"Adonais"

Poetry | Percy Bysshe Shelley

Why Did Shelley Choose the God Adonais to Symbolize Keats

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Why did Shelley choose the God Adonais to symbolize Keats Or What are the similarities between Adonais and Keats Adonais An Elegy on the Death of John Keats is an iconic elegy in English literature Percy Bysshe Shelley - draws parallels between the figure of Adonais from Greek mythology and the poet John Keats Here are similarities between Adonais and Keats as depicted in the poem Youth and Beauty Adonais and Keats are depicted as embodiments of youth and beauty Keats like Adonais represents youthful exuberance and artistic beauty Shelley mourns Keats's untimely death likening him to Adonais I weep for Adonais he is dead This line draws a parallel between Keats and the mythological figure of Adonais emphasizing their shared youthful and beautiful qualities Premature Death Adonais and Keats both suffer premature deaths A boar killed Adonais while Keats's life was cut short by tuberculosis Shelley mourns Keats's early

demise lamenting Oh weep for Adonais though our tears Thaw not the frost which binds so dear a head This mournful cry reflects the tragic similarity in the premature deaths of both Adonais and Keats Unjust Treatment and Criticism Adonais and Keats both faced ridicule and misunderstanding during their lives Adonais's story involves themes of jealousy and tragedy Keats too experienced harsh criticism and mockery for his poetry during his lifetime Immortality through Art and Spirit Adonais's spirit lives on through mythology Keats's poetry and spirit endure despite his physical death This ensures his immortality Adonais's beauty and myth endure through time Similarly Keats's poetry and spirit are immortalized through Shelley's elegy Shelley articulates this idea saying Yet reigns o'er earth the third among the sons of light This symbolizes Keats's enduring presence and influence despite his physical absence Through these parallels Shelley honours Keats's life and art He aligns him with the mythological figure Adonais This is how Shelley emphasizes both figures's tragic beauty and immortal nature

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