"Ode to a Nightingale"
Poetry
|
John Keats
Ode to a Nightingale Full Poem
Ode to a Nightingale
By John Keats
My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:
'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot,
But being too happy in thine happiness,—
That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees
In some melodious plot
Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,
Sin...
Read Ode to a Nightingale Full Poem
Ode to a Nightingale Characters
The Nightingale: A real bird, but in the poem, it becomes a symbol of eternal beauty, freedom, and the ideal world.
The Speaker (Narrator): The poet himself, deeply emotional and reflective. He listens to the bird’s song and is drawn into a dreamlike state. He is trying to escape the sadness of real life.
Death (Personified): Death appears almost like a comforting presence in the poem. At one poi...
Expand Ode to a Nightingale Characters
"Ode to a Nightingale" Literary Devices
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: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses to create vivid pictures in the reader’s mind. Example: “Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!”
Metaphor: A comparison between two things without using "like" or "as." Example: “Thou wast not b...
Expand "Ode to a Nightingale" Literary Devices
"Ode to a Nightingale" Key Facts
Author: John Keats (1795-1821)
Original Title: "Ode to a Nightingale"
Title of the Author:
Leading Second Generation Romantic Poet
Poet of Sensuousness
Poet of Beauty and Mortality
Written Date: Between 26 April and 18 May 1819
Published Date: Published in “Annals of the Fine Arts” in July 1819
Form: Ode
Meter: Iambic Pentameter
Tone: Melancholic, Dreamlike & Reflective
Genre: Roman...
Expand "Ode to a Nightingale" Key Facts
"Ode to a Nightingale" Quotes
"Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!"
Explanation: This line emphasizes the eternal nature of the nightingale's song and its ability to transcend mortality.
“Away! away! for I will fly to thee,
Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards,
But on the viewless wings of Poesy,”
Explanation: The speaker wants to fly to the nightingale, not through physical means like Bacchus’s wine-fueled cel...
Expand "Ode to a Nightingale" Quotes
"Ode to a Nightingale" Themes
Transience of Life: Keats reflects on the fleeting nature of human existence. He contrasts the immortal nightingale's song with the ephemeral nature of human life. The nightingale's song represents a timeless and eternal beauty, while human life is marked by suffering and mortality.
Escape from Reality: The poem explores the idea of escaping from the harsh realities of life through imagination an...
Expand "Ode to a Nightingale" Themes
"Ode to a Nightingale" Summary
The poem "Ode to Nightingale" was written by the Romantic Poet John Keats. It was published in 1819. In this poem, the poet has resorted to his imagination to escape worldly life's problems.
Hearing and Appreciating Nightingale's Song: At the poem's beginning, the poet says that he feels faint and his chest hurts. Because a little while ago, he consumed drugs. At that moment, he heard the nighting...
Expand "Ode to a Nightingale" Summary
Notes
Explore 5 detailed notes related to "Ode to a Nightingale". Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.