Ode To A Nightingale/ Ode On A Grecian Urn - comparison
Ode To A Nightingale/ Ode On A Grecian Urn John Keats's "Ode to a Nightingale" is intricate in detail whilst maintaining its ability to allow many different readings from its readers even whilst its own statements are quite precise. One very common reading of the ode is to see the nightingale as a symbol of poetic inspiration and fulfillment. This is displayed by Keats's descriptions of the nightingale and his use of imagery that links closely with that of inspiration. Thus, the poem is interpreted to be Keats's quest to find inspiration and go beyond human boundaries. Another reading of the same poem, which suppresses the symbolic role of the nightingale and focuses more on the strong paradoxes evident throughout the poem, is that of Keats's desire to lose himself completely in an experience of happiness by the effort of his imagination, however, this renders reality more painful by contrast and this experience can be only maintained momentarily before reality sets in again Keats's "Ode to a Nightingale" can fittingly be interpreted as a metaphorical text on the nature of poetic inspiration and the poet's quest to become one with inspiration as historically, birds have always been ideal as symbols of inspiration. The way Keats describes the nightingale plays a central part to this reading of the poem. In the first stanza, Keats describes the bird as a "light-winged Dryad of
The interplay of dreams and reality is frequently found within John Keats' poems.
INTRODUCTION The interplay of dreams and reality is frequently found within John Keats' poems. In these poems, Keats uses his imaginative literature to help him to escape from the real world. Keats' mind drifts between an almost permanent and unchanging dream world full of great beauty and perfection, in comparison to reality, where he believes everything is subject to mutability and decay. Through this Keats presents a regret that nothing in reality lasts forever as although the world is full of beauty this beauty shall not last. Particularly in the poems, "Ode on a Grecian Urn," and "Ode to Nightingale," Keats presents this regret of impermanence strongly. Thus, through this interplay of dreams and reality Keats portrays his interpretation of the world. As Fred Inglis argues in his book 'Keats,' by contrasting himself with the 'detached' poet, Keats defined his poetic process as a complete absorption of his whole being in the object of contemplation, so that he lost his own 'identity' and took on its nature. Keats himself in fact, often refers to the idea of the "chameleon poet." I believe this helps Keats to fully explore his idealised dream world and thus demonstrates effective use of interplay between dreams and reality. Keats explores this world of idealism steered by the active imagination, and fuses reality with an imaginative ideal world. H.W. Garrod, author of
John Keats was born on October 31st, 1795 in Finsbury Pavement near London.
John Keats was born on October 31st, 1795 in Finsbury Pavement near London. He was the first son of a stable-keeper, with a sister and three brothers. John attended a respectable school where he became familiar with ancient and contemporary literature. In 1810, his mother died leaving all the children to their grandmother. She put them under the care of guardians and made more than enough money for the benefit of the orphans. Under the authority of these guardians, Keats was taken from school as an apprentice to a surgeon. In 1814, before his own completion of his apprenticeship, John left his master after a bitter row to become a student in a London hospital. Under the influence of his friend Cowden Clarke, he devoted himself increasingly to literature. In 1814, Keats finally gave up his medical ambitions to live a literary life. He soon was acquainted with celebrated artists of his time, like Leigh Hunt, Percy B. Shelley and Benjamin Robert Haydon. In May 1816, Hunt helped him publish his first poem in a magazine. A year later Keats published about thirty poems and sonnets printed in the volume "Poems". His poems, be very few are renowned to this day and are enjoyed by many literary figures alongside general avid readers. In this essay, I shall compare two narrative poems by John Keats, 'Isabella' and 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci.' I shall compare and contrast the ways in
ode to a nightingale analysis
ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE 'Ode to a nightingale' is, superficially praise for the nightingale's song. But on looking deeper it is about Keats' his search for a way to transcend this world and all the pain associated with it. He probably wrote this ode after he became ill and when he had accepted his sad fate. Keats writes this ode in the first person, which makes this ode almost confessional. Keats first describes the immense joy that bordered on pain that he felt on hearing the nightingale's song. This hints that he wanted the song to help him transcend this world. Keats says that his heart was aching with a 'drowsy', numb pain. The words 'numbness pains' are an oxymoron and a paradox, this hints at Keats' confusion as well as his intoxication. He says that his senses were dulled as though he had drunk the juice of the hemlock- a poisonous plant or as if he had taken 'opiate' or opium or like he was submerged in the 'Lethe' the river of forgetfulness of the past in Greek mythology. He then says this state was brought on not by sadness or envy but happiness at the happiness of the nightingale and its song about summer. He compares it to a 'dryad of the trees' which is a forest sprit in Greek mythology in the form of a young maiden. He says it was in a forest that consists of beech trees and has many shadows ['shadows numberless'] indicating that Keats is describing a night
Imagination; An Endless Vision In the poems "Ode on a Grecian Urn" by Jonathan Keats and "To His Coy Mistress" by Marvell the notion of time is very significant.
Daniel Tavakoli Doctor Gaylord English 101000-25 /03/2003 Imagination; An Endless Vision In the poems "Ode on a Grecian Urn" by Jonathan Keats and "To His Coy Mistress" by Marvell the notion of time is very significant. In "To His Coy Mistress" Marvell discusses a control over time, and this control over time is for the most part a theoretical and imaginative concept that was conjured by the writer. Marvel is also fascinated by the control over what truly exists. In "Ode on a Grecian Urn" Keats is portraying the control of things that are not subject to time. The writer strongly believes in a control of the imagination. These two poems come to teach the reader that although one should physically "seize the day", one should also use his imagination to unleash the true beauty of things. Although these two poems seem very different, especially in their style of writing they are actually quite similar. Both Keats and Marvel are trying to unleash the true beauty of humanity, but each uses its own approach. Keats approach involves using irony and opposites; contrasting things of action (like time) to things of stillness (like the urn). Marvel is interested in a "carpe diem" outlook on life using the ideal if time had no end and contrasting it to the chariot of death that follows each and every person. One can see the control of time as Marvel discusses in "To His Coy
What Do Ode To A Nightingale And Ode To A Grecian Urn Have To Say About Superiority Of Art Over Life.
What Do Ode To A Nightingale And Ode To A Grecian Urn Have To Say About Superiority Of Art Over Life An ode is a form of lyric poetry where the poet reveals his personality. He shares his thoughts, feelings and opinions as we see through his eyes. Keats's odes were very majestic and full of imagination. The two poems Ode to a Nightingale and Ode on a Grecian Urn are very similar in their structure and message. Keats was tired of the mortal world and could only see the negative things in his life and so he looked for an escape. It wasn't only his own pain that depressed him, it was the pain of his brother who was dying and we can see evidence of this in this quote; "The weariness, the fever, the fret. Here, where men sit and hear each other groan. Where palsy shakes a few last grey hairs." Both Ode to a Nightingale and Ode to a Grecian Urn have similarities in them. In Ode to a Nightingale and Ode the speaker opens with a declaration of his own heartache. He feels as if he is numb and "as though of hemlock I had drunk," he then addresses a nightingale he hears singing somewhere in the forest. He says in this opening stanza that he is not envious of the nightingale because it is so happy. Keats appreciated nature and saw it in some ways superior to humans. In "Ode To A Grecian Urn" Keats imagine what the people on the urn were doing when the picture on the urn was
Notes On Ode to Indolence by John Keats
Ode on Indolence Basic Outline A young man spends a drowsy summer morning lazing about, until he is startled by a vision of Love, Ambition and Poesy. He feels stirrings of desire to follow the figures, but decides in the end that the temptations of his own indolent morning outweigh the temptations of Love, Ambition and Poesy. Stanza 1 Keats speaker describes a vision he had one morning of 3 strange figures wearing 'white robes' and 'placid sandals'. They pass in profile and the speaker describes their passing by comparing them to figures carved on the side of a marble urn. When the last figured passed by, the first figure reappeared, just as would happen if you turned a vase. 'White' and 'placid' create a sense of purity and innocence. The urn is a recurring image which is also apparent in the 'Ode to a Grecian Urn'. Stanza 2 The speaker addresses the figures directly, asking how he didn't recognize them and how they sneaked up on him. He suspects them of trying to 'steal away and leave without task' his 'idle days' and then describes how his morning went before they arrived - lazily enjoying the summer day in sublime numbness. He asks the figures why they didn't disappear and leave him in his indolent nothingness. He mentions the 'drowsy hour' being ripe, but fails to state what time of day it is. Keats slips into the oblivion of sleep, he doesn't care about pain or
How successfully does Keats address the theme of love and loss in La Belle Dame Sans Merci
"How successfully does Keats address the theme of love and loss in La Belle Dame Sans Merci" The poem shows us how powerful a beautiful woman can be, luring men away because of their lust and desire. It tells us of the power of "Amour" against "Armour", how a knight can be enchanted by the love and beauty of a woman and be made useless. The knight is lead by his desire rather than reason, he is intoxicated by the woman who does as she pleases with him. In the poem the first speaker finds a lonely knight who tells him the story of "wild" lady in the meads, which the knight met. "Her eyes were wild", her wildness makes her seem to be uncivilised and uncontrollable, with no restraint. She has elements of supernatural linked to her, described by the knight as, "a faery's child" living in her "elfin grot". The knight uses supernatural description because the woman seems too good to be true, he sees her as a faery because of her enchanting and seductive powers. "For sidelong would she bend and sing a faery's song", the woman can also be compared to the Sirens from The Odyssey, who use their beauty and songs to bewitch men drawing them to their island, where their ships would smash against the rocks, and then the cannibal Sirens would eat them. The first speaker describes the knight as having "a lilly on thy brow", "and on thy cheeks a fading rose". Keats originally wrote
From your reading of 'Sleep and Poetry' what have you learnt about Keats and his ideas about poetry?
From your reading of 'Sleep and Poetry' what have you learnt about Keats and his ideas about poetry? At the time of writing 'Sleep and poetry' Keats had just met Leigh Hunt's writer and journalist associates. This poem is based on the purpose of poetry as Keats saw it, but it's also laced with images from Hunt's library in which Keats stayed over night after meeting his new acquaintances. There were many paintings hung in the library, during 'Sleep and poetry' Keats describes just one of them "the swift bound Of Bacchus from his chariot, when his eye Made Ariadne's cheek look blushingly". This quotation explains a painting called 'Bacchus and Ariadne' by Titian, this is an example of what Keats saw while at Hunts and explained in this poem. The reason for him taking his surroundings into account is a philosophy which Keats followed, it is called negative capability. Negative capability states that poetry should not only come from some influences, the poet should be receptive to everything, even the dark side. The Dark side is a very important theme throughout Keats work but in terms of 'sleep and poetry', there is very little mention of a darker side. The tone is mostly upbeat; the poem is filled with lots of pleasant mythological imagery. An example of the imagery is that of the nymphs. "Whence I may copy many a lovely saying About the leaves and flowers about the
Keats Connects With Beauty, in
Keats Connects With Beauty John Keats, in "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "Ode to a Nightingale" attempts to connect with two objects of immortality to escape from the rigors of human life. In "Ode to a Nightingale", Keats attempts to connect with a bird's song because the music knows nothing of aging and mortality. Keats has the same motivation in "Ode on a Grecian Urn" while trying to connect with three separate images on a mysterious urn. Connecting in this sense means to either fully understand the object or become the object itself. For example, when Keats attempts to "connect" with an image on the urn, he attempts to fully understand the origin of the image. While his attempts to connect with the two objects fall short, he nevertheless makes an interesting conclusion about the ideals of beauty and truth. Keats begins the "Ode to a Nightingale" in pain, before hearing the melody of the nightingale. After hearing this music, he wishes to join the bird and leave the human world. He first attempts to connect with the bird using a "draught of vintage" (11), but upon further thinking, decides that he will "not (be) charioted by Bacchus and his pards" (32). (Bacchus is god of wine and revelry.) Keats finally joins the bird on the "viewless wings of Poesy." Though able to imagine his flight with the nightingale, the narrator is can't actually see anything. Keats can imagine the