The Full Text of “The More Loving One”
The Full Text of “The More Loving One”
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“The More Loving One” Introduction
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“The More Loving One” Summary
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“The More Loving One” Themes
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The Pain and Beauty of Unrequited Love
Where this theme appears in the poem:- Lines 1-16
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Meaning and Meaninglessness
Where this theme appears in the poem:- Lines 1-16
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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “The More Loving One”
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Lines 1-4
Looking up at ...
... man or beast. -
Lines 5-8
How should we ...
... one be me. -
Lines 9-12
Admirer as I ...
... terribly all day. -
Lines 13-16
Were all stars ...
... a little time.
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“The More Loving One” Symbols
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The Stars
Where this symbol appears in the poem:- Lines 1-2
- Lines 5-6
- Lines 9-10
- Lines 13-15
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“The More Loving One” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
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Personification
Where personification appears in the poem:- Lines 1-2: “Looking up at the stars, I know quite well / That, for all they care, I can go to hell,”
- Lines 5-6: “How should we like it were stars to burn / With a passion for us we could not return?”
- Line 10: “stars that do not give a damn”
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Understatement
Where understatement appears in the poem:- Lines 3-4: “But on earth indifference is the least / We have to dread from man or beast.”
- Line 16: “Though this might take me a little time.”
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Rhetorical Question
Where rhetorical question appears in the poem:- Lines 5-6: “How should we like it were stars to burn / With a passion for us we could not return?”
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Irony
Where irony appears in the poem:- Lines 1-16
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“The More Loving One” Vocabulary
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
- Indifference
- Sublime
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(Location in poem: Lines 3-4: “But on earth indifference is the least / We have to dread”)
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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “The More Loving One”
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Form
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Meter
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Rhyme Scheme
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“The More Loving One” Speaker
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“The More Loving One” Setting
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Literary and Historical Context of “The More Loving One”
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More “The More Loving One” Resources
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External Resources
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The Poem Aloud — Listen to Auden reading this poem aloud in his wonderful laconic voice.
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A Brief Biography — Learn more about Auden in a short biography from the Poetry Foundation.
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Auden's Legacy — Visit the Auden Society's website to learn what contemporary scholars are saying and thinking about Auden.
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A Celebration of Auden — Listen to a radio program about Auden in which he reads from his collected works.
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An Interview with Auden — Read an interview with Auden and learn more about his poetic philosophy (and his sense of humor).
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LitCharts on Other Poems by W. H. Auden
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