British Literature 2-NEMCC
Fled is that music:--Do I wake or sleep?
"ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE" BY JOHN KEATS Stanza 8 line 80
To a sky lark by Percy Shelley lines 101-105
Again, Shelley puts a political message into his work. Here he wants a way to make the world take him and his ideas seriously. If he had the power of the bird to express pure beauty and joy in a way that people would notice, he would be able to get them to take him seriously.
Ode to the west wind Stanza 5 lines 69-70
Here, Shelley is indicating that he has faith that his ideas will come to pass, even if he is not around to see it.
"ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE" BY JOHN KEATS Stanza 6 lines 55-58
In these lines, Keats expresses mutability by longing to slip quietly away into death in his sleep while listening to the song of the nightingale. He knows from experience that tuberculosis brings a painful and terrible death, and he is praying to avoid that fate.
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage stanza 7 Lines 1-6
In this stanza we see the Byronic Hero's deep sorrow, supposedly over some sin he committed in his youth, that he will never fully reveal because he is extremely proud and lives stoically without complaining. The quote deals specifically with this sorrow that Harold is trying not to think about because it is too depressing
"ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE" BY JOHN KEATS Stanza 8 line 80
Keats ends the poem when the bird song fades away over the hills. He is in such a dreamlike state he wonders if he is asleep or awake.
O Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?
Ode to the west wind Stanza 5 lines 69-70
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:
"ODE ON A GRECIAN URN" BY JOHN KEATS Stanza 2 lines 11-14
Here, where men sit and hear each other groan; Where palsy shakes a few, sad, last gray hairs, Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin and dies; Where but to think is to be full of sorrow And leaden-eyed despairs, Where Beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes Or new Love pine at them beyond to-morrow.
"ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE" BY JOHN KEATS Stanza 3 lines 24-30
Now more than ever seems it rich to die, To cease upon the midnight with no pain, While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad In such ecstacy!
"ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE" BY JOHN KEATS Stanza 6 lines 55-58
A heavy weight of hours has chained and bowed One too like thee: tameless, and swift, and proud.
"ODE TO THE WEST WIND" BY PERCY SHELLEY Stanza 4 lines 55-56
Ode to the west wind Stanza 5 Lines 63-67
(Side Note: Here, the political poet in Shelley comes out. Remember, his ideals are that we can create an equal, loving, and harmonious society by first doing away with the old system and institutions, which he sees as oppressive, and educating people to love and accept one another. He believed that if he used his poetry to educate the public about his ideas, they would accept them and the world would change for the better. ) Here, the "dead thoughts" are Shelley's ideas about building a utopian society, and he wants the "wind" of his poetry to scatter those ideas so that they take root and grow in people's minds. He wants his poetry to help "blow away" the old systems of society and "spark" fresh ideas about loving and accepting each other.
Tis to create, and in creating live A being more intense, that we endow With form our fancy, gaining as we give The life we image, even as I do now.
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage be Lord Byron stanza 6 Lines 1-4
have thought Too long and darkly, till my brain became, In its own eddy boiling and o'er wrought, A whirling gulf of phantasy and flame: And thus, untaught in youth my heart to tame, My springs of life were poison'd. 'Tis too late! Yet am I chang'd; though still enough the same In strength to bear what time can not abate, And feed on bitter fruits without accusing Fate.
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage stanza 7 Lines 1-6
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage be Lord Byron stanza 6 Lines 1-4
Here we see Byron talking about how he is creating his character, Harold, so that he can live vicariously through him. The fictional character he creates can have more adventures, "talk more freely," and act in ways that the actual living author cannot, so creating the character is a good way to let his imagination roam.
She walks in beauty by Lord Byron stanza 3
Here, Byron is describing the INNER beauty of a woman that shines through on the outside. Basically, he is saying what makes this woman so pretty is not just her pretty face and dress, but her good attitude and pure heart. It could be speculated that this would be a good description of the "pure woman" that the Byronic Hero is so in love with.
"ODE ON A GRECIAN URN" BY JOHN KEATS Stanza 2 lines 11-14
Here, Keats beautifully expresses his concept of Art for Art's Sake. The urn preserves ideal beauty for all generations. All it knows is how to be beautiful. For Keats, the function of all art, including poetry, is to preserve beauty and stimulate joy.
"ODE TO THE WEST WIND" BY PERCY SHELLEY Stanza 4 lines 55-56
Here, Shelley is comparing his human spirit to the wind. A human spirit, like the wind, is free, but unlike the wind, the spirit is weighed down by the necessity of living in a body and in society with other men. (Side note: Remember, Shelley had ideals and ideas that were "wild" in his day, and he was genuinely disappointed that society rejected these ideals and viewed him as a sinful reprobate who was lazy and lascivious instead of the idealistic social reformer he saw himself to be.)
To a sky-lark by Percy Shelley lines 86-90
Here, Shelley is expressing the feeling of mutability. The problem with humans is that we are never satisfied. The little bird doesn't worry about anything; it just lives day to day and sings happily. Man can never thoroughly enjoy life because we worry about everything and know we cannot stop our inevitable death.
Hymn to Intellectual Beauty by Percey Shelley Stanza 3 Lines 32-36
Here, Shelley is using an image similar to Coleridge's eolian harp to refer to the effect the inspiring moments brought by Spirit of the Universe have on him. He says only these inspiring moments make life bearable and worth living.
Hymn to intellectual beauty by Percy Shelley stanza 2 Lines 13-15
Here, the poet is asking why moments of inspiration don't last. He wants to be inspired all the time. He wants to feel the "Spirit of the Universe" (see notes) around him all the time and be able to experience the grace, beauty, and meaning in nature all the time.
Thy light alone—like mist o'er mountains driven Or music by the night wind sent Through strings of some still instrument Or moonlight on a midnight stream, Gives grace and truth to life's unquiet dream.
Hymn to Intellectual Beauty by Percey Shelley Stanza 3 Lines 32-36
Man were immortal, and omnipotent, Didst thou, unknown and awful as thou art, Keep with thy glorious train firm state within his heart.
Hymn to intellectual Beauty by Percy Shelley stanza 4 lines 39-41
Spirit of Beauty, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, --where art thou gone?
Hymn to intellectual beauty by Percy Shelley stanza 2 Lines 13-15
"ODE ON A GRECIAN URN" BY JOHN KEATS Stanza 2 lines 11-14
In these lines, Keats is describing looking at the carving of the piper on the urn and imagining the melodies he plays. The idea is that the imagined melodies are better because they can be anything we want them to be; they can be perfect. If we try to really sing or play them, they will not be as perfect. (See notes on Shelley's "To A Sky-Lark" quotes above.)
Hymn to intellectual Beauty by Percy Shelley stanza 4 lines 39-41
In these lines, Shelley seems to be answering his own question about why inspiring moments when he feels in harmony with the universe and the Spirit of the Universe don't last. He is indicating that if the Spirit of the Universe did stay with human beings so that their lives were all inspiring moments full of deep perceptions, men would essentially become immortal gods.
To a sky-lark by Percy Shelley Lines 66-69
In this passage, Shelley is trying to find some human composition to compare to the song of the little bird. He says he cannot find anything man has composed that is as beautiful as the perfect beauty of that natural bird's song because all attempts to display perfect beauty in this world are flawed. It is the Platonic idea that we know what the ideal is in our spirits and minds, but we cannot effectively capture it in art, song, or poetry.
"ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE" BY JOHN KEATS Stanza 3 lines 24-30
Keats expresses the idea of mutability here. This world is full of sorrow and suffering that people try to ease, but cannot. (When this was written, Keats had seen most of his close family members, including his mother and his younger brother Tom, die painfully of tuberculosis. HE had that disease himself, and he was mourning for himself and everyone who suffers here on earth.)
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.
Ode to the Grecian urn. Stanza 5 lines 46-50
Drive my dead thoughts over the universe Like withered leaves to quicken a new birth! And by the incantation of this verse, Scatter as from an unextinguished hearth Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!
Ode to the west wind Stanza 5 Lines 63-67
And on that cheek, and o'er that bow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent!
She walks in beauty by Lord Byron stanza 3
Teach me half the gladness That thy brain must know, Such harmonious madness From my lips would flow The world should listen then—as I am listening now.
To a sky lark by Percy Shelley lines 101-105
Chorus Hymeneal Or triumphal chaunt Matched with thine would be all But an empty vaunt, A thing wherein we feel there is some hidden want.
To a sky-lark by Percy Shelley Lines 66-69
We look before and after, And pine for what is not— Our sincerest laughter With some pain is fraught— Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.
To a sky-lark by Percy Shelley lines 86-90