By Isabella Gandy
One of my favorite poems that has stuck with me is “The Light of Stars” written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and published in 1838. This poem has stood out to me because I think the message of finding the good in life even if it is not going the way you expected it to be is an important lesson to learn. I believe that most people and I tend to get upset when something goes wrong in our life. The unpredictable nature of life can cause people to develop a pessimistic outlook especially when it feels like you are not exactly where you want to be in your own life. To me I think this poem perfectly emphasizes the importance of realizing that there is always something good in life you just have to have the right perspective to see the good around you. It is a poem that illustrates how overcoming obstacles thrown at you can lead to success.
In the first two stanzas of the poem Longfellow illustrates the vast dark nothingness as by using imagery of a night sky. The “cold light of stars” was the only source of light peeking through the dark sky. Being at a point in life where it appears that everything is going downhill is similar to the idea of a dark sky that has the tiniest amount of light in it.
The Red Planet Mars is used as an image of strength in the poem. The planet gets personified into this powerful celestial being that symbolizes strength. The fifth stanza ends with, “thou beckonest with thy mailed hand, And I am strong again”, in other words suggesting how the speaker got this inspiration to overcome any pain or obstacles. I think it is interesting for Longfellow to have chosen to use a planet as a means of inspiration, but it works as it shows that truly people can find inspiration anywhere in their life. Specifically choosing Mars as his planet was a brilliant choice as it has many meanings which enables a wide variety of possibilities for the audience to connect. To some it is considered an ancient Roman deity while others may look at it as a celestial body.
The last two stanzas of the poem acknowledge how universal it is to experience challenging points in life. Longfellow connects his own personal experiences of hopelessness to his audience by explaining how it is a common part of life to have these bumps in the road. He then clearly emphasizes the importance of overcoming any suffering or obstacles. Illustrating the transition from this low point to the sense of strength after you have overcome it as a, “sublime a thing”. The poem wraps up by depicting the evolution of suffering to strength.
As someone who would get caught up worrying over things that went wrong this poem has provided such a fresh outlook on life. Instead of being consumed by stress over matters that have not gone according to plan I am choosing to let them go in order to make space for new opportunities. I am focusing more on the future rather than the past as the future is what enables more inspiration to take place. To me this poem is inspirational as it connects everyone by acknowledging the human experience of hopelessness that occurs throughout life but depicts how when that hopelessness is overcome the result is worth the struggle. Longfellow wrote this poem to encourage people not to give up even if life does get hard because there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel.
Night sky illuminated by the stars.
I agree, I think the poem describes the fight throughout life. In astrology Mars represents the governing of war and soliders so I wonder if Longfellow chose Mars for that specific reason. Also using the stars for navigation is a concept he may be using, as he marches forward through the dark times. I think what you wrote was beautiful, thank you for sharing!
I love your interpretation of this poem, Isabella! I almost wrote about this same poem because I see it in a similar way. Your emphasis on overcoming obstacles is super interesting because its something I honestly don’t think of much when I read the poem; I instead focus on the perspective that you mentioned earlier, the perspective that allows you to find meaning and acceptance in suffering. But I appreciate your inclusion of overcoming obstacles and I think its totally warranted coming from the help that Mars lends the speaker. This poem really is inspirational and I’m glad to see that you appreciate it too.
Thank you for sharing your deep appreciation for Longfellow’s poem “The Light of Stars.” Your analysis beautifully captures the poem’s message of finding resilience and hope while facing life’s challenges. It’s inspiring to see how you’ve applied the poem’s lessons to your life, focusing on the positives and embracing new opportunities. (Something we all need to be reminded to focus on!) Longfellow’s imagery of the night sky and the strength symbolized by Mars offer a powerful reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is always a sliver of light to guide us forward. Keep embracing the light!