"Ode on Melancholy"
Poetry
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John Keats
Ode on Melancholy Full Poem
Ode on Melancholy
By John Keats
No, no, go not to Lethe, neither twist
Wolf's-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine;
Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kiss'd
By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine;
Make not your rosary of yew-berries,
Nor let the beetle, nor the death-moth be
Your mournful Psyche, nor the downy owl
A partner in your sorrow's mysteries;
For shade to shade will come too drows...
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"Ode on Melancholy" key Facts
Author: John Keats (1795–1821)
Title of the Author:
Leading Second Generation Romantic Poet
Poet of Sensuousness
Poet of Beauty and Mortality
Full Title: “Ode on Melancholy”
Total Lines: 30
Stanza: 3
Genre: Romantic Poetry
Published Date: 1820 (in Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems)
Written Date: 1819
Form: Ode
Meter: Iambic Pentameter
Tone: Philosophical, Reflective...
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Ode on Melancholy Characters
Beauty: Personified as a character who must die. It symbolizes the fleeting nature of beauty.
Joy: It describes someone who always says goodbye; joy never stays long.
Pleasure: It is also personified. It stands close to pain, turning into poison while being enjoyed.
Proserpine: (Greek name Persephone) A direct mythological figure. She is the Roman goddess of the underworld. She connected to nights...
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"Ode on Melancholy" Literary Device
Literary Terms
Ode → The poem is a type of ode, which means it is a serious, thoughtful poem about a deep subject.
Figures of Speech:
Imagery → Words that help us see pictures in our mind. Example: “deep, deep upon her peerless eyes” – we can imagine her eyes.
Personification → When feelings or things act like people. Example: Sadness (Melancholy) is shown as a woman.
Allusion → A small...
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"Ode on Melancholy" Themes
Melancholy and Sorrow: The poem delves into embracing melancholy and sorrow as an integral part of human existence. Keats suggests these emotions can deepen appreciation of life's fleeting beauty.
Transience of Beauty: The poem emphasizes the ephemeral nature of beauty and joy. Keats encourages the reader to fully experience and appreciate beauty while acknowledging that it is temporary.
Sensory E...
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"Ode on Melancholy" Summary
Main Message of the Poem: "Ode on Melancholy" is a remarkable poem by British Romantic poet John Keats. It is one of his five famous odes and was published in 1820. In this poem, Keats talks about how to live with melancholy (deep sadness). According to the poet, during times of sorrow, one should not break down but rather become one with that sorrow.
What Not to Do in Times of Sadness: In the fir...
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Ode on Melancholy Quotes
“No, no, go not to Lethe…”
Explanation: In this line, Keats warns not to escape sorrow by forgetting or avoiding it. He encourages facing emotions instead.
“She [melancholy] dwells with Beauty—Beauty that must die;”
Explanation: Here, Keats says sadness is part of beauty because all beautiful things eventually fade away.
“And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips
Bidding adieu;...”
Explanation: Thes...
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Notes
Explore 3 detailed notes related to "Ode on Melancholy". Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.