Abstract John Keats and Percy Shelley both died relatively young, Keats at twenty-five and Shelley at thirty, and the tragedies of both of these men seems to have added a mythical aspect to their names that would not be there had they lived to old ages. The paper shows that, instead of focusing on the "what ifs" of the two poets, most critics have turned their eyes on examining the actual poetry produced by both poets in their very short lifetimes. The paper examines several works by these poets, such as "Ode to a Nightingale" by Keats and "Ode to the West Wind" by Shelley. The paper also includes quotes from the poems mentioned.
From the Paper "The poet eventually realizes that death, however, is not the answer to life's misery. The poet wants ?easeful death,? and there are requirements for this particular kind of death. For the poet, the main requirement is death while experiencing beauty: ?Now more than ever seems it rich to die.? Everybody will die, and instead of suffering a long, painful death, he would rather pass away during a happy moment, therefore making death a rich experience. He wrote to Fanny Brawne: ?I have two luxuries to brood over in my walks, your loveliness and the hour of my death. O that I could have possession of them both in the same minute.?"
Tags: romanticism, Ode, to, a, Nightingale, Maenad
Abstract Poets' conceptions of their roles in society can be fairly consistent for long periods of time or may change rapidly in a decade or two. The difference between the idea of a poet's function as conceived by the Romantic era and the Victorian period provides an example of significant change. The paper shows that not all the supposed members of any school of poetry share every aspect of the predominant theory of poetry in their generation. It shows that neither John Keats (1795-1821) nor Matthew Arnold (1822-88) is entirely typical of his era. But, especially because Arnold reacted against Keats--among others--in specific, articulated ways, a comparison of their ideas of their role as poets in this paper demonstrates how such changes take place and the effect they have on the poetry that is written.
From the Paper "The expression of his experience in the poems relied, therefore, on the intelligent apprehension of the beautiful but necessarily avoided the interference occasioned by philosophical rigor or conventional belief systems. Rather than acting as a scientist who catalogues experience or an overt expressionist who presents her/his feelings in all their immediacy and as an end in themselves, Keats valued the ability to go as deeply as possible into feeling and then to communicate and transform the experience with words that, rather than refining and limiting the experience, conveyed an accurate sense of the ambiguity as well as the nature of the experience. He desired, in other words, a meaningful description of what was conventionally indescribable while avoiding a vocabulary or style that would constrain the sense of feeling he wished to express. It was, in short, a poetry of sensation. His most famous formulation of this aspect of his poetic practice came in a letter written to his friend Benjamin Bailey in 1817."
Abstract This paper tackles the difficult task of assigning a general definition and meaning to the art of poetry. It uses quotes from Aristotle, Plato, Pablo Neruda, Percy Bysshe Shelley, William Wordsworth and Charles Johnson. The claims made by the poetry greats and the author are then supported by examples in classic poetry. It is very articulate, and provides a strong, clear argument. It is both reflective and analytical.
From the Paper "According to Galileo, "All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." This task of discovery is certainly not an easy one, and most are either not willing or not able to share such a process with the world. A good poet, however, thrives upon this very challenge. 1971 Nobel Prize Laureate Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto (penname Pablo Neruda) said that the poet's obligation is to "feel the crash of the hard water / and gather it up in a perpetual cup" so that "through [him], freedom and the sea / will make their answer to the shuttered heart" (ll. 16-17, 29-30). The poet must put his ear to the world and experience each of nature's lessons; this knowledge, however, is useless if he cannot convey it to an audience in indelible ink. He must share these axioms in his words, either through personal experiences or general observations. Most modern classifications of quality poetry are derived from two main camps: that of Plato, and that of Aristotle. Plato affirmed that "all good poets... compose their beautiful poems not by art, but because they are inspired and possessed" (1025). He emphasized that it is the driving force that overcomes a poet that distinguishes his work, not his ordinary ability use the craft. Furthermore, Aristotle explains that "the reason why men enjoy seeing [poetry] is, that in contemplating it they find themselves learning or inferring, and saying perhaps, 'Ah, that is he.'" (1026). Poetry, then, is an articulation of a worldly truth, which may be achieved through a variety of isolated or universal means, and is directly the result of profound passion escaping the author."
Abstract This paper discusses the part played by John Keats in the Romantic movement. The writer gives a brief overview of Keats' life and explains, giving examples from "Ode to a Nightingale and "Bright Star," how his writing shows his passion for appreciating the natural beauty of the known world, as well as his ability to express the tension between the desire and the reality of life. Doomed to an early death by his chronic tuberculosis, the contradictory force of wanting to live for his love, but also wanting to be somewhere else and to be something else to escape the truth was excruciating for Keats. He captured the moment of ecstasy amidst the pain, a moment in time where the human soul is able to leave suffering behind by escaping into the idealistic beauty of Nature. The paper concludes that Keats' influence on the Romantic period may have been greater than that of any other writer in his time.
From the Paper "Keats was drawn to the organic, ethereal nostalgia of the earth. All of his poems include characteristics of natural phenomena that expose his perception of the world as the ultimate and perfect existence, the entity that a dying Keats strongly desires to identify with. For instance, in Ode to a Nightingale, the song of the bird heard from the window is immortalized in several of Keats's stanzas. By the third stanza, Keats encourages the bird to enjoy its freedom."
Tags: literary, anti-intellectualism, humanitarianism, Yeats, Shelley, conflict, death
Abstract This paper discusses the life and poetry of John Keats. It describes a background of his family and his short life. The paper analyzes some of his famous works, including "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer," "Ode to a Nightingale" and "Ode on a Grecian Urn." The paper discusses why, in his short life, Keats was placed among the great English poets. It also provides an appendix of the three poems it discusses.
From the Paper "His poem becomes a vehicle to relate the various scenes around the urn that the artist was trying to relate. He tells of lover and his beloved, the piper, the procession taking the bull to a sacrifice. These scenes are sufficiently ambiguous that Keats must pose his many questions in the first and fourth stanzas. Because the urn cannot answer in specifics, these questions pass to the reader/viewer, who is left to provide his own answers. Keats, knowing that he cannot know these details, poses his own interpretations for the stories the urn reveals. (Percarmona)"
Abstract The paper explains that Percy Bysshe Shelley's ?A Defense of Poetry? works in harmony with "Arcadia", an essay wherein he praises the Romantic poetic practice of preferring imagination and creative inspiration to reason and rational thought. The author points out that Shelley inextricably links rational thought and imagination to acts of creation, a concept crucial to understanding the role of Thomasina Coverly, the adolescent daughter of the manor, as the central character in "Arcadia". The paper stresses that, in "Arcadia", Thomasina represents Shelley's poet as a prophetic voice.
From the Paper "Hannah Jarvis and Valentine Coverly are two modern era characters studying the historical records and gardens of the Croom Estate. Both characters present an indifferent disdain for Romanticism with each passionately defending their preference for the rational thinking Neoclassicists of the Enlightenment. Hannah Jarvis, an emotionally detached historian, is interested in Sidley Park's hermit as a symbolic representation of Romanticism's ?decline from thinking to feeling" (Stoppard 27). However, she undermines her stated rationalist view when she fervently proclaims to Valentine, "it's wanting to know that makes us matter" (Stoppard 75). By claiming, the passion for knowledge matters most and not the attainment of knowledge Hannah's statement explicitly demonstrates her reliance on feeling over reason in what otherwise appears as her wholly analytic thought process. Valentine Coverly, an Oxford mathematics and biology student, dismisses Thomasina's genius declaring, "she was just playing with numbers" (Stoppard 47). A theory he declares unknowable in Thomasina's time, "You can"t open a door until there's a house? (Stoppard 79). By opening that door Septimus become Hannah's lunatic and Thomasina becomes Valentine's poet."
Abstract This paper analyses John Keats' "Ode to Autumn" and Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Kubla Khan" in the light of Wordsworth's claim that 'poetry is emotion recollected in tranquillity.' It discusses the extent to which each of the chosen poems adheres to this description of poetry with regard to the subject matter, language and form used and whether this consideration proves that Wordsworth's description encapsulates the poetry of the Romantic period, or otherwise.
From the Paper "Kubla Khan', described 'almost as a definition of Coleridge's poetry' , on the other hand, was written following a dream he had while under the influence of opium. The context itself sets the reader up for a piece written after the moment itself has passed, and is instead a recollection of the experience he underwent. This is further highlighted in the poem itself, as he speaks of 'a vision [he] once saw' (l. 38), and attempts to 'revive...Her symphony and song' (ll. 42-43). At this point there is a change in the tone of the piece as Coleridge is no longer remembering what he dreamt, but instead using his power of imagination to create what he envisioned as the continuation of a dream, the writing of which was allegedly interrupted."
Abstract The first section focuses upon Keats' letters with regards to his ideas and attitudes reflected within his poetry. The second section analyzes what is described within the letters. It shows that the topics of the letters concern his life, character, family and critics as well as many other aspects of his career and life as a poet.
From the Paper "Keats' letters are a series of letters to his family and friends, expressing his views upon a wide range of issues, not the least of which were literary, moral and philosophical. It is deemed obvious that from his letters creates a man who had so much to say but so little time and space to say it all, and this becomes clear as the letters stray from one subject to another. It is apparent in many of his letters that his ideas are not fully developed and the reader can easily see his thoughts and ideas taking shape as he gropes for the right words. Within these letters Keats shows his mind at word as he grappled with his ideas about poetry, about the actual nature of a poet and the obvious relationships between poetry, reality, philosophy and most importantly feelings. He also had the ability to conjure up amazing imagery and phrases within his letters."
Abstract This paper analyzes Theodore Roethke's poem "The Geranium" and John Keats' ode "To Autumn" in order to show how poems come to life for a reader through the significance of their ideas and the success of their poetic technique. The paper asserts that the poems may not address the reader's own personal truth, but may touch on a deeper truth that underpins what it means to be human and all its various manifestations. The paper then explains that, while poems are written to convey a certain feeling, time or place, they can be looked at in many different ways by different readers. In essence, this paper points out that all aspects of a poem, be it structure, ideas or context have equal importance in the understanding of a poem's beauty.
From the Paper "When taking a closer look at the context of these two poems we are able to understand the bigger picture as well as the intricate details. I believe that like onions, poems reveal themselves layer by layer. Keats was writing during the time of Romanticism, a time mainly led by youthful figures in the arts who were rebelling against the neoclassical values, that of logic, reason and formality. The romantics insisted on the importance of feeling and passion as well as imagination. They focused on nature, emotion and the sublime. The romantics indulged in new forms of language that could more expressively and widely convey feeling and vision. Keats wrote many odes, "To Autumn" was among his last. In this poem we can see how he has perfected the sublimity through his use of imagery and experience."
Abstract This paper discusses the common theme of permanence that exists between the poems "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "Sailing to Byzantium". According to the paper, both poets discuss the art that depicts ancient times in relation to its ability to exist in frozen time. Although man may age and know change and eventual death, the figures that the art displays will forever be young, beautiful and vibrant because the time displayed on the art is permanent. Throughout the works of Yeats and Keats this theme is displayed by the use of poetic elements. Language discursive may either depart from the main point or cover a variety of issues in the selection of literature. Keats writes of an urn that displays ancient times, and figures that cannot be altered by time.
Abstract This paper explains that Hollywood film adaptations of novels, such as "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, are often quite different in plot, characterization and theme. The author points out that Mary Shelley's novel was written nearly two-hundred years ago. The paper relates that her approach was dictated by her perceptions of the prevailing moral, social, intellectual, and religious views of her early nineteenth century audience.
From the Paper "As this comparison of Victor Frankenstein's transforming portrayals in fiction and film demonstrate, Hollywood film adaptations of novels such as "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley are often quite different in plot, characterization and theme. Mary Shelley's novel was written nearly two-hundred years ago, and her approach was naturally dictated by her perceptions of the expectations of her early nineteenth century audience, for she was aware that she needed to appeal to the prevailing moral, social, intellectual and religious views of contemporary English society. "
Abstract A consideration of the roles of women in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" affords us some interesting insights into writing by women. As is well known, there are differing streams of feminist literary criticisms. In this paper, it is argued that the American stream of feminist literary critics (such as Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar) are correct in stating that women's experiences are the basis of the differences we can observe in women's writings. Specifically, it is argued that women in "Frankenstein" exhibit a range of characteristics, such that we can see that the author understands women as people, rather than as stereotypes.
Abstract As the 21st century begins, poetry remains relevant to the lives of people in the Western world, an antidote to the popular culture of spectacle and instant gratification. Using the example of British poet, Jamie McKendrick, this paper argues that poetry remains relevant because it reflects what is universally felt and experienced by humanity. Poetry is irrelevant to popular culture, but not to the populace. McKendrick's poetry reflects life in a way that more spectacular entertainment cannot do. His poems invite the reader to reflect on great questions and to notice small details and beauties of the world. One of McKendrick's abilities is to express emotions in a way that the readers themselves could perhaps never manage. Poets are truth-speakers, and because their work truly reflects life, it is seldom straightforward. It is rare that a poem is fully appreciated after the first reading. Poetry demands engagement with the reader or listener; it cannot be passively watched like a Hollywood film. The reader must interact with the poem, and in the process, helps create the poem, since the meaning inferred by one reader may be different from that of another reader, and both may be different from the author's intended meaning. The paper concludes that poetry continues to be relevant because it expresses the human experience and does so with an uncommon intimacy and truthfulness.
From the Paper "A poem will last for centuries if it skillfully explores the human experience because the essence of that experience does not change. Sappho and John Donne, for example, will always be relevant because people will always develop romantic infatuations. Alienation, longing, love, grief, the search for meaning, the discovery of the sublime in mundane life: These things will always be relevant. McKendrick can set his poems outside of time, as he does with "The Belen", or set a poem in Dante's Hell, because he writes about being human, not about being human in a particular century. In Ink Stone, he often writes of loss. The struggle of the intellect to understand death and the loneliness felt at the death of someone who understood one's dreams will resonate with readers in the next century as much as in this one because the act of grieving will not change."
Abstract This essay analyses the poetry of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Three aspects of the poetry are considered: romanticism, American pragmatism, and the art of Longfellow's writing. This essay examines three of Longfellow's poems - The Slave's Dream, My Lost Youth, and A Psalm of Life - and concludes that Longfellow's poetry demonstrates characteristics of romanticism, but with an American perspective on pragmatism and art.
Abstract The author looks at literary criticism, its definition, specific function and the contradictions that arrise from its use. The author then looks at how different literarcy critics have attempted to pin Baudelaire's poetry down to something concrete, like knowledge, and in the process destroy the very notions he was portraying. By looking at the dependence of literary criticism on Aristotelian philosophy of art, in analyzing Baudelaire's poetry, the author illustrates how the intended meaning, and therefore, by extension, it's beauty has been destroyed.
From the Paper "From the arguments above, it becomes obvious that criticism is applicable to Baudelaire's poetry as long as it is constrained within the limits of internal and semiprivate analysis. These approaches do not harm the beauty of the works, on the contrary. They are the means for explication of modernity, which is one of the elements of beauty according to Baudelaire - the element of particular. External evidence, in contrast, not only is inappropriate, being tangent to criticism, but also contradicts the second essential element of beauty - the element of absolute."
