She Was a Phantom of Delight

The presence of light, likely of divine origin, is a major motif in the poem. In Line 2, Mary “gleamed” upon the poet’s sight. Light seems to emanate from her. Her eyes light up like stars (Line 5). In Stanza 2, the poet refers to her as “A creature not too bright or good / For human nature’s daily food” (Lines 17-18). He is not saying that his wife is not intelligent; he means that, in addition to the light that radiates from her, she also has the more down-to-earth qualities that enable her to function in the day-to-day world. She is not merely a spiritual being. The last two lines of the poem also emphasize how light clings to Mary. The poet repeats the word “bright” in Line 29, and Mary partakes of “angelic light” (Line 30).

Otherworldliness is another motif or recurring element in the poem. It is most prominent in the first stanza, in which the woman is given otherworldly qualities. She is described as a “Phantom” (Line 1) and “Apparition” (Line 3,) as if she does not fully belong to the human world and has been “sent” (Line 3) from somewhere else. This sense of otherworldliness diminishes in the second and third stanzas, as the woman reveals her ability to function in the human world.