John Keats ASSIGNMENT: Read pg. 744-756 Pg. 744: Keats bio Pg. 745: Preview, literary terms, vocabulary Pg. 747: “on First Looking into Chapman’s Homer” Pg. 748: “When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be” Pg. 750-753 “Ode to a Nightingale” Pg. 755-756: “Ode on a Grecian Urn” TEST: Either Friday or Monday

John Keats Pg. 745: Preview, literary terms, vocabulary Ode – lyric poem, characterized by heightened emotion, that pays respect to a person or thing, usually directly addressed by the speaker.

John Keats Pg. 745: Preview, literary terms, vocabulary Keats’s odes: Pay respect to something Reveal much about Keats’s personal struggles/thoughts Dramatizes a conflict in the speaker Conflict occurs b/c he longs for something that is far away or unobtainable

"on First Looking Into Chapman's Homer" John Keats Pg. 745: Preview, literary terms, vocabulary paraphrasing – restating text in your own words ken – range of sight or knowledge surmise – guess; assumption gleaned – collected from bit by bit, as when gathering stray grain after a harvest teeming – filled to overflowing vintage – wine of fine quality requiem – musical composition honoring the dead

"on First Looking Into Chapman's Homer" John Keats Poem is an extended metaphor for discovery Poem discusses Keats’s reaction to reading a translation of the Greek poet Homer’s works Poem celebrates Chapman’s translation of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey

"on First Looking Into Chapman's Homer" John Keats 14 lines in poem First 8 lines (octave): formal, archaic words, dignified tone – similar to classic poetry Last 6 lines (sestet): simple language, conveys excitement of discovery

"on First Looking Into Chapman's Homer" John Keats Line 1: “realms of gold” Meaning? literary classics he has read First several lines of poem tell reader that speaker is well travelled and well read

"on First Looking Into Chapman's Homer" John Keats Lines 5-6: paraphrase “I’d heard a lot about Homer’s works as I ‘traveled’ (read) through ‘kingdoms’ (books), and I understood that Homer was superior to all others in his poetry.”

"on First Looking Into Chapman's Homer" John Keats Line 6: “Homer ruled as his demesne…” Meaning? This is a metaphor. Keats is comparing Homer to a monarch/ruler. In other words, Homer ruled over the vast landscape of poetry, books, and writing during his time just as a king might rule over people, land, etc…

"on First Looking Into Chapman's Homer" John Keats Lines 12-14: “and all his men / Looked at each other with a wild surmise— / Silent” Meaning? All his men looked at one another, guessing wildly and struck silent.

"When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be" John Keats In this poem, Keats expresses his interest in mortality and immortality. He explores his own fears of dying. Several terms to associate with the poem: serious, contemplative, moody, despondent, dark, somber, sad, doubtful

"When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be" John Keats Lines 1-4: Keats fears dying before he has written a great deal. Lines 5-12: Keats is concerned with missing his beloved once he dies. Lines 13-14: These lines do not resolve his fears. Keats just simply continues to think until those thoughts no longer seem important.

"When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be" John Keats Keats regards immortality with wonderment and admiration. He appreciates literature and art b/c they endure. His own mortality is a source of worry and sorrow. He is fearful he will not live long enough to write everything he wants to write. Leaving behind great works may be his only change at immortality.

"When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be" John Keats Lines 3-4: “high-piled books . . . / Hold like rich garners the full ripened grain” Meaning? This image symbolizes his completed poems Lines 7-8: “I may never live to trace / Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance.” Meaning? I may never live to write about all of the thoughts and ideas I have.

"When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be" John Keats Lines 9-10: “And when I feel, fair creature of an hour, / That I shall never look upon thee more…” Meaning? And when I think that I’ll never see you again, beautiful creature… There is a contrast between Keats’s isolated thoughts and the world outside.

"Ode to a Nightingale" John Keats pg. 750 In this poem, the speaker longs for the complete joy the bird found in its songs. However, the speaker knows this is impossible in this world. Keats is able to immerse himself into the nightingale and transcend earthly pain. Remember: An ode is a direct address of something within poetry. Keats uses personification in the poem.

"Ode to a Nightingale" John Keats The nightingale symbolizes all that is timeless. In section I, the speaker is drowsy and heartsick. The speaker is amazed, however, over the beautiful sounds of the nightingale’s songs.

"Ode to a Nightingale" John Keats According to the speaker: His world – confusing and dull Nightingale’s world – permanent, dreamlike joy The speaker wishes to leave this world behind and join the nightingale. (Lines 19-20) Section III: -- speaks of suffering and lack of time -- links nature w/personal experience – classic ideas found in Romanticism

"Ode to a Nightingale" John Keats Section III: Speaker wishes to fade away with the nightingale into the forest. Section IV – Lines 31-34 “Away! away! for I will fly to thee, / Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards, / But on the viewless wings of Poesy” Meaning? I will fly to you, not drunk with wine, but on wings of fantasy, which only poetry can create.

"Ode to a Nightingale" John Keats Section V: Lines 42-43 “Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs, / But, in embalmed darkness, guess each sweet” Importance? This line creates imagery, as it appeals to the sense of smell.

"Ode to a Nightingale" John Keats Section V: Speaker cannot see his surroundings Reflects viewpoint found in line 21 – He wishes to disappear into darkness that engulfs him Section VI: Explores idea of death… fills speaker with sense of relief and ease

"Ode to a Nightingale" John Keats Section VII: Line 61 “Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!” Significance? Speaker uses noun of direct address (ode) Speaker is saying bird is not meant to die

"Ode to a Nightingale" John Keats Section VII responds to Section VI says bird is not born for death responds to speaker’s musings in VI that he wishes he could die Death and immortality are the same. Both are states in which nothing changes. Is the speaker being overly dramatic, or is he coming to terms with his mortality?

"Ode to a Nightingale" John Keats Section VIII: Passage of time does not wear down bird By expressing such extreme emotions, the speaker may be ridding himself of such oppressive feelings concerning mortality

"Ode on a Grecian Urn" John Keats pg. 755

"Ode on a Grecian Urn" John Keats Keats comes to an understanding about the nature of truth and beauty as he gazes at an ancient Greek urn.

"Ode on a Grecian Urn" John Keats The scenes depicted on the urn, frozen in time, eternally beautiful and unchanging, symbolize that the urn’s beauty embodies the eternity of truth.

The speaker desires beauty that is possible only in art. "Ode on a Grecian Urn" John Keats The speaker desires beauty that is possible only in art. He longs for the perpetual joy experienced by the frozen figures on the urn.

Free of human constraints Free from punishing passage of time "Ode on a Grecian Urn" John Keats The figures on the urn: Free of human constraints Free from punishing passage of time Eternal youth & springtime on the urn is inspiring. This causes Keats to reflect on his own mortality.

An "unravished bride" is an image of one frozen in time. Thou still unravished bride of quietness, Thou foster child of silence and slow time, Sylvan historian, who canst thus express A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme: What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape Of deities or mortals, or of both, In Tempe or the dales of Arcady? What men or gods are these? What maidens loath? What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy? "Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness" leaves the reader asking: does "still" here mean "not moving," or does "still" here mean "the state of the bride has not changed--she was unravished before, and she is unravished now"?  The first line points out that the urn is frozen in time. In addition, the first line hints that the urn may be frozen in time, and not in a happy way. "Thou foster-child of silence and slow time." In Keats' time, a foster-child was a child adopted--this urn is not the real offspring of the union of silence and slow time.  It masquerades as the offspring of silence and slow time, but it is not really. The third line starts, "Sylvan historian . . . "  Sylvan is another word for forest, and the urn is decorated with plants and flowers. The speaker says the urn can tell a tale better than a voice. Then the speaker addresses the urn regarding the images upon it.

II Lines 1-4 command a musician to keep playing "spirit ditties of no tone." How can the music you imagine the musician is playing be "sweeter" than the music a musician really plays? Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on; Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d, Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone: Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare; Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss, Though winning near the goal -- yet, do not grieve; She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair! Our imagination's version of music or singing might be better than the actual sound. This same concept is expressed regarding imagining what the musician on the urn is playing. Line 5: speaker moves to another idea. The young man ("fair youth") is frozen in time on the urn. He can't leave the scene, but the scene is always beautiful, and he will always be a "fair youth." In addition, the female will never grow old or die. So while the "Bold Lover" never gets to kiss his beloved, he does spend eternity with her in that happy state of anticipation. Line 7: thrill of anticipation of the first kiss In line 7, the "Bold Lover" can never have that first kiss because he is trapped, frozen in time, on the urn. However, he always lives in that moment. The speaker consoles the image of the "Bold Lover" that the woman he desires to kiss will always be right there on the urn.

III Here are additional thoughts on anticipation. Once you get what you want, it's kind of a let-down. The imagination is always better than reality. Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu; And, happy melodist, unwearied, For ever piping songs for ever new; More happy love! more happy, happy love! Forever warm and still to be enjoyed, Forever panting, and for ever young; All breathing human passion far above, That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloyed, A burning forehead, and a parching tongue. Life is not just all about anticipation and love-unless you are frozen on an urn. This idea is what the speaker points to in stanza 3. The figures frozen on the urn are indeed trapped, but they are enjoying the BEST parts of life--youth, beautiful scenery, love, ideal music, and anticipation. The last four lines are ambiguous: "For ever panting, and for ever young;/All breathing human passion far above,/That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloyed,/A burning forehead, and a parching tongue." This poem is full of imagery. The word "panting" leads us to believe that these figures are forever lustful but unable to consummate their desires. In contrast, "All breathing human passion," that is, all the desires of real people (not images on an urn)  are "far above"--perhaps the speaker standing over the urn? Then, the speaker says, "That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloyed,/A burning forehead, and a parching tongue."  The images of fever--"burning forehead" and "parching tongue" let us know that "real" human passion is not always pleasant and healthy.  Again, in comparison to real life, the people on the urn have an ideal situation. Permanent happiness is impossible in real life.

IV Who are these coming to the sacrifice? To what green altar, O mysterious priest, Lead’st thou that heifer lowing at the skies, And all her silken flanks with garlands dressed? What little town by river or sea shore, Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel, Is emptied of its folk, this pious morn? And, little town, thy streets forevermore Will silent be; and not a soul to tell Why thou art desolate, can e’er return. We know that the speaker is now looking at another image--one with a cow and people. Clearly, a sacrifice is about to be made. Another image on the urn depicts a town, but without people. The speaker points to the silence of the frozen town to point out that again, time is frozen on this urn. Direct address

V "Attic" here means "pure" or "simple." The word "brede" means "design." The speaker stops describing individual elements on the urn and describes the urn overall. O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede Of marble men and maidens overwrought, With forest branches and the trodden weed; Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral! When old age shall this generation waste, Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say’st, "Beauty is truth, truth beauty," -- that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know. In lines 1-3 the speaker thinks of the entire urn and remarks, "Thou, silent form, doth tease us out of thought/As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral!" The fact that this is an urn, a jug, silent, not full of real people, makes the speaker pause in his thoughts. He thinks that the idea of eternity, which people don't live through, also causes a pause in thought. What lesson does the urn give us, the living? Is it mocking our short, unfulfilled lives? Or is it celebrating the best of what life is? Or is it doing something else?  The speaker then has the urn speak: "Beauty is truth, truth beauty."  What does this line mean? It is one of the most argued-about lines in English poetry. Can you interpret the imagery in this poem to provide an interpretation of this mysterious line? Why does the urn "say" this line? And then, when the speaker says "that is all/Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know" is the speaker saying the urn is saying these words, or is the speaker saying that this information--"Beauty is truth, truth beauty" is all the urn needs to know? These last two mysterious lines have baffled readers since Keats wrote the poem in 1820.