# Evening Star explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Edgar Allan Poe.

## What happens

The speaker contrasts the cold, distant light of the moon with the warm, proud glow of the Evening Star, ultimately turning away from the moon's chill to embrace the star's more inspiring and joyful radiance.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Beauty

The speaker's admiration for the Evening Star's beauty and the joy it brings to the heart.

### Dreams vs. Reality

The contrast between the cold, lowly light of the moon and the distant, glorious fire of the star, suggesting a preference for ideal beauty over mundane reality.

## Character check-ins

### Narrator

The speaker who gazes upon the moon and turns to the Evening Star.

## Key lines

> I gazed awhile On her cold smile; Too cold—too cold for me— There passed, as a shroud, A fleecy cloud, And I turned away to thee, Proud Evening Star, In thy glory afar

I looked for a time at the moon's cold smile, which felt too cold for me. A cloud passed like a shroud, and I turned away to you, proud Evening Star, shining in your distant glory.

_The speaker rejects the moon's coldness and turns to the warmer, more glorious Evening Star._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_4_se/chapters/evening-star
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_4_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_4_se/chapters