john keats

A detailed Summary of john keats

While John Keats was living, he was virtually an unknown person, let alone, well known as a poet. Unfortunately, he did not obtain any of his fame until after his death. However, his works have grown to be highly regarded pieces of literature and Keats has even been compared to the likes of William Shakespeare. In his short life of 26 years, John Keats wrote numerous, colorful and sensual poems regarding nearly all aspects of life. While nearly all of his works are deep, and moving, two of his most prolific works include: Ode to Psyche and When I Have Fears.

Ode to Psyche is the first of John Keat's odes. The ode was written in 1819, when Mr. Keats was 24 years old. This middle length ode pertains to the Greek mythological characters, Psyche and Eros. In this ode, they are found wrapped in each others arms surrounded by beautiful flowers and shrubs. When the narrator comes across these two winged mortals, it is obvious that they had been kissing, yet when he discovers them, they are just lying in the garden.

Keats uses strong poetic devices to demonstrate different parts of his poems. Imagery, symbolism, personification and alliteration are among the greatest used in Ode to Psyche. All are neatly stre

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Imagery is a very prolific element that Keats uses in this ode also. It makes the part where these two lovers are spotted come alive with colors and smells.

After Eros is done speaking the two middle stanzas, it goes back to the narrator. In the first line of the last stanza, he says, " Yes, I will be thy priest, and build a fane In some untrodden region of my mind." He feels a responsibility to keep quite about the two lovers, much like a priest would feel after a confession. The secret is with him forever. Overall, the tone of the ode is that of excitement. He thinks it is a wonderful thing that these two mortals have found love within each other.

As the poem continues on, it becomes less optimistic. "And think that I may never live to trace Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;" is dropping hints toward death. It's almost as if Keats changed his mind about himself midway through the writing of the poem. By the end of this poem, it's almost a hopeless tone that is evoked from Keats. He writes,"Of the wide world I stand alone, and think Till Love and Fame to nothingness to sink." At this point, Keats feels as though he has given all he has got to offer the word and he still hasn't succeeded. He writes as though the fate of his life is out of his hands at this point in time.

Never have relish in the fairy power

As the ode continues, the reader gets the feeling that Eros is talking to Psyche. He is saying to her that he loves her and anyone can be a goddess as long as that person believes them to be. In this case, Eros perceives Psyche as one such being. It's almost as if beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

WHEN I have fears that I may cease to be

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Approximate Word count = 1295
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English