# Israfel explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Edgar Allan Poe.

## What happens

The poem contrasts the divine, passionate song of the angel Israfel with the more restrained, earthly music of mortals, suggesting that the angel's perfect bliss casts a shadow that is the sunshine of human experience, and that if the speaker could trade places with Israfel, he might produce a bolder, more heavenly melody.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Beauty

The poem describes Love as a 'grown-up God' and the Houri glances as imbued with the beauty worshipped in a star, emphasizing the transcendent beauty of the divine realm.

### Dreams vs. Reality

The contrast between Heaven's ecstasies and the 'world of sweets and sours' highlights the gap between ideal, perfect bliss and the imperfect, mortal experience.

## Character check-ins

### Israfel

The angel whose heart-strings are a lute and whose song is so wildly well that the stars and moon pause to listen.

### Narrator

The speaker who reflects on the contrast between Israfel's heavenly music and mortal melody, and imagines trading places with the angel.

## Key lines

> In Heaven a spirit doth dwell 'Whose heart-strings are a lute'; None sing so wildly well As the angel Israfel

There is a spirit in Heaven whose heart is like a musical instrument, and no one sings as passionately and beautifully as the angel Israfel.

_Introduces Israfel as the supreme singer of Heaven._

> If I could dwell Where Israfel Hath dwelt, and he where I, He might not sing so wildly well A mortal melody, While a bolder note than this might swell From my lyre within the sky.

If I could live where Israfel lives, and he where I do, he might not sing a mortal song so passionately, while I could produce a more daring note from my lyre in Heaven.

_The speaker imagines a role reversal that would elevate his own song to divine heights._

## Links

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