PRE-READING 1. What do you think about when you look up at the stars in the night sky?
2. If you could look down at the world from the perspective of a star, what do you think you would see?
3. Read through Keats’ biography at the start of this chapter. Who do you think he would most want to have spent his whole life with?
COMPREHENDING AND RESPONDING
1. What do you think the speaker means when he describes the North Star as being ‘steadfast’? Explain your answer with reference to the poem.
2. Do you think the simile Keats uses in line four is effective? Give reasons for your answer.
3. What two sights does the star see as it looks down upon the earth? Support your answer with reference to the poem.
4. The poet wishes to be ‘steadfast’ and ‘unchangeable’ like the North Star, but where does he wish to exist? Refer to the poem in support of your answer.
5. Which image from the sonnet did you like most? Explain your choice.
6. ‘“Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art” is one of the most romantic love poems ever written.’ Write a response to this statement, supporting your answer with reference to the poem.
7. Contrast this poem with ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci’ under the headings theme, atmosphere and imagery.
8. What theme or themes can you find in this poem? Refer to the poem in support of your answer.
CREATING 1. Write a short story that is narrated by a star.
2. Recent studies suggest that young people’s career aspirations now revolve around being famous, rather than choosing careers such as nursing or being an astronaut. Write a blog post in which you explore the desire of so many young people to be a ‘star’.
3. ‘It is the star to every wandering bark (ship)’. Shakespeare famously compared love to the North Star, as both have the power to guide you safely home. Write an open letter to a national newspaper in praise of love and its ability to make anywhere feel like home.
