Bright Star!: Key Quotes
Bright Star!: Key Quotes
Quote 1: “Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art”
- This is the opening line of the poem, expressing the speaker’s longing to be as constant and unchanging as a bright star.
- Features the literary technique of aspiration, reflecting the speaker’s deep wish.
- Also illustrates the theme of stability vs changeability that underscores the entire poem.
Quote 2: “Watching, with eternal lids apart”
- This phrase helps to personify the star, giving it human characteristics and linking it to the theme of observation and voyeurism.
- The phrase ‘eternal lids’ suggests an unwavering watchfulness and hints at the theme of eternity.
Quote 3: “Pillow’d upon my fair love’s ripening breast”
- A powerful image of the human warmth and intimacy desired by the speaker.
- Contrasts with the cold, detached image of the star, emphasising the contrast between human transience and celestial permanence.
Quote 4: “Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath”
- Emphasises the speaker’s desire to stay in the moment, capturing both the human longing for immortality and the inherent transience of human experience.
- The repetition of ‘still’ highlights the desire for permanence in a temporary world.
Quote 5: “No—yet still stedfast, still unchangeable”
- Echoes the opening line, but with the added realisation that while the star remains constant, the speaker’s experience and understanding has shifted.
- Reflects the growth and transformation that is central to the human condition.
- Reinforces the themes of permanence and change, exploring the tension between them.