Was the incident of the angel in ‘Abou Ben Adhem’ a dream?

QuestionsWas the incident of the angel in ‘Abou Ben Adhem’ a dream?
Monisha J asked 1 week ago

Was the encounter between the angel and Abou Ben Adhem in the poem “Abou Ben Adhem” by Leigh Hunt a dream in his peaceful dream, or did he wake up due to the moonlight in his room through the window?

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1 Answers
Staff answered 1 week ago

In Leigh Hunt’s poem Abou Ben Adhem, the incident with the angel is somewhat ambiguous, but the poem suggests that Abou Ben Adhem woke up due to the moonlight in his room, rather than experiencing the event as a dream.
Evidence from the Poem:

“Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace”

This line states that Abou Ben Adhem woke up from a peaceful dream, meaning that he was no longer dreaming when he saw the angel.

“And saw, within the moonlight in his room, / Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom, / An angel writing in a book of gold.”

The phrase “saw, within the moonlight in his room” suggests that he actually perceived the angel in his awakened state, illuminated by the moonlight.

“The angel wrote, & vanish’d. The next night / It came again, with a great wakening light,”

This line suggests that the angel again came next night. A dream would not last for so long, I guess.

Conclusion:
The poem clearly describes Abou Ben Adhem waking up from a peaceful dream and then seeing the angel in his room, bathed in moonlight. This implies that the event happened while he was awake, rather than being part of his dream.

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