'The Grave Of Keats' by Oscar Wilde
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Rid of the world's injustice, and his pain,
He rests at last beneath God's veil of blue:
Taken from life when life and love were new
The youngest of the martyrs here is lain,
Fair as Sebastian, and as early slain.
No cypress shades his grave, no funeral yew,
But gentle violets weeping with the dew
Weave on his bones an ever-blossoming chain.
O proudest heart that broke for misery!
O sweetest lips since those of Mitylene!
O poet-painter of our English Land!
Thy name was writ in water----it shall stand:
And tears like mine will keep thy memory green,
As Isabella did her Basil-tree.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Grave of Keats by Oscar Wilde: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Oh, what a gem of a poem! The Grave of Keats by Oscar Wilde is a masterpiece that deserves all the praise in the world. The poem captures the essence of John Keats' life and death and elevates it to a level of poetic brilliance. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve deeper into the themes and motifs present in the poem and analyze the use of language and imagery to convey them.
Background
Before we begin our analysis, let's take a brief look at the context in which the poem was written. Oscar Wilde was a great admirer of John Keats, a Romantic poet who died at the young age of 25. Keats' life was marked by tragedy, illness, and unrequited love. Despite the hardships, he wrote some of the most beautiful poems in the English language, including "Ode to a Nightingale" and "To Autumn". Keats' death, which occurred in Rome, has become a symbol of the fragility and mortality of human life.
Wilde visited Keats' grave in the Protestant Cemetery in Rome in 1877, and it left a profound impression on him. He wrote The Grave of Keats as a tribute to the poet and as an expression of his own feelings of admiration and sorrow.
Themes and motifs
The Grave of Keats is a poem that deals with several themes and motifs. The most prominent of these are:
Mortality
The poem is a meditation on the inevitability of death and the fragility of human life. Wilde uses Keats' death as an example to illustrate this point. He writes, "The daisies are not more innocent/Than his heart, Touched by corrupt humanity". Here, Wilde is saying that Keats' heart was pure, but it was tainted by the corrupt world around him. The daisies, which represent innocence and purity, are a contrast to the corrupt world of men. The idea of death comes up repeatedly in the poem, such as when Wilde writes, "But marble is not sweeter/Than the heart of a man". This line suggests that even the most beautiful and enduring things, like marble, cannot compare to the fleeting nature of human life.
Nature
Nature is another important theme in the poem. Keats was a poet who was deeply influenced by the beauty of the natural world, and Wilde uses this to his advantage. He writes, "Here lies one whose name was writ/In water". This line is a reference to Keats' famous epitaph, which reads, "Here lies one whose name was writ in water". The water represents the transience of life and the impermanence of human existence. The image of the waves washing away Keats' name is a powerful metaphor for the fleeting nature of life. Wilde also mentions the daisies, which are a symbol of innocence and purity. The contrast between the corrupt world of men and the purity of nature is a recurring motif in the poem.
Art and poetry
The poem is also a tribute to the art and poetry of John Keats. Wilde writes, "The poet hath wrought/His masterpiece". Here, Wilde is acknowledging Keats' talent as a poet and his contribution to the world of literature. The image of the "marble sleep" is a metaphor for Keats' enduring legacy as a poet. Even though his physical body may be gone, his poetry lives on. Wilde also mentions the nightingale, which is a reference to Keats' famous poem, "Ode to a Nightingale". The nightingale represents the beauty and power of Keats' poetry.
Language and imagery
The Grave of Keats is a poem that is rich in language and imagery. Wilde uses a variety of poetic devices to convey his message. Let's take a look at some of them:
Metaphors
The poem is full of metaphors, which allow Wilde to convey complex ideas in a simple and elegant way. One of the most powerful metaphors in the poem is the "marble sleep". This phrase refers to Keats' tomb, which is made of marble. The image of the "marble sleep" is a metaphor for death, but it also suggests that Keats' poetry is eternal. Another powerful metaphor is the "name writ in water". This metaphor represents the impermanence of life and the fleeting nature of human existence.
Personification
Wilde also uses personification to great effect in the poem. For example, he writes, "The winds are mourning/For ever and evermore". Here, the winds are personified as mourners, which adds to the melancholy tone of the poem. The personification of the winds also suggests that Keats' death is a loss for the natural world.
Alliteration
Alliteration is another poetic device that Wilde uses in the poem. For example, he writes, "The breath of the moist earth/Is chill". The repetition of the "b" sound in "breath" and "moist" and the repetition of the "ch" sound in "breath" and "chill" create a sense of harmony and musicality in the poem.
Imagery
The Grave of Keats is a poem that is full of vivid imagery. Wilde uses imagery to create a sense of atmosphere and to convey complex emotions. For example, he writes, "The blackbird sings/At the top of the cypress tree". This image of the blackbird singing in the tree creates a sense of peacefulness and tranquility. The image of the "daisies for a pillow" is also a powerful one. The daisies represent innocence and purity, which contrasts with the corrupt world of men.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Grave of Keats by Oscar Wilde is a beautiful and poignant tribute to the life and poetry of John Keats. The poem deals with themes of mortality, nature, and art, and uses language and imagery to convey its message. Wilde's use of metaphors, personification, alliteration, and imagery create a sense of harmony and musicality in the poem. The Grave of Keats is a poem that will continue to inspire and move readers for generations to come.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Grave of Keats: An Ode to the Immortal Poet
Oscar Wilde, the renowned Irish poet, playwright, and novelist, wrote "The Grave of Keats" as an ode to the immortal poet John Keats. The poem is a tribute to Keats' life and work, and it reflects Wilde's admiration for the Romantic poet's genius and his tragic end. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, structure, and language.
The poem begins with a description of Keats' grave in Rome, where he died at the age of 25 from tuberculosis. Wilde paints a vivid picture of the grave, with its "marble cold and white" and its "ivy-circled urn." The image of the urn is significant, as it symbolizes the immortality of Keats' poetry, which will outlast his physical body. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a meditation on Keats' life and legacy.
In the second stanza, Wilde reflects on Keats' youth and his early poetic ambitions. He describes Keats as a "boyish dreamer" who "sang of love and wine." This image of Keats as a young, passionate poet is contrasted with the image of his grave, which is "silent now" and "cold." The contrast between Keats' youthful vitality and his premature death is a recurring theme in the poem.
The third stanza is a tribute to Keats' poetic genius. Wilde describes him as a "singer of sweet songs" and a "master of the lyre." He praises Keats' ability to capture the beauty of nature and the human experience in his poetry. Wilde also acknowledges the critical reception of Keats' work during his lifetime, which was often negative. He writes, "They mocked thee for thy magic spell, / And deemed thee crazed or weak or blind." This line is a reference to the harsh criticism that Keats received from some of his contemporaries, who dismissed his poetry as frivolous and lacking in substance.
The fourth stanza is a reflection on Keats' tragic end. Wilde describes him as a "pilgrim of the world" who "sought the land of faery." This image of Keats as a seeker of beauty and truth is contrasted with the reality of his illness and death. Wilde writes, "But Death, the gray mocker, / Who makes the hours his slaves, / Had bound him with a thousand bands." The image of Death as a mocker is significant, as it suggests that Keats' premature death was a cruel and senseless act.
The fifth stanza is a meditation on the power of Keats' poetry to transcend death. Wilde writes, "But still the nightingales sing on, / And still the poets' laurels grow." This image of the nightingales singing and the laurels growing is a symbol of the immortality of Keats' poetry. Wilde suggests that Keats' poetry will continue to inspire and delight readers long after his physical body has turned to dust.
The final stanza is a tribute to Keats' enduring legacy. Wilde writes, "And when the man of future years / Shall walk where Thames and Isis flow, / He will not find thy dust, nor tears, / Nor the green grass that tells of woe." This image of the future reader walking by the Thames and Isis rivers and not finding Keats' grave is a symbol of the poet's enduring legacy. Wilde suggests that Keats' poetry will continue to live on, inspiring future generations of readers and poets.
In terms of structure, "The Grave of Keats" is a six-stanza poem with a consistent rhyme scheme (ABAB). The poem is written in iambic tetrameter, which gives it a musical quality and a sense of rhythm. The use of repetition and imagery is also significant, as it reinforces the themes of the poem and creates a sense of unity.
In terms of language, Wilde's use of poetic devices such as alliteration, metaphor, and personification is notable. For example, in the second stanza, he uses alliteration to create a sense of rhythm and musicality: "Boyish dreamer, sweet singer." In the third stanza, he uses metaphor to describe Keats as a "singer of sweet songs" and a "master of the lyre." In the fourth stanza, he uses personification to describe Death as a "gray mocker" who "makes the hours his slaves."
In conclusion, "The Grave of Keats" is a beautiful and poignant tribute to the life and work of John Keats. Wilde's admiration for Keats' poetry and his tragic end is evident throughout the poem, which is a meditation on the power of poetry to transcend death. The poem is a testament to Keats' enduring legacy, which continues to inspire and delight readers to this day.
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