‘To the Evening Star’
Summary
In ‘To the Evening Star’, William Blake talks about the goddess Venus and how she beautifies
nature during the evening.
This poem centers on the evening star. However, the poet, more specifically, refers to the goddess
Venus. Venus is also the second planet in the solar system and a sister planet of earth. It appears
just after dusk. According to the poet, the “fair-hair’d angel” of the evening, while the sun rests on
the mountains, puts her radiant crown and ruler over the landscape with her silvery aura.
Moreover, when the night is about to over, the star, as a guardian spirit of the evening, protects
every creature and objects with her “sacred dew” engendered from the tears of the goddess.
Detailed Analysis
Lines 1–4
THOU fair-hair’d angel of the evening,
Now, whilst the sun rests on the mountains, light
Thy bright torch of love; thy radiant crown
Put on, and smile upon our evening bed!
The poem begins with a direct reference to the evening star as an angel. The poetic persona of the
poem thinks the star is a “fair-haired” angel who protects the nocturnal beauty of nature. When
the sun sets behind the mountain, the star appears in the sky. According to the poet, the star lights
the “bright torch of love” at that time. So, the evening star is a symbol of love too. Moreover,
the speaker requests the angel to put on her “radiant crown” and smile upon their evening bed.
Here, the poet metaphorically compares the star to a monarch who protects the world in the
evening.
Lines 5–9
Smile on our loves, and while thou drawest the
Blue curtains of the sky, scatter thy silver dew
On every flower that shuts its sweet eyes
In timely sleep. Let thy west wind sleep on
The lake; speak silence with thy glimmering eyes,
Thereafter, the speaker tells the star to smile at their loved ones. It seems that the angelic star
becomes pleased to see her children in happiness. Moreover, the poet says the evening star draws
the “blue curtains of the sky” and scatters the “silvery dew” on every flower. When the flowers
shut their eyes in timely sleep after sunset, the evening star blesses them with her “silvery dew”.
Apart from that, the speaker requests the star to let her west wind sleep on the lake. As the west
wind is a symbol of destruction, he requests the angel to calm the spirit of the wind. Thereafter, he
tells the evening star to speak silently with her “glimmering eyes” to heighten the scenic beauty of
the landscape.
Lines 10–14
And wash the dusk with silver. Soon, full soon,
Dost thou withdraw; then the wolf rages wide,
And then the lion glares through the dun forest:
The fleeces of our flocks are cover’d with
Thy sacred dew: protect them with thine influence!
In the last section of the poem, ‘To the Evening Star’, the poet requests the angel of the evening to
wash the dusk with silver. From this section, the poem takes a quick turn to the theme of
experience. However, the star is going to disappear in the night sky very soon. Then the wolf and
the lion, symbols of experience, will come out and flare through the dark forest. The poet knows
her absence will lead the dark forces to capture the landscape that, a few moments ago, was
drenching in purity and divine radiance. However, at last, he requests the angel to protect the
“fleeces of our flocks” with her “sacred dew.” It seems as long as her influence is on her naive
creatures, the dark forces can inflict no harm on them.
Historical Context
William Blake, one of the early romantics, viewed nature in a different vein. His use of
symbolism as well as religious ideas, makes his poetic works stand apart from a greater volume
of romantic poetry. Moreover, his use of vivid imagery is another important aspect of his poems.
Blake’s “Song of Innocence and of Experience” presents the nature of creation and God who
created it. The themes present in this work get reflected in one of the best Blake poems, ‘To the
Evening Star’. Though it portrays the evening star in divine light, it implicitly glorifies the role of
God, as a protector and preserver.
Themes
Blake employs the themes of innocence vs experience, natural beauty, light, darkness, passion,
divinity, and purity in this poem. The most important theme of this poem innocence vs
experience. Here, the poet depicts the theme in the last few lines of the poem. Thereafter,
the setting displays the theme of natural beauty, specifically the nocturnal one. The interplay of
light and darkness, though implicit in the poem, is another important theme of this work. Last but
not least, the divine grace and the inherent purity of nature also gets highlighted in this poem.
Literary Devices
Blake begins this poem, ‘To the Evening Star’ with a metaphor. Here, the poet uses an allusion to
the Roman goddess of beauty, fertility, and desire, Venus. Along with that, in this metaphor, the
poet compares the evening star to an angel having fair hair. In the next line, the poet
uses personification. Readers can find the use of enjambment in the third and fourth lines. This
device is present throughout the poem. Moreover, the phrases, “west wind” and “speak silence”
contain alliteration. Lastly, the poem ends with a rhetorical exclamation.
Context Questions (5 marks each)
“Blue curtains of the sky, scatter thy silver dew
On every flower that shuts its sweet eyes
In timely sleep.”
1. From where are these lines taken? Who wrote them?
2. What are the literary devices used in these lines?
3. Comment on the significance of this situation.
“Now, whilst the sun rests on the mountains, light
Thy bright torch of love; thy radiant crown”
1. From where are these lines taken? Who is the writer?
2. Who is referred to “thy”? what is expected from him/her?
3. Explain the literary devices used in these lines.
Essay type question.
Comment on the symbolism used by the poet to bring out the beauty of nature in
the poem “To the evening star”. (15 marks)
