Day: November 18, 2023

Introduction: Imagination and Reality in The Odes

In showing imagination and reality in the odes, Keats has surpassed all romantics during the Romanticism — a period during which the focus of attention shifted to the individual as well as nature. Similarly, John Keats’ odes reflect the same focus. The main focus of his odes was to pay attention to an individual character, his/her inner qualities, and the nature around him/her. Imagination played an important role in adding creativity to his odes, in which truth is found and discovered through imagination.

Keats and Imagination and Reality in the Odes

Keats is one of the Romantic poets who belong to their second generation. He highlights the importance of individualism. His second focus is the role of imagination. Since he was a Romantic poet, he has the power of discussing and analyzing individuals through imagination, as if this were his profession. He also supported the use of an active mind, which is being creative and ready to accept new ideas revealed to him. In reality, as a Romantic poet, he has two different angles: one is imagination and the other is reality. Many odes of Keats explain these philosophical concepts plainly especially “Ode on a Grecian Urn” and “Ode to a Nightingale.” Other poems are also related to this phenomenon in on or the other. Yet most of his odes deal with imagination and how imagination works to achieve its ideals. In this imaginative process, the poet is satisfied and happy from the inside as long as he moves far away from reality which shows the interplay of imagination and reality in the odes.

“Ode to a Nightingale” and Imagination and Reality in the Odes

There is a struggle and conflict going on inside the poet between the ideal and reality in “Ode to a Nightingale.” This happens at the beginning of the poem when we see that the bird has been depicted as an ideal figure. He is so fond of the ideal bird that he wants to merge himself into the delight of the nightingale. All these actions were taking place in an imaginative world. This is being done in a “draught of vintage” (Ode to a Nightingale 11), which shows that he wants to get rid of the hard and harsh realities of the world. Thus, the bird symbolizes the escape of the poet from the bitter mundane realities. When someone finds himself a misfit in society and cannot withstand the problems, he tends to take intoxicants. The poet here takes the support of wine to fly higher along with the bird. It is because he wants to go to the ideal world of the bird, the nightingale, that “Singest of summer in full-throated ease” (10). It does not mean that the poet is not cognizant of the realities around him. Rather he has presented the interplay of imagination and reality in the odes.

World of Imagination and Reality in The Odes

It is also that Keats is aware of the fact that he has to face the realities as they are very bitter: “The weariness, the fever, and the fret /Here, where men sit and hear each other groan;” (23-24) and “Where youth grows pale, and specter-thin, and dies;” (26). The poet, hence, wants to face the reality and live his life but he keeps in mind that the nightingale lives an ideal life. From this conflict, the poet comes out with a solution and becomes envious of the nightingale. Hence, he desires to “fade away into the forest dim:” (20). This escape cannot be called a real one but imaginative “But on the viewless wings of Poesy” (34) which means he likes to go to that place. This is the thing that motivates him to crave death to get rid of this world, which is full of suffering: “Now more than ever seems it rich to die” (55). However, the poet suggests that the bird is immortal, and is not supposed to die. The reason, perhaps, is that it has given the poem an imaginative aura and converted this material world into an ideal realm. It has made this world a place where death, grief, pain, and other afflictions do not exist. He is involved in the conflict and struggles to differentiate if it is just a dream or something real. It appears that his inner struggle between imagination and reality in the odes has ended when he comes to realize the transcendence of immortality from mortality and his identification of the delicate boundary between the world of matter and the ideal world. 

“Ode to Grecian Urn” and Imagination and Reality in the Odes

We can find the same feelings and ideas in the other an ode such as the “Ode on a Grecian Urn.” Keats artistically converts his ideals into an artistic shape. The urn, being a fine piece of art, represents the culture of antiquity. The art it depicts and the ancientness it refers to are complete in themselves. The beauty and its consciousness are also marvelous and the poet finds this beauty in the art. It is also eternal and everlasting beauty like an ideal thing “Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard/ Are sweeter” (Ode on Grecian Urn 11-12). The poet starts the poem with the line “Thou still unravish’ed bride of quietness” (1) in sheer excitement of his discovery. Interestingly, this tone stays the same throughout the poem. “Unravished bride of quietness” (1) has so many connotative meanings and all have transcendental significance, giving eternal life to art and finding refuge in the beauty of that art. Then, in the third stanza, he mentions music, love, and nature in such a way that it looks as if he wants everyone to enter the world of imagination. He remains in this state for some time but soon he comes back and looks the reality, mentioning “burning forehead, and a parching tongue” (30). Soon in the next stanza, he goes back into the realm of idealism and merges himself into the realm of ideals and art. Then we see that his attitude toward art declines and an element of reality peeps into it. It appears that the poet might be losing some interest because of its transitory nature.  The aura he has created around himself vanishes for some time, and it loses its value. This state persists till the ending stanza where the situation reaches its highest point. Here he returns to reality and says that it was the urn which has taken him away from the real world to the immortal and imaginative world. The piece of art says,” Beauty is truth, truth beauty – that is all/ Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know” (49-50). This is the culmination of imagination and reality in the odes.

Idealism and Imagination and Reality in the Odes

There is a conflict of imagination, idealism and reality in the poet’s mind. This conflict is clearly evident and predominant in the two odes. It does not mean that other odes deviate from the poet’s conflict and struggle. For instance, there is a brief poem “Fancy” which starts with “Ever let the Fancy roam /Pleasure never is at home” (Fancy 1-2) tells the similar thing that the poet takes pleasure in the romantic world and not the real world. The same tone continues in the other ode “Ode: ‘Bards of Passion and of Mirth’ “where he talks about two late poets and praises them from his romantic world: “Ye have left your souls on earth!”(2) And his praise continues till the last lines when he touches back and then we see that there is a repetition of the first four lines again at the end of the poem.

“Ode to Autumn” and Imagination and Reality in the Odes

Keats’ remarkable “Ode to Autumn” can be cited for the same purpose. Here his conflict emerges between idealism and reality. There are two aspects of autumn too. On the one hand it is largely a “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”(1), on the other hand, it has its ripeness too. He then personifies the autumn as if it were a person walking but walking not in reality but in imagination speaking, “Thou watchest the last oozing hours by hours” (To Autumn 22). It indicates autumn has been molded into a life, like character and has been decorated with coloring of imagination. The poet also understands that this season takes away the spring season and later we remember spring and its songs. Though, we enjoy the memories of spring, but we also enjoy the beauty of autumn: “Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they? /Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, “(23-24) is the example of that. The poet in his imagination transcends the outer beauty of spring. In his imaginative eye, he starts visualizing the beauty of autumn, which may not be visible to others. He therefore, puts aside the songs and beauty of spring for some time and takes pleasure in the existing beauty of autumn by declaring “thou hast thy music too” (24).

Conclusion

In this short analysis, it becomes clear that the poet has dealt with imagination and reality in the odes differently. The poet has not confined himself either to imagination or reality but has gone beyond these in sheer his poetic capability. He knows that if he takes too much refuge in imagination, he might not be able to handle the affairs of the world. On the other hand, if he pays too much attention to reality, he will always be crying against its bitterness. Therefore, we find that he has given a different but equal angle to both these concepts. He makes to-and-fro movements. He moves to the world of imagination and then returns to face the reality and in this way, a conflict goes on in his mind regarding which way to go and which side is better. His imagination works as something, which acts to reduce the pain and suffering of this bitter world. Therefore, he takes a flight for some time to get away from the pains and pangs. The poet has been successful in taking refuge in his imagination, but he might not have been successful in his attempt to get rid of suffering while living a real life in the world. Consequently, the poet’s poetical career suggests that the poet’s world of imagination starts its development from “Ode to a Nightingale” and “Ode to a Grecian Urn,” which comes through some other poems such as the longer one, Endymion, and returns to the real world in “Ode to Autumn.” Here, the poet realizes that the autumn season also has also its beauty, music, and glamour. Thus, he thinks this beauty needs to be enjoyed. He is a poet who enjoys beauty during suffering and pain. This quality makes him different and prominent from other Romantic poets.

There is a slight difference in imagination that others think and Keats uses in his poetry. The imagination used by Keats has two major shapes. The first is that the world of poetry is very much before the poet, and it is an artificial world that is removed from reality. It is the world that he imagines instead of reflecting on after experiencing it. This is his romantic fondness for the exotic and unusual that made him bring these exotic elements in his poems and odes. The second shape is that he envisions how human life should be which is different from the stark reality in which he lives which is full of misery, suffering, and pain and these two types of imagination became the foundation of his poetry. It is also that what struck his imagination was what should be called a moment of felicity that is to enjoy the moment you exist whether it is the song of the nightingale or the beauty of the urn or the fruitfulness of the autumn. ‘You must enjoy the present moment’ was the major creed of his imagination. Otherwise, as stated earlier, he was fully aware of the stark realities staring in his face and the world of imagination which was full of luxurious pleasure.

Works Cited

1. Keats, John. “Fancy.” Representative Poetry Online. The University of Toronto., 20 Dec. 2001. Web. Accessed 25 Mar. 2018.
2. Keats, John. John Keats: Selected Poems. London: Penguin Books Limited, 1999.Selected Poems and Letters of Keats. Ed. Sandra Anstey Robert Gittings. Heinemann, 1995.
3. Turley, Richard Marggarf. Keats’s Boyish Imagination. Routledge. 2012. Print

Relevant Questions About Imagination And Reality In The Odes Of John Keats

1. How does Keats’ skillful manipulation of the intersection between imagination and reality in the odes contribute to the overarching themes and messages within his poetry, and what can we learn from this dynamic interplay of imagination and reality in the odes?
2. Within the odes, how does Keats employ the contrast between his dreamlike, imaginative realms and the often harsh truth of the real world to reflect on the human experience and the fleeting nature of beauty, love, and artistic expression, emphasizing the significance of imagination and reality in the odes?
3. Keats frequently uses vivid and sensory descriptions to immerse readers in the imaginative landscapes he crafts, enhancing the exploration of the interplay between the realms of fantasy and truth in his poetry. What lasting impact does this interplay of imagination and reality in the odes have on the reader’s interpretation of these themes?

Introduction: “Holy Thursday”

Although childhood as in “Holy Thursday” is considered angelic in almost every civilization whether it is Grecian, Roman, or Islamic, it has a special association with the figure of Christ and his saints. Not only is it considered innocence par excellent but also considered as a source of innocence emerging from everything that comes in contact with the children. However, “Holy Thursday” by William Blake compares the childhood of the charity-fed children in a way that it starkly contrasts with the old age of their guardians, not only demonstrating their hypocritical and selfish intentions but also uncovering the superficial preaching shibboleths they harbor in their hearts. Although Blake has reserved two stanzas for displaying the innocence of the children through excellent similes, his last stanza, and specifically the last line, exposes the irony of the contrast he wants to show. In fact, this is not a simple contrast between children with their guardians but the contrast between childhood and its innocence to old age and the wisdom achieved with it.  Not only does he highlight this irony in “The Holy Thursday” by showing forced discipline imposed on the children, but he also does it by shedding light on their pure innocence and stressing upon the old age of their guardians in comparison to their innocence.

Discipline in “Holy Thursday”

 Blake takes the clue of forced discipline in “Holy Thursday” from the very first line, showing that the faces of the innocent children are “clean” on this “holiday Thursday” (Blake 1), clearly demonstrating the hidden meaning that it is not done on any other day. As more people would be attending the church on this holy occasion, they would win appreciation for the charity and the preaching they have done to the children. They have taught them discipline in a way that they come to the St. Paul like “Thames waters flow” (4) but yet this discipline imposed on them has not marred their freshness as they are still “flowers of London” (5) where several others like them are roaming in the streets. Though these two techniques rather emphasize their spontaneity, the discipline of the first two lines “walking in two and two, in red and blue and green” (2) is enough to show what has been done to them. This is a clear reference to the wisdom that the guardians of those children have displayed. They have taught them this discipline.

Innocence in “Holy Thursday”

Despite this, as shown in the very first stanza of “Holy Thursday,”, Blake has not kept their innocence in check. He has rather highlighted it further through his comparison with flowers and lambs. Flowers are the symbols of freshness. A person, having committed no sin in his life, often radiates such freshness. The same freshness radiates on the faces of these charity-fed children, who are queuing up to enter the St. Paul under the supervision of these guardians.  This is the radiance of their own which is the only account of their innocence. The innocence is not only coming out from their “innocent faces” (1) but also from their “innocent hands” (8) which has been further reinforced by their comparison to lambs – a specific Christian symbol of innocence. The innocence of Christ is often compared with a lamb. The freshness and innocence further strengthen their image as being angelic and too pure to commit a wrong or sin. When this moves to the next lines where it has been told that their guardians are sitting beneath them, it becomes a stark irony.

Old Age in “Holy Thursday”

The final comparison is with the old age of the guardians. It is not merely old age in comparison to childhood that is paled; rather, it is the comparison of innocence and wisdom. The wisdom lies in “grey bearded beadles” (1) who are walking in front of the children with “wands as white as snow” (2) in their hands. Their ironic motto is to help everyone “lest you drive an angel from your door” (12) and cherish pity to win the favor of God. However, here, the way the children have been made or rather forced to be in discipline is not what they say “cherish pity” (12). Instead of this, it is to show off the people how wise they are, how they are winning the favors of God by making the children sing for Heaven. Despite their best efforts, they are to set “beneath” (11) the children. This is clearly showing that innocence is dearer to God than this wisdom, which is more showy and artificial. The ulterior motives are very much clear from this comparison that the song of the children is harmonious, reaching Heaven, but the “wise guardians of the poor” (12) are sitting beneath them.

Irony in “Holy Thursday”

The main irony in “Holy Thursday” lies in the fact that they are feeding the poor children, while they themselves are feeding on the charity given to the church. However, they teach the people they should not drive the poor away from their door, as they are angels, and they are doing the same by taking care of these children. Their preaching does not tell them that the angels they are advising not to be driven away are living with them. They are taking care of them but still, they are forcing harsh discipline on them, making them become a show for the public just to win the sympathies of the same people for taking care of the orphans and destitute. That is why their age has been paled in comparison to the innocence of the children Blake has emphasized through different literary techniques.

Works Cited

1. Blake, William. “Holy Thursday.” n.d.  Poetry Foundation. Web. Accessed 21 Feb. 2015.

Relevant Questions about “Holy Thursday” by William Blake: An Irony on Wisdom of Age

1. How does William Blake use irony in “Holy Thursday” to comment on the supposed wisdom of age and the treatment of impoverished children during the time the poem was written?
2. What are the symbolic elements in “Holy Thursday” that highlight the innocence and vulnerability of the children as compared to the seemingly wise and benevolent charity of the adult figures in the poem?
3. How does the structure and tone of “Holy Thursday” change from the “Innocence” version of the poem to the “Experience” version, and what does this shift reveal about Blake’s perspective on the societal treatment of children and the elderly?

Introduction to “Hashtag”

The beautiful free verse poem “Hashtag” is written by a Ugandan lady, Davina Kawuma. Although the poem is built on several images from the modern world and has used modern digital terms such as hashtags, it demonstrates the frustration and free thinking of a girl from a middle class family who could not afford to live a rich life. She, however, taunts others who imitate Western way of living. She can only afford to wear “Raglan sleeves, push-up bras, harem/culottes” but at the same time she is determined not to try to do what she cannot to “get rich” (Kawuma 8-9&11). However, the poem conveys specific meanings through the use of a hashtag that she repeats not only by the same term hashtag but also by combining different words. The theme is that modern lifestyle has not only put the life of middle class people topsy-turvy but also given them a sense of imitating and stretching out resources to look rich though it depends on the nature of a person as the poet is resisting this blind imitation to her natural lifestyle.

Modern Life in “Hashtag”

As far as modern lifestyle is concerned, “Hashtag” amply shows this imitation in African girls or people. To imagine that living with headphones, sitting on “skirted sofas” and enjoying sex parties means that the old culture of keeping the stereos is coming to an end (2). The other gadgets such as footsubishis, television, Nokia 1100 and English names are becoming the order of the day. This means that the African middle class is trying to stretch its resources to meet the demands of the approaching Western culture. However, as she also belongs to the middle class, she does not want to imitate this lifestyle. Therefore, she cries out saying “Hash Tag, YouCantThreatenThePoor” which means that she does not want to get rich if it means to leave one’s culture (13).

Class and “Hashtag”

The second point is that leaving one’s class means leaving one’s several things such as lifestyle, things, and even smaller everyday acts that one does. In “Hashtag” She is of the view that if this is done, she may have to get up late, do several things that she does not want, and eat things that she does not like. It may entail riding a bus, or having an off day, and even sacrificing one’s ideals such as body. What else she needs to do is to upload videos or do Youtubing. In modern terms, she means that she would have to do several things that she does not want to do. In this way, bootlegging also takes place though it is just the purchase of DVDs. But the message is only sent through the symbol of a hashtag that she has used at the end of each stanza where she cries out that “TheSystemIsStupid” which means that it has become a lifestyle that everybody is imitating (30).

“Hashtag”: Stanzas

When both parts or stanzas of “Hashtag” are compared, the first one tells that the Western digital lifestyle is taking hold of the African middle class where the pressure is on little middle class girls to adopt this lifestyle or feel depressed. However, the poet does not adopt this lifestyle. Then the second stanza or part responds to the first. She is of the view that she would have to adopt several things and leave several things. This may entail leaving one’s favorite things, body, time, and even traditions and lifestyle. Even if she does not go for this new lifestyle, she cannot live without it because it has become the norm of the day.

Conclusion of “Hashtag”

In short, “Hashtag” is a cry to send a message to the world that though Africa is very much there, it is changing with the digital onslaught of Western world. In the midst of this, a middle class girl feels threatened as she has to leave several things to adopt several other things. “Shall I slaughter a mannequin?” perhaps points to the sacrifice of her body that she does not want to lose. Therefore, the title of the poem conveys a message in broken images and sentences that this onslaught is being felt but this is not changing a lot.

Works Cited: “Hashtag”

1. Kawuma, Davina. “Hashtag.” Ed. Goretti Kyomuhendo. Suubi: African Writers Trust. n. d. Web. Accessed 14 Feb. 2016.

Relevant Questions about “Hashtag” by Davina Kawuma

1. How does Davina Kawuma use modern digital terms and imagery, such as hashtags and references to Western lifestyles, to convey the theme of frustration and resistance to imitating a richer lifestyle in “Hashtag”?
2. What is the significance of the repeated use of the hashtag symbol throughout the poem, and how does it contribute to the overall message and tone of the poem? What does the hashtag “YouCantThreatenThePoor” symbolize in the context of the poem’s themes?
3. In “Hashtag,” how does the poet explore the idea of class and the consequences of leaving one’s class or cultural identity? How does the poem depict the pressures faced by middle-class individuals to adopt a Westernized lifestyle, and what choices does the speaker make in response to these pressures?