The Chapman’s Homer , that’s is referred to in the title of the poem, relates to a translation , of Homers Greek poetry by the Elizabethan writer, George Chapman , and was introduced to Keats by his good friend John Clarke. Keats was moved by intense feelings after reading Chapman’s interpretation of Homer, and wrote the sonnet in his head the following morning whilst walking home. The poem is an example of how Keats inspires the reader to use his or her imagination to move and clearly understand the passion that he feels as he writes it, the use of imagination is one of the characteristics of the work of the Romantic poets which includes Keats.
Keats uses metaphors to awaken the readers imagination ‘much have I travelled in the realms have gold’ should not be read literally , as throughout his short life Keats did not travel extensively. Keats is actually speaking metaphorically and the ‘realms of gold’ that he speaks of could refer to the many great works of literature that he has read , or it could possible refer to his imagination. The rest of the first quatrain continues in a similar way ‘round many western islands have I been’ suggests he is a great explorer, discovering literature. He also writes of ‘Apollo’, the Greek god of music and poetry, which is further reference to having been widely read.
He suggests that he has heard of the works of Homer, who he considered one of the great poets, and instills in the reader the richness of Homers works by suggesting that he was powerful and ruled over rich lands. However, Keats sees himself as an intruder into the world of literature.
At the end of the second quatrain ‘Yet did I never breathe its pure serene’ is a metaphor which suggests that Keats has never fully appreciated Homer’s work until Chapman enlightened him.
In the final sestet of the sonnet, Keats turns to similes to portray his discovery. The use of the word ‘then’ at the beginning of the suggests a new beginning, a finding. ‘ Then felt I like some watcher of the skies’, although Keats gives brief details of what the astronomer or Cortez sees, he doesn’t give a full description which allows the imagination of the reader to take over so they are able to complete the picture. In this way, each person can interpret the scene in a different way, as each reader is allowed to interpret poetry in a different way.
With the combined use of metaphors and similes, Keats is able to make the reader aware of the emotions he stirred when he first began to understand Homer’s work. It suggests how he found the work inspiring and how he was awakened by the experience.
The language Keats uses throughout the sonnet is positive. He talks of ‘goodly states’ and ‘one wide expanse’ which create thoughts to the reader of places of beauty. His attempt to create this beautiful scene climaxes in line 7 when he speaks of breathing its ‘pure serene’.
The sonnet seems to mirror Keats’ thought on poetry quite closely because he sees poetry as stirring the imagination and being a journey of discovery as well as creating feelings of beauty and stirring emotions, which are all the qualities the sonnet describes.