The Morning Star Rita Dove Analysis

Adam J. Greenberg
English 105
7/23/2007
The Morning Star Rita Dove's poem Daystar really gives the reader a lot to think about. At first, we learn about a woman who seems to be under a lot of stress, some sleeping children and a man that takes what he desires from the woman. Through the use of specific words and phrases the reader is intended to make initial assumptions about the characters. However, after reading the poem a few more times, evaluating and scrutinizing the words and phrases, we begin to realize the possible alternative messages. The words Rita has chosen in her poem make a profound impact on the reader. If the word and phrases are dismissed in their face value, the reader may not see the true meaning; However if scrutinized
Is this woman the mother of the children? We often call caretakers "Mother" for the roll they play in our development. We all need time to ourselves, parents included, but there is a difference between spending time in another room and spending time out behind the garage. This may be a telltale sign that the woman is merely a caretaker and not the mother of the house. Rita's use of the word "Pouting" in her description of Liza may be another sign to the reader that the woman is not the mother of the children, but may be Liza's mother. Who is Liza? Rita makes no mention of this and we are left to assume she is one of the napping children. If indeed Liza was napping, and assuming she just woke from her nap, why is she pouting? Why did Rita not write "…before Liza appeared at the top of the stairs, wondering if mother was out back with the field mice again", as this would clearly indicate the woman was the mother of the children. Since is it not the latter, we can only speculate about Liza. If indeed the woman is merely the mother to Liza, then our understanding of her fatigue is clear. The woman is not only taking care of her own child, but also the infant child and toddler of the house. When the woman seeks her time alone, Rita's use of the word "Sometimes" (6) indicates the woman has been to this place before, again further reinforced with the statement by Liza, "And just what was mother doing out back with the
The American Heritage Dictionary defines "Daystar" as "A Morning Star". In religion, Morning Star is a reference to Lucifer, and in Roman, Lucifer was the name given to the morning star (now known as Venus). Is Rita making a reference to this woman's life being hell? The evidence says the answer is yes. The woman desires time away from the children, makes reference to "the pinched armor of a vanished cricket" and "a floating maple leaf" which are signs of death, and imagines herself in a better place, when Rita writes: Other days she stared until she was assured when she closed her eyes she'd see only her own vivid blood (8-11)
The phrase "closed eyes" is an indication that the woman is daydreaming about a better place, and this idea is further enhanced by the word "vivid", meaning full of life. With the use of these words in this context, the reader is led to believe the woman is only full of life when her eyes are closed as she is thinking of another place. Rita also indicates the "hellish" life of the woman at the end of her poem when she states: …when Thomas rolled over and Lurched into her, she would open her eyes And think of the place that was hers For an hour –