Introduction
John Keats belongs to the period of Romanticism. Actually, Romanticism was a period began in the late 18th century and reached its culmination in the early 19th century. John Keats was a prominent poet of the period, because his poetry is ornamented with romantic traits.
Romantic poets emphasized on imagination than reason, emotion over logic and rules, love for nature and idealization of the heroic deeds. Keats was ardent preacher of beauty and art of nature. For example, the line “Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter” is from Ode on Grecian Urn. This line shows his Philosophical Reflection, Themes of Mortality and Transience, Sensory Imagery and formal structure. Keats worked on composing poetry just for three years and within the time period he became prominent poet of English literature, as his poetry inspired readers as well as critics.
Writing style of John Keats is enriched with literary devices such Metaphor, Personification, Assonance, Juxtaposition, Alliteration, and Consonance. The literary devices are set together to beautify and create rhythm in his poetry. Endymion and Ode to the Nightingale are best examples of the rich use of literary devices. Though he was the last romantic poet, yet his poems give the taste of romantic traits. His poetry contains the themes of misery, love, beauty, and nature; these characteristics were common in the poetry of romantic poets. John Keats uses rhymed iambic pentameter. Similarly, his poetry contains expressive mood because it is written with lyrical power.
The common features of the writing style of John Keats
- Imagery
Keats poetry appeals all sense and bringing the imagery sense to mind. The poetry evokes sights, smells, sound, tastes and textures making the readers absorbed in an imaginative world, which for them, seems to be real.
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Symbolism and Metaphor
Keats poem contain metaphor and symbolism. The famous lines, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty” are from Ode on a Grecian Urn. He directly compares Beauty with Truth and Truth with Beauty by using metaphor. There are a number of examples of the use of metaphor in Keats’ poetry. Similarly, the poem “Ode on Grecian Urn” reflects the immortality of art and mortality of human life.
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Formal Structure
John chose the traditional form for his poetry, such as his poetry in the sonnet form or ode form. Particularly, his odes are well structured with elevated tone and style, and contain structured rhyme schemes that form the themes of his poetry.
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Musicality
All of his poems contain musical qualities as they rhyme schemes and structured rhythm. His close attention to rhyme, meter, and sound make his poems lyrical which appeal not just visually but auditory also.
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Themes of Mortality
John Keats shows the contrast between eternal voice of the nightingale and temporary nature of human existence. He emphasizes the idea that beauty is for a short period of time; similarly, life is impermanent. Keats here puts the idea of worldly beauty not the beauty of art.
Philosophical Depth and Use of Ordinary Things
The author uses ordinary things in his poems such Grecian Urn, Nightingale, the sunrise, sunset, mountains and valleys. Besides this, Keats also uses philosophical depth in his poems. Such as the unavoidable death, the passage of time, and the conflict between idealism and reality. In poems like “Ode on Melancholy” and “To Autumn,” Keats explores the intersection of joy and sorrow, beauty and decay.
In conclusion
John Keats’ writing style is unique, simple, and he combines beauty with a philosophical exploration of life, nature, and mortality, all set within a framework of lyrical, musical language.