Lucifer in Starlight by George Meredith
Questions and Answers
1. What poetic form does โLucifer in Starlightโ follow?
The poem is a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet.
2. To what does the allusion, โthe old revolt from Aweโ refer?
The allusion is to the biblical tale of Luciferโs losing battle with God. Upon his defeat, Lucifer was cast down from the heavens.
3. In your own words, what causes Lucifer โto sinkโ?
According to the speaker, when Lucifer flies up close to the stars, which are โthe brain of heaven,โ he sees Godโs unconquerable army and flees back to his dominion for he knows he cannot beat them.
4. The description of the stars as the โbrain of heavenโ is an example of the employment of what literary device?
The description is a comparison without using like or as, or a metaphor. The army is composed of the unfallen angels. The unalterable law is the law of God or divine law.