Romanticism In Ode On Indolence By John Keats And William Blake

In the Romantic Era of Poetry many poets focused on the beauty of nature. However, both John Keats and William Blake occasionally strayed away from this topic. They often wrote about, their appreciation for the gothic/supernatural aspects of life and also the belief that in order to gain something you must first lose something. In the poem “Ode on Indolence” by John Keats, he focused on the mystical and supernatural elements of the world. In the poem, “Auguries of Innocence” by William Blake he focused on the belief that, in order to feel one emotion the opposite emotion must be experienced as part of life. The romantic qualities that William Blake and John Keats once expressed, still apply to many beliefs in the world today. The romantic

They appeared to him in a god-like form: “In placid sandals, and in white robes graced;” (4) In the second stanza Keats described his confusion because, he could not understand how he didn’t recognize the three figures. He was confused as to how they managed to appear unnoticed. “How is it, Shadows! that I knew ye not? How came ye muffled in so hush a mask?” (11-12) The figures not only passed him once, but then, two more times. By the third passing he was intrigued by these strange figures and felt the need to follow them, but opted out once he realized who they were: “The first was a fair Maid, and Love her name; The second was Ambition, pale of cheek…The last, whom I love moer, the more of blame, Is heap’d upon her, maiden most unmeek, -I knew to be my demon Poesy.” (25-30) In the fifth stanza he described the peaceful morning he had before their arrival, “With flowers, and stirring shades, and baffled beams” (44) This line shows that Keats had a peaceful morning but, shortly after, the three figures tried to rouse him. Keats stood up to the figures in the last stanza: “Farewell! I yet have visions for the night, and for the day faint visions there is store.” (57-58) He knew that the three figures of love, ambition, and Poesy were trying to distract him on this peaceful day. This experience he had, taught

In line three of the poem he stated, “Hold infinity in the palm of your hand.” Obviously this is not possible but, from the beginning of this poem, Blake proves that there are two extremes to every situation. “Each outcry of the hunted Hare/ A fibre from the brain does tear” (13-14). This line describes the consequences of rabbit hunting on the unrealistic ability of the hunter. The hunter through his acts of cruelty falls from innocence to the state of experience. This hunter learns that because of his innocent acts, he gains wisdom. In stanza three, Blake describes how one can never truly win. Even when one seems to being doing all the right things, in someone else’s eyes it could seem all wrong: “The beggars dog and widows cat/ Feed them and thou wilt grow fat” (43-44) While the animal at the time may feel joyful that its hunger has been put to an end, afterwards it may feel unhappy because the animal over indulged in the food. In stanza four, a clear comparison to the romantic quality was made: “Under every grief and pine/Runs a joy with silken twine.” (61-62) Blake states that although one may reach a dark time in their life, it cannot stay dark for too long. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. In order to appreciate the good times, one must appreciate what they learned from bad times in life. In the poem “Auguries of Innocence”, William Blake vividly describes this romantic quality: in order