Keats
1. St. Agnes is the patron saint of virgins. How does learning this change your interpretation of the poem "The Eve of St. Agnes"?
2. Keats based his poem on the superstition that if a young girl performed a certain ritual on the eve of St. Agnes, she would see her future husband. If you could see into your future, would you? Explain.
3. Keats based "Ode to a Nightingale" upon the tranquility and joy he felt in a nightingale's song. If you could write an ode to an element of nature, what would you choose to honor? Animal? Plant? Place? Describe and explain.
4. Keats knew he was dying of tuberculosis when he wrote "Bright Star." Does this change your interpretation of the poem? Why or why not?
Well. My favorite Keats poem is not on the list. Humph. I really enjoyed Keats's (did I do that right? I always get confused on those...) "Ode to Autumn." I liked how he gave Autumn a kind of friendly personality. I could totally relate to that because it is my absolute favorite season of the year. The colors are gorgeous and when its real (not a wannabe winter) in Montana it is, hands down, the best time of the year. The weather is just right, the leaves are changing color, and it has my birthday... Just a minor detail.
ReplyDeleteI would rather not look into my future if I had the choice. This is because I would end up looking for that guy the whole time instead of enjoying experiences with someone else. Also, it would kind of ruin the romance of it all.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Keats was dying of tuberculosis does not change my interpretation of the poem, "Bright Star." To me, that poem was about someone persevering through hard times so that fact actually supports my interpretation of the poem in a way.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I did not enjoy Keats. I really enjoyed "Ode to Autumn" and "Bright Star" but I had to read all the poems multiple times before I really understood them. To me, that is very annoying.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Keats was dying from TB definitely impacts the way I interpreted the poem. I was wondering why he was wishing to be like the star, always there. I thought that maybe he and his lover were separated by war maybe,and he longed to be with her ect. I more so pictured him as a young man looking up at the sky writing it rather than from his death bed. What did you guys think? We need to work on responding to each other :)
ReplyDeleteEmily- I agree with you on the whole not seeing your future idea. You made some excellent points!
ReplyDeleteDea- Keats dying from TB also impacts the way I viewed the poem. I viewed it as he missed his lover as well. However I do not see him writing this in his death bed, I think he would be out adventuring!!
Kyla- hahah you picture a weezing, emancipated man running out and about in the world writing poetry about how he wishes to be that way forever?
ReplyDeleteHe doesnt have to be running he could be walking or wheeling in a wheelchair, and it wouldnt have to be around the world, maybe just a walk around the block haha. But he could just be enjoying his life and reminiscing on how things were and how he wishes he was steadfast like a star.
ReplyDeleteAh, okay we were definitely seeing different adventures haha. But I like thinking of him still out and about and reminiscing while pushing his litte walker rather than wasting away in bed.
ReplyDeleteYeah! Like one of the little old men at the Heritage Center! Playing cards, saying things like "In my day, I had to walk 40 miles in the snow to get to school" and writing poetry!
ReplyDeleteI think Keats would be more of a moody man though. Like not that he isn't nice but just a little mores sensitive. What poem was your favorite? I liked Bright Star and Ode to Autumn best because the other two were too long and not as easy to follow.
ReplyDeleteI like Ode to Autumn the best because like Emily said he makes autumn have a kind personality and have almost a magical feel. I did not like St Agnes one at all because it was to long and a little weird..
ReplyDeleteYeah I felt a little creeped out by Eve of St. Agnes. I didn't really find it that romantic.
ReplyDeleteI guess maybe in that time period it could be romantic but now im pretty sure the guy would be arrested.
ReplyDeleteI could imagine that when I wake up to a creepy guy watching me sleep I'd say I WANT TO ELOPE!.... No. I'd probably scream bloody murder.
ReplyDeleteWell she must have known him somehow... I think how well they knew each other would determine the level of creepiness.
ReplyDeleteEw, girls are grody.
ReplyDeleteTB is supposed to be tuberculosis? First of all, mom, you misspelled it. Second of all, Dea, have you not heard the rule? "Do not abbreviate on a formal blog." Please.
Anyway, the fact that St. Agnes is the patron saint of virgins makes Keats's poem very disturbing. Therefore, I despise the poem.
If I could, I would love to see into my future...or perhaps I would not. I feel very torn on this subject.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to choose now, I would say that I would prefer not to see into my future...only for the sake of keeping it a surprise rather than ruining it.
If I were to write an ode to an element of nature, I would choose the "tree" in my front yard. I remember when my Grandpa Rudy helped my dad plant it there as a tiny sapling, many years ago. It has been through a great deal of struggling since then. As fate would have it, I have actually prepared such an ode to this tree. Here is "Ode to Tree," in its entirety:
ReplyDeleteArbre stupide, pourquoi diable n'êtes-vous pas en pleine croissance? Vous avez été plantés dans le sol pour que, cinquante-milliard de jours, combien avez-vous seulement grandi comme deux pouces du sol depuis lors? Je déteste de toi, l'arbre mauvais.
Despite learning of Keats's condition when writing "Bright Star," my interpretation of the poem has not changed.
ReplyDeleteHolden!- Your story of your dad and Grandma is very touching! I expected for your Ode to be so sweet and kind. I was surprised to actually discover it wasnt! But it made it that much better! It was very well written!
ReplyDelete