“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears

“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” a beautiful Christmas carol penned by Edmund Sears, first appeared in the 1849 collection Songs for the Christian Year. The poem’s tranquil and reflective tone, combined with its evocative imagery of a peaceful night and a heavenly choir, has made it a perennial favorite. Sears’s lyrical masterpiece evokes a sense of wonder and awe, reminding listeners of the divine message of peace and goodwill.

Text: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears

It came upon a midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From heav’n’s all gracious King!”
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

Still thru the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heav’nly music floats
O’er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hov’ring wing,
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing:
O rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

For lo, the days are hast’ning on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient spendors fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Annotations: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears

Line Number	Line	Annotation
1	It came upon a midnight clear,	Introduces a serene and peaceful setting.
2	That glorious song of old,	References the traditional Christmas carols.
3	From angels bending near the earth	Suggests a divine presence and heavenly intervention.
4	To touch their harps of gold:	Imagery of celestial music and harmony.
5	“Peace on the earth, good will to men,	The central message of the carol, emphasizing peace and goodwill.
6	From heav’n’s all gracious King!”	Attributes the message to a divine source.
7	The world in solemn stillness lay	Creates a sense of reverence and awe.
8	To hear the angels sing.	Emphasizes the importance of the angelic message.
9	Still thru the cloven skies they come	Suggests a miraculous and supernatural event.
10	With peaceful wings unfurled,	Imagery of peace and tranquility.
11	And still their heav’nly music floats	Reinforces the idea of the angelic song’s enduring quality.
12	O’er all the weary world:	Highlights the universal reach of the message.
13	Above its sad and lowly plains	References the hardships and suffering of humanity.
14	They bend on hov’ring wing,	Suggests a watchful and caring presence.
15	And ever o’er its Babel sounds	Contrasts the chaotic world with the harmonious angelic song.
16	The blessed angels sing.	Reinforces the idea of the angelic message as a blessing.
17	And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,	Addresses the suffering and burdened individuals.
18	Whose forms are bending low,	Imagery of physical and emotional exhaustion.
19	Who toil along the climbing way	Metaphor for the challenges and hardships of life.
20	With painful steps and slow,	Emphasizes the difficulty of the journey.
21	Look now! for glad and golden hours	Offers hope and encouragement.
22	Come swiftly on the wing:	Suggests a rapid and positive change.
23	O rest beside the weary road	Encourages a moment of respite and peace.
24	And hear the angels sing.	Reinforces the idea of finding comfort and hope in the angelic message.
25	For lo, the days are hastening on,	Suggests a future filled with promise.
26	By prophet bards foretold,	References biblical prophecies.
27	When with the ever circling years	Implies a cyclical nature of time and events.
28	Comes round the age of gold;	Suggests a utopian or ideal future.
29	When peace shall over all the earth	Envisions a world free from conflict and strife.
30	Its ancient spendors fling,	Imagery of a glorious and radiant future.
31	And the whole world give back the song	Suggests a universal adoption of the angelic message.
32	Which now the angels sing.	Reinforces the central theme of the carol.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears

Device	Definition	Example	Explanation
Alliteration	Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.	“Still through the cloven skies they come”	The repetition of the ‘s’ sound in “Still” and “skies” creates a musical quality and reinforces the serenity of the scene.
Allusion	An indirect reference to a well-known concept or text.	“From heav’n’s all gracious King!”	This references the divine, specifically alluding to God or Christ, contributing to the religious context of the poem.
Anaphora	Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.	“And still their heav’nly music floats… And ever o’er its Babel sounds”	The repetition of “And” emphasizes the continuous nature of the angels’ song.
Assonance	Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.	“With peaceful wings unfurled”	The repetition of the ‘e’ sound creates a soft, melodic tone, emphasizing the peace brought by the angels.
Consonance	Repetition of consonant sounds, typically at the end of words.	“To hear the angels sing”	The repeated ‘r’ and ‘n’ sounds add to the musical quality of the line, enhancing the theme of angelic song.
End rhyme	Rhyming of words at the ends of lines.	“From angels bending near the earth / To touch their harps of gold”	The rhyme between “earth” and “gold” contributes to the harmonious and musical structure of the poem.
Enjambment	The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line.	“With peaceful wings unfurled, / And still their heav’nly music floats”	This allows the flow of the sentence to carry over to the next line, creating a sense of ongoing movement in the scene.
Hyperbole	Exaggeration for emphasis or effect.	“Above its sad and lowly plains / They bend on hov’ring wing”	The image of angels bending low to touch the plains is an exaggerated depiction of their closeness to humanity, symbolizing divine attention.
Imagery	Visually descriptive language that appeals to the senses.	“To touch their harps of gold”	This creates a vivid mental picture of angels playing harps, appealing to the reader’s sense of sight and sound.
Irony	Expression of meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite.	“And ever o’er its Babel sounds / The blessed angels sing”	The contrast between the chaotic “Babel sounds” and the peaceful song of the angels highlights the irony of discord in the world against divine harmony.
Metaphor	A direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”	“Life’s crushing load”	Life’s difficulties are compared to a physical burden, emphasizing the weight of human suffering.
Onomatopoeia	A word that imitates the sound it represents.	“Sing”	The word “sing” mimics the sound of the angels’ song, enhancing the musical quality of the poem.
Oxymoron	A figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear together.	“Glad and golden hours”	The combination of “glad” and “golden” presents contrasting ideas of emotion and time, symbolizing the richness of the hopeful future.
Parallelism	The use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same.	“To touch their harps of gold: / Peace on the earth, good will to men”	The parallel structure in these lines enhances the rhythm and emphasizes the message of peace.
Personification	Attributing human characteristics to non-human things.	“With peaceful wings unfurled”	The angels’ wings are described as “peaceful,” a human quality, to highlight their benevolent presence.
Refrain	A repeated line or phrase in a poem.	“To hear the angels sing”	This line is repeated at the end of multiple stanzas, reinforcing the central theme of angelic song.
Repetition	The recurrence of words or phrases to emphasize a point.	“The angels sing”	Repeated references to angels singing emphasize the celestial theme and reinforce the idea of divine peace.
Simile	A comparison using “like” or “as.”	“With painful steps and slow, / Like life’s crushing load”	The speaker compares the hardships of life to a heavy load, using “like” to create a simile that conveys the burden of human suffering.
Symbolism	The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.	“Harps of gold”	The harps symbolize the divine music and peace that the angels bring, representing heavenly intervention.
Tone	The attitude of the speaker toward the subject.	The tone of the poem is peaceful and hopeful.	The use of gentle, serene language conveys a tone of peace, while the promise of future peace reflects hope for humanity.

Themes: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears

1. Peace and Goodwill: The theme of peace and goodwill is central to the poem, echoing the traditional Christmas message. In the opening stanza, Sears writes, “Peace on the earth, good will to men, / From heav’n’s all gracious King!” This line emphasizes the divine desire for peace on Earth, highlighting the heavenly origins of this message through the depiction of angels who “touch their harps of gold.” The recurring reference to “peace” throughout the carol underscores its significance as a universal longing and divine blessing meant for all humanity.
2. Divine and Heavenly Music: The poem vividly captures the celestial and spiritual essence of angelic music as a symbol of divine intervention and comfort. Sears describes how “the world in solemn stillness lay / To hear the angels sing.” This imagery suggests a moment of sacred pause and reflection where earthly troubles are momentarily transcended by the beauty of heavenly music. The repetition of scenes where angels sing, and the world listens, serves to reinforce the theme of spirituality and the comforting presence of divine forces in human life.
3. Human Struggle and Respite: Sears contrasts the divine and serene with the harsh realities of human existence. He speaks to those “beneath life’s crushing load, / Whose forms are bending low,” illustrating the weight of human struggles and the laborious journey through life. Yet, he offers a vision of respite as he encourages the weary to “Look now! for glad and golden hours / Come swiftly on the wing.” This juxtaposition not only highlights the trials faced by humanity but also the promise of relief and moments of joy that are as swift and uplifting as the angels’ visitations.
4. Eschatological Hope: The poem concludes with a forward-looking, eschatological vision of a world transformed by peace and renewed splendor. Sears reflects on the prophetic visions of “the days are hast’ning on, / By prophet bards foretold,” where a future “age of gold” will envelop the world, bringing about universal peace and joy. This ultimate redemption and renewal of the world, where “the whole world give back the song / Which now the angels sing,” captures a hopeful anticipation of a future where divine promises are fulfilled, and earthly existence is elevated to heavenly ideals.

Literary Theories and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears

Critical Questions about “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears

Literary Works Similar to “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears

1. “O Holy Night” by Placide Cappeau: This French Christmas carol, translated into English by John Sullivan Dwight, shares themes of divine intervention and peace, mirroring the hopeful and celestial imagery in Sears’ poem.
2. “Silent Night” by Joseph Mohr: This widely known carol emphasizes the calm and holy aspect of Christmas night, similar to the “solemn stillness” and peaceful message depicted in “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.”
3. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” by Charles Wesley: This carol also features angels who herald the birth of Christ, aligning with Sears’ depiction of angels singing about peace and goodwill towards humanity.
4. “Angels from the Realms of Glory” by James Montgomery: Like Sears’ poem, this carol calls on people to pay heed to the angelic message, emphasizing the spiritual significance and joyous news of the Christmas season.

Suggested Readings: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears

Representative Quotations of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Edmund Sears

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“It came upon a midnight clear, / That glorious song of old,”	The poem begins by setting a scene of a serene, clear midnight when a heavenly song is heard, emphasizing a moment of divine revelation.	New Historicism: Reflects the 19th-century American Christian ideal of receiving divine messages.
“From angels bending near the earth / To touch their harps of gold:”	Angels are described as close to the earth, playing their golden harps, symbolizing divine intervention and celestial beauty.	Cultural Criticism: Emphasizes Christian iconography and the angelic symbolism of peace and goodwill.
“Peace on the earth, good will to men, / From heav’n’s all gracious King!”	The angels’ message is one of peace and goodwill from God, highlighting the central theme of divine benevolence.	Marxist Criticism: Can be interpreted as a divine mandate for justice and equity, echoing social reformist sentiments.
“The world in solemn stillness lay / To hear the angels sing.”	The world is personified as quietly attentive to the angelic song, suggesting a universal pause and reflection.	New Historicism: Symbolizes a moment of collective contemplation and hope amidst the historical chaos of the era.
“And still their heav’nly music floats / O’er all the weary world:”	The ongoing presence of heavenly music offers a continuous source of comfort over a tired and troubled world.	Cultural Criticism: Represents the enduring spiritual support that faith offers to humanity in times of hardship.
“Above its sad and lowly plains / They bend on hov’ring wing,”	Angels are depicted as hovering over the world’s sorrowful landscapes, providing a protective and comforting presence.	Marxist Criticism: Highlights the need for divine or higher intervention in alleviating the suffering of the oppressed.
“And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, / Whose forms are bending low,”	The poem addresses those burdened by life’s hardships, acknowledging their struggles.	Marxist Criticism: Points to the plight of the laboring classes and the burdens imposed by capitalist society.
“Look now! for glad and golden hours / Come swiftly on the wing:”	There is a promise of better times ahead, urging the weary to remain hopeful for imminent joy and relief.	New Historicism: Offers an eschatological promise reflecting 19th-century optimism for a brighter future.
“For lo, the days are hast’ning on, / By prophet bards foretold,”	The poem refers to prophetic visions of a future age of peace, linking to biblical prophecies and poetic foresight.	Cultural Criticism: Ties into the Christian tradition of prophetic revelation and the anticipated fulfillment of divine promises.
“And the whole world give back the song / Which now the angels sing.”	The poem concludes with a vision of the entire world participating in the angelic chorus, symbolizing global unity and peace.	Cultural Criticism: Illustrates a utopian vision where all of humanity shares in the joy and peace heralded by the divine message.