Poetry · Chapter
LXXVII explained
At half-past three, the moon rises and briefly camps on a cloud.
What happens
At half-past three, the moon rises and briefly camps on a cloud. From the earth, a lively tune of tambourines and pipes is heard. On a flowery lawn, a brilliant crowd dances in a five-part pattern, while some rest half-asleep under green-faned cedars, others doze in silken tents amid light fragrance, and some close their eyelids on the open turf.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the King, overwhelmed by his own confession, reveals Bertha’s…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Dreams and Escape
The scene depicts a dreamlike revelry with dancing, repose, and dozing in a moonlit setting, suggesting escape from reality.
- Beauty and Transience
The moon's brief bivouac on a cloud and the fleeting, vivid imagery of the dance and repose evoke the transient beauty of the moment.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The speaker describes the scene from a distance, observing the moon and the revelry below.
Key passages
“At half-past three arose the cheerful moon— Bivouack’d for four minutes on a cloud—”
At 3:30 AM, the cheerful moon rose and briefly camped on a cloud for four minutes.
The moon is personified as a cheerful figure pausing momentarily on a cloud.
“Where from the earth we heard a lively tune Of tambourines and pipes, severe and loud,”
From the ground, we heard a lively, loud, and intense tune of tambourines and pipes.
The music is described as both lively and severe, emphasizing its intensity.
“While on a flowery lawn a brilliant crowd Cinque-parted danced, some half asleep reposed Beneath the green-faned cedars, some did shroud In silken tents, and ’mid light fragrance dozed, Or on the open turf their soothed eyelids closed.”
On a flower-covered lawn, a brilliant crowd danced in five-part formations, while some rested half-asleep under green-fronded cedars, others hid in silken tents and dozed amid light fragrance, and some closed their soothed eyelids on the open grass.
The scene depicts a varied group of revelers, some dancing, others resting or sleeping in different settings.
