Ode on Melancholy commentary
AP Literature
19 August 2013
Ode on Melancholy John Keats’s poem, “Ode on Melancholy”, serves as an instructional manual on how to cope with sadness and the feeling of melancholy. Through his vivid use of lyrical language and allusions, Keats’s is able to depict vivid images that haunt the soul and is able to convey his message that the only way to deal with a sense of melancholy is to accept it. Keats believes that once one can accept sadness and make it a part of his identity, then he can overcome the overwhelming feelings of depression and find true happiness in life. The author also implies that happiness must be earned; to find happiness, one must endure the travesties and turmoil to reach it. Overall, Keats’s work has the feel of an informative paper. It was written to instruct and to inform, providing ideas, and then elaborating upon them. “Ode on Melancholy” has three ten-lined stanzas that follow the pattern of an iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme through the three stanzas, however, is not consistent. In the first two stanzas, Keats offers the reader advice on how to cope with sadness. These first two stanzas follow the rhyme scheme of ABABCDECDE. The first four lines of the stanza follow an alternating rhyme scheme, then the last six lines of the stanza have an alternating rhyme scheme. Keats utilizes this pattern in such a way where the first four lines provide the basis of his argument and the last 6 lines provide the “commentary” or explanation as to why such actions must be taken. Another technique that Keats uses in his poem is the use of the second-person. “Ode on Melancholy” is written in second person, as shown through words such as “thy” and “your”. Because he writes in a second-person, Keats is able to create an intimate relationship with the reader through his words which allows the reader to empathize these feelings. The poem is separated into two essential parts. The first part is the first stanza. In the stanza, the narrator
19 August 2013
Ode on Melancholy John Keats’s poem, “Ode on Melancholy”, serves as an instructional manual on how to cope with sadness and the feeling of melancholy. Through his vivid use of lyrical language and allusions, Keats’s is able to depict vivid images that haunt the soul and is able to convey his message that the only way to deal with a sense of melancholy is to accept it. Keats believes that once one can accept sadness and make it a part of his identity, then he can overcome the overwhelming feelings of depression and find true happiness in life. The author also implies that happiness must be earned; to find happiness, one must endure the travesties and turmoil to reach it. Overall, Keats’s work has the feel of an informative paper. It was written to instruct and to inform, providing ideas, and then elaborating upon them. “Ode on Melancholy” has three ten-lined stanzas that follow the pattern of an iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme through the three stanzas, however, is not consistent. In the first two stanzas, Keats offers the reader advice on how to cope with sadness. These first two stanzas follow the rhyme scheme of ABABCDECDE. The first four lines of the stanza follow an alternating rhyme scheme, then the last six lines of the stanza have an alternating rhyme scheme. Keats utilizes this pattern in such a way where the first four lines provide the basis of his argument and the last 6 lines provide the “commentary” or explanation as to why such actions must be taken. Another technique that Keats uses in his poem is the use of the second-person. “Ode on Melancholy” is written in second person, as shown through words such as “thy” and “your”. Because he writes in a second-person, Keats is able to create an intimate relationship with the reader through his words which allows the reader to empathize these feelings. The poem is separated into two essential parts. The first part is the first stanza. In the stanza, the narrator