romantic poetry

1.How does Blake criticize society in the poem “London”?

William Blake’s (1757-1827) poem “London” is a part of his collection “Songs of Experience,”

published in 1794. In this poem, Blake criticizes London’s social, political, and economic

conditions during the late 18th century. The poem reflects Blake’s dissatisfaction with the state of

London and his concern for the well-being of its inhabitants.

Urban Poverty and Suffering: Blake highlights the presence of poverty and suffering among the

common people. He mentions the “hapless soldier’s sigh” and the “palace walls” that witness the

less privileged’s misery.

How the Chimney-sweepers cry

Every blackning Church appalls,

And the hapless Soldiers sigh

Runs in blood down Palace walls.

Restrictions on Freedom: The repeated reference to “charter’d” suggests a sense of confinement

and control. Blake suggests that institutions and authorities have imposed restrictions on the

freedom of individuals, leading to a society where people are not truly free.

Corruption and Exploitation: Blake criticizes the corruption and exploitation within his time’s

political and economic systems. The “mind-forg’d manacles” refer to the mental and emotional

chains that society imposes on individuals.

Society’s Plague: The references to the “chimney-sweeper’s cry” and the “harlot’s curse”

highlight the suffering of vulnerable groups, including children and women. The society is

indifferent to child labour. Infidelity is plaguing society.

But most thro’ midnight streets I hear

How the youthful Harlots curse

 Blasts the new-born Infants tear

And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse

Loss of Innocence: The mention of the chimney-sweeper and the soldier reflects Blake’s concern

about the loss of innocence, both in the exploitation of child labour and the involvement of

young men in wars.

In Conclusion, Blake’s “London” is a critique of the dehumanising effects of industrialisation,

social injustice, and political corruption on the people of London during his time.

2.What does Wordsworth advise his sister Dorothy in “Tintern Abbey”?

The poem “Tintern Abbey” (1798) was one of the nineteen poems that Wordsworth (1770-1850)

contributed to Lyrical Ballads (1798). The poem is regarded as a “record of the poet’s growth or

his spiritual development.” In the poem, Wordsworth advises his sister Dorothy about nature.

To cultivate friendship: Wordsworth advises his sister Dorothy to cultivate friendship with nature.

Because man can betray, nature never can do that. Nature never deceives anyone. As the poet

says-

Nature never did betray

The heart the loved her.

According to the poet, Nature offers us a happy frame of mind. We know that troubles and

misfortunes visit us, which makes our lives miserable. Nature, as a friend, is very close to our

miserable lives. The love of nature fills our minds with joy.

To worship Nature: Wordsworth advises his sister to worship Nature as our spirits are supposed

by the struggle of our life. But thus, we can do nothing against us if we worship Nature. For a

worshipper of Nature, life is full of joy. Because Nature leads us from joy to joy. So, Wordsworth

asks his sister Dorothy to put herself under the eye of Nature. It is in the poet’s tongue –

Therefore, let the moon

 Shine on thee in thy solitary walk;

To take Nature as a healer: According to Wordsworth, Nature heals our troubles and sorrows. He

advises his sister to take Nature as a healer because Nature removes all kinds of worries and

problems.

Finally, we can say that “Tintern Abbey” is a great masterpiece of Wordsworth where he advises

his sister as to keep her friendship with Nature. And here in the poem, he discovered the Divine

spirit of Nature.

3.Why did the old sailor kill the albatross, and how was he relieved of his curse?

Write short notes on “Albatross” in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) produced the well-known poem “The Rime of the Ancient

Mariner” in 1798. The poem describes the tale of an elderly sailor who kills an albatross and

receives a curse. Although the reason the old sailor killed the albatross and why it led to a curse is

complicated, it may be understood by looking at several of the poem’s themes and symbols.

The reason behind the killing: The albatross is a prominent symbol of luck and wealth in the poem.

For nine days, the albatross has been following them in the ocean. The group treats the bird like a

friend and sees it as a sign of good things. Yet, the mariner chooses to shoot the bird with his

crossbow for no apparent reason. Essentially, the murder stands for the mariner’s arrogance and

disregard for the natural world. It is in his tongue.

And I had done a hellish thing,

And it would work ’em woe:

For all averred, I had killed the bird

That made the breeze to blow.

The befallen curse: The Ancient Mariner and his two hundred comrades endure much suffering

after slaying the Albatross. Due to a lack of wind and tide, their ship remains immobile when it
enters the Pacific Ocean. The sun is brightly shining above. Due to a lack of water, their throats are

so dry that they cannot speak. His comrades blame him for their suffering and hang the dead

albatross around his neck as a punishment.

Relief from the curse: All his comrades eventually die, and he is left alone on the vast sea. Inside

the ship’s shadow, the old sailor observes some colorful water snakes one day. They are vivid

green and black. They leave trails in the water as they move and swim, resembling flashes of

golden light in moonlight. He is overwhelmed with affection for them and unknowingly blesses

them. The dead albatross slides from his neck as soon as he shows sincere love to the water

snakes and is free of his curse. Here is a quotation regarding his release.

He prayeth best, who loveth best

All things both great and small;

For the dear God who loveth us,

He made and loveth all.

Here, the poet says they pray to God earnestly, who loves all creatures equally.

In conclusion, the old sailor kills the albatross Because of his arrogance and disregard for nature.

The killing of the bird signifies humanity’s environmental exploitation, and the curse that befalls

the mariner and his crew is a warning about the consequences of this exploitation.

4.Analyze Keats’ conception of beauty and truth in ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn.’

John Keats (1795-1821) is considered as a poet of beauty. The urn is a timeless canvas in Keats’s

“Ode on a Grecian Urn” (1819). Ancient Greek life is depicted here perfectly. Here’s an analysis of

the scenes depicted in the urn.

The Flute Players: The imagery of flute players on the urn represents the beauty of music frozen

in time. The unheard music is considered even more beautiful because it is left to the imagination.

Keats says,
Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter.

The Lovers: The lovers depicted on the urn are caught in a perpetual state of anticipation. They

are forever frozen just before the climax of their love. Their love remains eternal and untouched

by time’s decay.

Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss, though winning near the goal…

A Fair Youth: The fair youth, forever captured in a moment of joy and celebration. This displays

the idea of eternal happiness and beauty. The poem emphasizes the unchanging nature of this

happiness.

More happy love! more happy, happy love!

A Bold Lover: The bold lover’s passionate pursuit is halted, yet the scene on the urn immortalizes

this ardour. This preserves the intensity of his pursuit eternally.

A Sacrificial Procession: The sacrificial procession portrayed on the urn captures a moment

frozen in time. This reflects the solemnity and grandeur of the ritual. It symbolizes the eternal

aspect of devotion and sacrifice.

Keats employs these images on the Grecian urn to explore the themes of beauty, eternity, and the

transience of human existence. He highlights emotions and experiences frozen in time, enduring

eternally on the urn’s surface.

1.How does Blake represent two contrary states of the human soul?

The most interesting aspect of William Blake’s (1757-1827) poetry is that he explores life’s

psychological truth. He observes that there are two contrary statuses in the human soul. In his

poems titled “Songs of Innocence and of Experience” (1789), he beautifully captures the two

contrary states of the human soul through various elements:

Innocence vs. Experience: Blake often contrasts the purity of innocence with the complexities of

experience. In his collection of poems titled “Songs of Innocence and of Experience,” he describes

innocence as blissful ignorance. The Poet is untouched by the harsh realities of the world. So, here,

Children, nature, and simplicity suggest this innocence. Blake says:

Little Lamb who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

On the other hand, experience conveys the loss of innocence, the awareness of societal norms, and

the hardships of life. Blake highlights these contrasting states to highlight the inevitable journey

from a state of purity to one of worldly wisdom.

The Lamb and The Tyger: In two of his poems, “The Lamb” and “The Tyger,” Blake explores the

opposing facets of existence. “The Lamb” embodies innocence, portraying a gentle, meek creature

symbolizing purity and divinity. On the other hand, “The Tyger” illustrates experience, depicting a

powerful and fierce predator. It symbolizes the harshness and complexity of life. Through these

contrasting symbols, Blake delves into the duality of existence. Here, innocence coexists with the

harsh realities of experience. The poet says:

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Social Constructs vs. Natural Freedom: Blake criticizes societal norms and constructs that restrict

the freedom of individuals. He describes innocence as a state of natural freedom. Here, individuals

are unbound by societal expectations. In contrast, experience represents the imposition of rules,

norms, and institutions that confine and shape individuals. This contradiction reveals the tension

between the inherent freedom of the human soul and the constraints imposed by society. In the

poem London, the poet says:

In every voice, in every ban,

The mind-forg’d manacles I hear.

Childhood and Adulthood: Blake uses the contrast between childhood innocence and adult

experience to illustrate the transformation of the human soul. Childhood represents a time of

purity, imagination, and freedom from societal restrictions. As individuals grow into adulthood, they

encounter the harshness of reality. It leads to a loss of innocence and a deeper understanding of

the complexities of life. Poet says:

Is this a holy thing to see,

In a rich and fruitful land,

Babes reduc’d to misery,

Fed with cold and usurious hand?

Heaven and Hell: Blake’s depiction of heaven and hell symbolizes the contrasting states of the

human soul. Heaven conveys innocence, harmony, and spiritual purity, while hell symbolizes

experience, chaos, and moral corruption. Blake investigates the eternal struggle between good and

evil within the human soul through these contrasting realms.

In termination, these contrary states of the human soul are depicted as an inherent and perpetual

conflict. They also reveal the intricate balance between innocence and experience, freedom and

societal constraints, purity, and the complexities of life. This exploration performs as a poignant

reflection on the human condition. It invites contemplation on the dualities that shape our

existence.

2.What are the three stages of growth that Wordsworth refers to in “Tintern Abbey”?

Tintern Abbey (1798) is a testament to Wordsworth’s attitude to Nature, Man, moral vision, and

philosophy of life. This poem was written on 13th July 1798 and published in the same year in the

volume Lyrical Ballads. In the poem Tintern Abbey, William Wordsworth (1770-1850) represents

three different stages of thought regarding nature.

Three stages are

Boyish or animal pleasure of nature

Physical or sensuous beauty of nature

Spiritual or intellectual beauty of nature

Boyish or Animal Pleasure of Nature: In the first stage of Wordsworth’s boyhood, he enjoyed the

presence of nature. The first stage in the development of Wordsworth’s attitude to nature was

marked by a simple delight in freedom and the open air. Wordsworth found pleasure in roaming

about in Nature. Like a deer, he roamed about over the mountains, by the side of the deep rivers,

and along the lonely streams.

He describes his roaming in Nature as glad animal movements. The pleasure he enjoyed in Nature is

called an insensitive pleasure. He felt more like one who flees from something he dreads than seeks

the thing he loves. He wandered about wherever Nature taught him. He said,

like a roe

I bounded o’er the mountains, by the sides

Of the deep rivers, and the lonely streams,

Wherever nature led:

Physical or Sensuous Beauty of Nature: In the second stage, Wordsworth’s relationship and love for

Nature were purely physical. Nature now appealed chiefly to sensuous beauty to him. He felt

pleasure in watching the colors of Nature, smelling the fragrance of Nature, touching the objects of

Nature, and hearing the sweet sounds of Nature. To him, the colors and shapes of mountains and

wood attracted him. The fountain haunted his heart with passion. Wordsworth said,

Haunted me like a passion: the tall rocks,

The mountain and the deep and gloomy wood

Their colors and their forms, were then to me

 An appetite

Thus, he loved Nature with an unreflecting or thoughtless passion. He experienced joy and delight

in his contact with Nature. It was the outward or external sensuous beauty of Nature that delighted

Wordsworth.

Spiritual or Intellectual Beauty of Nature: Wordsworth’s love for Nature ultimately became spiritual

and intellectual in the third stage. He had now seen the sufferings of mankind and heard the sad

music of humanity. Now, he became thoughtful. Therefore, he was filled with deep thoughts when

he looked at Nature. He now found a deep meaning and a hidden significance in Nature. So the poet

rightly says,

A motion and spirit, that impels

All thinking things, all objects of all thought

And rolls through all things.

He still appreciated the external beauty of Nature, but it was the inner or hidden significance of

Nature that mainly attracted him and moved him into thought.

Now, he found a divine spirit inside all the objects of Nature. He found that divine spirit in the light

of the setting sun, the round ocean, the blue sky, and everything. At this stage, he also developed

the educative influence of Nature. He looked upon Nature as the nurse, the guide, the guardian of

his heart, and the soul of his moral being. Thus, in the third stage, Wordsworth was a “pantheist”

who believed in a spiritual communication between man and Nature. So, Wordsworth advises his

sister Dorothy to cultivate friendship with nature because nature never betrays it. Wordsworth

remarks,

Nature never did betray

The heart that loved her.

In conclusion, there are many disputes about Wordsworth’s philosophy of nature, but his

philosophy of nature and life greatly influences human life. In his Tintern Abbey, the poet explores
nature, its philosophy, and spirituality in a way that develops his thought.

3.How Does Shelley Idealize the Bird Skylark in the Poem “To a Skylark”?

Idealization is one of the major imaginative features of the Romantics. As a second-generation

romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) successfully idealizes the bird Skylark in his

famous ode “To a Skylark” (1820). Shelley’s idealization of this bird is given below.

Immortality and Eternal Joy: At the very outset of the poem, the poet introduces the miniature

singing bird not as a bird but as a spirit. From such recognition, the poet means to say that the souls

of the real world have been polluted on a deeper level. Since the world is packed with all kinds of

negative aspects, this real world has lost its expediency for peaceful and ecstatic living. On the

other hand, the world of skylark is authentic because the bird sings very spontaneously.

That from Heaven, or near it,

Pourest thy full heart

In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.

Thus, the poet declares that the world and activities of the skylark are selfless, which is why it is

ideal and can ensure a sustainable world of peace and happiness.

Contrast to Human Suffering: Shelley idealizes the skylark by distinguishing its untroubled presence

from human suffering. Amid the poem, the skylark is depicted as unaffected by the pain and sorrow

that touches humanity. The poet laments,

What thou art we know not;

What is most like thee?

This emphasizes the skylark’s mysterious nature and highlights its separation from the human

condition. This distinction upgrades the bird’s level of joy and purity.
The superiority of Song: The poet does not hesitate to mark the most prestigious institutions as

being corrupted. The religious institutions have been futile, that is why the choral hymns have lost

their attraction and pure melody. The song of victory is not for humanity; rather, it is the practice of

power and authority. However, Skylark’s song is pure and laudable. So, the poet means to say that

the song of the bird is for all, like good governance of an ideal state.

Unseen and Invisible Presence: The skylark’s idealization is also enhanced by its unseen and

invisible existence. Unlike concrete and visible objects, the skylark is a mysterious and unattainable

creature. Shelley expresses this by saying,

Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!

Bird thou never wert.

The repeated statement that the skylark “never wert” highlights its transcendental nature. This also

enhances its mystique and idealized status.

Freedom and Unboundedness: The sharpest and most striking contrast between Shelley’s idealism

and the world’s realism has been recounted by Skylark’s tension and sin-free world. According to

the poet, the skylark knows much more than human beings. It enjoys the deeper knowledge of the

mystery of Earth. Human beings are haunted by their thoughts of past and future and pine for what

is not. The sweet songs of human beings are those that tell of the saddest thoughts. But the skylark

is the embodiment of perennial joy and happiness.

Better than all measures

Of delightful sound

Better than treasures

That in books are found.

In termination, Shelley, in this poem, skillfully portrays the skylark. This bird surpasses the physical

and enters the realm of the metaphysical. Through the use of vivid imagery, contrast, and profound

philosophical reflections, he idealizes the skylark as a symbol of eternal joy, inspiration, and
freedom. Through this, he creates this poem, a poetic masterpiece that continues to delight readers

with its transcending vision of nature.

4. Discuss Keats as a poet of sensuousness.

John Keats (1795-1821), one of the prominent figures of the Romantic era, is celebrated as a poet of

sensuousness. A rich and vivid exploration of the senses characterizes his poetry. Keats’ emphasis

on sensuousness is evident in various aspects of his work.

Sensuousness: Sensuousness refers to five human senses such as taste, touch, hearing, sight, and

smell. Many of Keats’ famous works, such as “Ode to a Nightingale,” “Ode to a Grecian Urn,” and

“Ode to Autumn,” are characterized by lush and vivid imagery. He skillfully employed visual and

sensory elements to evoke emotions and create a sensory feast for the reader. The vivid

descriptions of nature, landscapes, and experiences in his odes contribute to the overall

sensuousness of his poetry.

“Ode to a Nightingale”: “Ode to a Nightingale” is one of Keats’ most remarkable poems of

sensuousness. It is a poem that contains the passion for eternal beauty. The poem begins with a

drawing of the effect of the song of the Nightingale on the human body and mind. In the second

stanza of this ode, the poet captures the sensation of drinking wine. There are references to the

visual and auditory senses, too. The poet also paints the picture of a drunken whose mouth is

purple stained because of the red wine he has drunk:

With beaded bubbles winking at the brim,

And purple-stained mouth.

In the fifth stanza, the poet gives a highly sensuous description of Nightingale’s world that alludes

to the senses of sight, touch, and smell. With the evocation of “The coming musk-rose, full of dew

wine,” the sense of taste and hearing have also been incorporated.
“Ode on Melancholy”: “Ode on Melancholy” again, we have several sensuous pictures. This poem

shows us the fleeting nature of beauty. According to Keats, beauty and joy are the real sources of

melancholy. The rain is falling from a cloud above, reviving the drooping flowers below and covering

the green hill. He sketches the morning rose, and colors are produced by the rainbow lying on the

wet sand and the wealth of “globed peonies.” And then:

Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows,

Emprison her soft hand, and let her rave,

And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes.

Keats saw that human life is full of suffering, and he was prey to disease and pain. He feels sad

because he can only enjoy the beauty for a short time. Thus, the poet allies Melancholy with beauty.

“Ode on a Grecian”: The “Ode on a Grecian Urn” contains a series of sensual pictures- passionate

men and Gods chasing reluctant maidens, the fair youth trying to kiss his beloved, the happy

branches of the tree enjoying an everlasting spring, etc.

More happy love! more happy, happy love!

Forever warm and still to be enjoy’d,

Forever painting, and forever young.

In conclusion, Keats always selects the objects of his writings and imagery with a keen eye on their

beauteous and sensuous appeal. These qualities are the principal charm of his poetry. His

treatment of beauty overcame every other concern. Among all, he is the king poet of beauty and

sensuousness.