What is the Explanation of the evening star by Edgar Allen Poe.please someone help me. What does it mean? Mango wango

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2003

Answers

Simply put it is a take on another poem and rebuttal to the common romantic notions of the moon. Poe prefers the little guy, Venus, Astarte, symbol of love. See the poem of Thomas Moore(predated Poe just a bit) "While Gazing on the Moon's Light" which is the exact opposite reaction. "But too far/Each proud star". Poe's coldness of the Moon(tyrant, dread) in "Dreams" "Al Araaf" and "Ulalume" especially.

The pome is nicely structured. The stars shone pale because of the cold moon with pretentions of divinity("Herself in the Heavens". The word "cold is used four times. At the midpoint a cloud shroud blocks the moon("Alone" the significance of the revelatory cloud as the nature of Poe as poet). Dearer to his heart is the distant fire of that proud star of higher beauty and significance to the nature of the poet himself as a small loner not ruling or tyrannizing. Could have done more but the irony of the nearer cloud simply blotting out the unloved cold moon with its weak yet polluting glare is the best working out of the artificial advantages of distance. The light and its intensity, though far, is what concerns Poe and usually he felt his ideal to be such a distant beacon.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2003