The document provides an analysis of William Blake's poem "To the Evening Star". It notes that the poem uses poetic techniques such as personification, metaphor, oxymoron, alliteration and consonance. It addresses the evening star as a "fair-haired angel" and suggests that her light removes darkness. The analysis discusses how the poem depicts the star bringing peace during the night and protecting humankind from threats like wolves and lions. It also describes how the poem portrays the beauty and innocence of nature.

1. WRITTEN BY
WILLIAM BLAKE
TO THE EVENING STAR

2.  Archaic language = Thou, Thy ,Dost
 Personification = You(Thy)
 Metaphor = Wash the dusk with silver
 Oxymoron = Speak Silence
 Alliteration = Fleeces of our Flocks
 Consonance = shuts its sweet eyes
 Assonance = fair –hair’d angel
 Symbols = Wolf rages, lion glares
POETIC TECHNIQUES
T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 2

3. Anastrophe (Inversion) = “thy radiant crown” “Put
on”
Enjambment (run-on-line) = While thou drawest
the , blue curtains of sky
Biblical Allusion = Sacred dew
T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 3

4. • He addresses “Her” as a “fair-haired angel of the evening”
who can light a lovely bright torch at night to remove the
darkness and wears a glowing crown on her head and
smiles upon the evening bed of humankind.
• “Now, whilst the sun rests on the mountains light” implies
that even the sturdy mountains that have endured all
forms of hardship have to surrender to the inevitable
night.
T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 4

5. • It is a “bright torch” while all else is dark, presenting a
juxtaposition to the transcendent symbol.
• The poet further proceeds to say that the Goddess Venus
makes the fine morning and scatters the dew on every flower
that shuts its silver eyes.
• These lines augment the beauty of the poem and make it
surreal.
T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 5

6. • But Venus cries “tears of dew” as she herself is
aware of humankind’s fallen state on earth. The
poet uses anastrophe to directly address the
star.
• For instance, the poet urges the star to “smile
upon our evening beds.” This annotation brings
about a romantic and soothing essence to
the poem.
T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 6

7. • The poet further proceeds to say that the
Goddess Venus makes the fine morning and
scatters the dew on every flower that shuts its
silver eyes. These lines augment the beauty of
the poem and make it surreal.
T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 7

8. • The poet expresses the idea that the stars bring
peace and provide guidance to mankind during
the normally forbidding night.
T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 8

9. • I find the usage of metaphors and symbolism in this
poem. For instance, the wolf rages and The lion glares
are the symbolism of the night: They has a grey fur and
has an affinity for the night.
• The poet is like a shepherd and he appeals to the
goddess Venus to shower her holy dew over the flocks of
sheep and protect them with holy blessings
T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 9

10. • He uses metaphors to compare the evening star
to the “fair-haired angel.”
• It is used in order to express the shining star as a
beautiful Goddess who silently looks upon the
people at night.
• The poet calls the star a bright torch of love which
denotes a radiant and heroic quality to the star.
T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 10

11. • Blake wrote this poem to possibly show the huge effect
nature has on one’s everyday life. For instance, without the
star, the night would be too dark and forbidding for us.
However, the presence of the star lightens the ambiance
and imparts a peaceful and romantic aura to the night.
• He also further proceeds to show how nature can protect
our fragile lives. The poet claims that the star protects the
people from the violent lion and the raging wolf lurking in
the darkness amidst the forest.
• At the same time, he beautifies and portrays the innocence
of nature. The flowers “shut its sweet eyes” brings forth a
sweet and subdued tone of the poem.
T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 11

12. T O T H E E V E N I N G S T A R 12