Characters (Real & Personified Characters)

• The Poet / Speaker: The central character of this poem is the poet himself, that is, John Keats. He appears as both a witness and a worshipper who suddenly sees a mysterious vision. He sees Cupid, the god of love, and Psyche, the goddess of the soul. They are lying asleep together in the grass. The sight deeply moves him. He decides to worship Psyche, not through any temple, priest, or ritual, but within his own mind. The poet imagines himself as Psyche’s “priest,”. He devotes his inner world to her worship. His character combines imagination, love, and spirituality. This symbolizes the true Romantic poet who turns the mind into a sacred space of worship.
• Psyche ✪✪✪: Psyche is a goddess from Greek mythology who represents the human soul. She is the beloved of Cupid and symbolizes the union of love and the soul. In Keats’s vision, Psyche is described as “latest born and loveliest vision far”. It means the youngest and most beautiful of the gods. Yet she has no temple, no priest, and no worshippers, which reflects her neglected state. In the poem, Psyche appears as a silent, gentle, and dreamlike figure to whom the poet wishes to give new life and devotion. She embodies the beauty of the human mind, the depth of the soul, and the purity of love.
• Cupid (Eros): Cupid is the god of love and the lover of Psyche. At the beginning of the poem, the poet sees him lying beside Psyche in the grass. Their love is pure, eternal, and inseparable. The image of the two lovers symbolizes the joy of life, the unity of love, and the completeness of the soul. Cupid here represents not only physical love but also spiritual beauty and the soul’s divine companion.
• Nature: Although the setting of “Ode to Psyche” is mainly mental and imaginative. Nature plays an important background role. In the opening scene, the forest, flowers, breeze, and streams create a tender, dreamlike atmosphere. Nature shelters the two lovers. Nature becomes a symbol of purity and harmony within the poet’s world of imagination.