bright star

 In both poems the “steadfast” of the stars eludes to eternity. In Bright Star by John Keats, the star forces the speaker to heavily question himself. In the beginning he idolizes the star for its position in life. It is an almighty observer that sees anything it wishes to see from a solitary place and point of view. The speaker wishes to see life in the same perspective but that glimpse at immortality shifts his feelings completely. The speaker has a lover and wishes to experience the ecstasy of love with her. If he were to take the immortal position of the star he would never be able to die with his lover, and that sparks a great controversy in how he feels towards the star. The star condemns itself by forcing the speaker to choose between it and his lover. Is it possible for a human to condemn a divine being like the star? I believe the speaker is simply seeking guidance that the star is incapable of giving. He wishes to know if eternity with his lover is out of reach and how can he utilize the little time he has left with her.

In Bright Star, the star is constantly being questioned and argued with, but the star in Choose Something like a Star by Robert Frost, is utterly accepted. The speaker begins by acknowledging the star’s greatness and not comparing it to himself. “We grant your loftiness the right.” He places the star on a high pedestal but allows it some space by not demanding all of the answers. I believe the star knows it is being worshipped and responds to the speaker’s plea by saying, “I burn.” The speaker longs for the star to elaborate but it doesn’t. The star’s response gave no aid to the speaker but yet every letter of it was analyzed and memorized. In Frost’s poem there is no perspective from the speaker he is merely a puppet at the mercy of the star. In Keats’s poem the speaker chooses whether or not to see the star’s omnipotence and that is the major difference between both poems.