of disconnection from the coldness of the moon, turning instead to the warmth of the Evening Star for solace.
- Longing: The Evening Star symbolizes an unreachable desire that the narrator yearns for, representing a deep emotional longing.
- Contrast between Warmth and Cold: The poem contrasts the warmth and light of the Evening Star with the cold, distant light of the moon, symbolizing different emotional states.
Stylistic Analysis of "Evening Star" by Edgar Allan Poe
- Imagery: Poe employs vivid celestial imagery to convey the emotional depth and wonder felt by the narrator.
- Meter: The poem is composed in Iambic Tetrameter, lending it a rhythmic and lyrical quality.
- Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme varies throughout the poem, with the primary pattern being AABCCB, contributing to the poem's melodic flow.
- Symbolism: The Evening Star symbolizes hope, warmth, and an emotional connection, while the moon represents coldness and distance.