ANAEL.
The Angel of the Star of Love,
The Evening Star, that shines above
The place where lovers be,
Above all happy hearths and homes,
On roofs of thatch, or golden domes,
I give him Charity!
The Annotated Edition
ANAEL. by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Read aloud in ~1 minOpen reading mode →
This short poem is dedicated to Anael, the angel linked with Venus, the Evening Star, known for watching over lovers, cozy homes, and joyful families.
- Themes
- beauty, faith, home
§01Quick summary
What this poem is about
This short poem is dedicated to Anael, the angel linked with Venus, the Evening Star, known for watching over lovers, cozy homes, and joyful families. The speaker in Longfellow's poem presents this heavenly guardian with a singular gift: Charity — which represents selfless, unconditional love. It’s a small yet powerful blessing, suggesting that the essence of a loving spirit is the ability to give without anticipating anything in return.
§02Themes
Recurring themes
§03Line by line
Stanza by stanza, with notes
The Angel of the Star of Love, / The Evening Star, that shines above
Editor's note
Longfellow begins by mentioning Anael — an angelic figure from Jewish and Christian traditions associated with Venus, the planet that shines as the brightest star at dusk. Referring to it as "the Star of Love" instantly connects the angel to themes of romance and desire. The repeated use of "star" and "above" anchors the poem in the sky, creating a contrast with the more earthly scenes that follow.
The place where lovers be, / Above all happy hearths and homes,
Editor's note
The angel's domain reaches outwards: from lovers sharing intimate moments to the comforting embrace of home life — hearths and households. "Happy" plays a subtle yet significant role here; Longfellow isn't talking about every home, just those filled with love. The angel watches over joy, not pain.
On roofs of thatch, or golden domes, / I give him Charity!
Editor's note
The combination of thatched roofs (representing the poor) and golden domes (symbolizing the wealthy) underscores that love and its guardian angel are for everyone, no matter their social status. Then, the speaker steps forward for the first and only time — "I give him Charity!" — presenting the angel not with a material offering but with the highest of the classical virtues. According to the Pauline tradition (1 Corinthians 13), Charity is the greatest form of love: selfless, patient, and enduring. The exclamation mark adds a joyful sense of ceremony to the gift.
§04Tone & mood
How this poem feels
The tone is respectful and joyful, yet lighthearted. It feels like a toast or a blessing shared aloud—warm, generous, and brisk. There's an uplifting quality that prevents the religious theme from becoming serious. Longfellow seems truly happy to be delivering this offering.
§05Symbols & metaphors
Symbols & metaphors
- The Evening Star (Venus / Anael)
- Venus, known as the Evening Star, has historically been linked to love and beauty. By naming its angel Anael, Longfellow taps into angelology to depict love as a heavenly, watchful entity—one that observes human affection from above yet holds a deep concern for it.
- Hearths and homes
- The hearth is one of the oldest symbols of home, family, and safety. Placing it under the angel's protection shows that love goes beyond romantic passion; it represents the steady, everyday warmth that keeps a household united.
- Roofs of thatch / golden domes
- These two images sit at opposite ends of the social spectrum — the peasant’s thatched cottage and the grand palace or cathedral. Together, they suggest that love and the angel who watches over it are universal and transcend class.
- Charity
- In Longfellow's time, "Charity" embodied the essence of the Greek word *agape* — the selfless, unconditional love that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 13. It's the greatest gift the speaker can conceive of giving, and choosing to offer it to the angel of love implies that true love must be rooted in selflessness.
§06Historical context
Historical context
Longfellow wrote this poem as part of a series of short verses about angels, tapping into the rich tradition of angelology that was popular in 19th-century American and European religious culture. Anael (also spelled Haniel or Aniel) appears in Jewish mystical texts and later Christian occult traditions as the angel associated with Venus, love, and beauty. Longfellow was well-versed in European literature and mythology, and his interest in angels mirrored both his personal faith and the broader Romantic-era fascination with celestial beings as connections between humanity and the divine. The poem's brevity—a single six-line stanza—reflects the occasional verse Longfellow crafted throughout his career, capturing a single emotion or idea with the precision of a jewel rather than the expanse of a narrative.
§07FAQ
Questions readers ask
Anael is an angel from Jewish and Christian traditions, linked to the planet Venus, and symbolizes love, beauty, and desire. This name shows up in several mystical texts, and by the time of Longfellow, it was recognized enough for him to use it as a title without needing much context.
Not quite. Longfellow is using "Charity" in its older, theological sense — it's the English translation of the Greek word *agape*, which refers to selfless, unconditional love. This is the same word found in 1 Corinthians 13 of the King James Bible ("And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity"). So, the speaker is attributing the highest form of love to the angel of love itself.
It's a clear contrast showing that love — along with the angel watching over it — is for everyone. A thatched roof represents poverty and rural simplicity, while a golden dome represents wealth and grandeur. By placing both under Anael's care, Longfellow suggests that love transcends class and is universal.
The six lines use an AABCCB rhyme scheme: "Love" and "above" rhyme (A), "be" and "Charity" rhyme (B), and "homes" and "domes" rhyme (C). This concise, song-like structure creates a sense of a spoken blessing or toast in the poem.
Yes. Longfellow wrote a collection of short poems about angels, with each one focusing on a different celestial figure. "Anael" is part of this series, and like the others, it's a brief piece structured as a tribute or blessing to that specific angel.
Venus shines as the brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon, becoming most visible shortly after sunset or just before sunrise. Ancient and medieval cultures referred to it as the Evening Star during dusk, associating it with love and beauty — which is why it’s linked to Anael, the angel of love.
It feels more like a ceremonial gift-giving than a prayer. The speaker doesn't request anything from Anael; instead, they declare, "I give him Charity!" It's a one-sided gesture, similar to raising a glass in a toast to the angel.
By selecting Charity as the ultimate gift for the angel of love, Longfellow suggests that true love — the kind that deserves our celebration and protection — is selfless and unconditional. It goes beyond mere passion or romance; it embodies the readiness to give without anticipating anything in return.
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