"What the Thrush Said" by John Keats

Paper Summary:

The following paper discusses Keats' poem "What the Thrush Said", by examining the passage of the seasons in the poem, the rhyme scheme, personifications, themes of darkness and lightness, ignorance and joy and finally analyzing the roles of the listener and speaker.

From the Paper:

"The title "What the Thrush Said..." indicates that the speaker is a bird, yet throughout the poem, the only other evidence of this is in line 10 when the thrush refers to singing and says, "My song comes native with the warmth". The things that the thrush speaks of in the poem are not especially birdlike in the sense in that they are bleak things such as snow-clouds and freezing stars instead of cheerful and beautiful things that are usually associated with birds. The thrush speaks soberly and in long sentences, unlike the quick, excited and melodious chirping of a bird. The thrush's voice is formal and very nearly like that of a prophet, saying things such as "O fret not after knowledge - I have none." while at the same time contradicting him/herself by speaking in a way that clearly conveys the birds knowledge, whether true or false, to the listener."

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