18th Century Poem Analysis Essay, Research Paper
The differences between eighteenth-century literature and
romantic poems, with respect to history is constituted here. This is
seen through the influential works of John Keats and Alexander Pope.
These works are acknowledged as, “The Rape of Lock” and “The Eve of
St. Agnes.” Alexander Pope takes his readers on a hatred filled epic.
A robust piece of literature and love induced psychoses in, “The Rape
of Lock.” On the other hand, “The Eve of St. Agnes” told a tale of
life, love, death, and eternal fate in heaven. These two brilliant
writers have given two magnificent poems. Pope exhibits many
characteristics of a narcissistic human being. His independence in
life shows through his writings in fiction. Which inevitably portray
his deeper feelings of life. Popes’ efforts here are of outstanding
quality. However, his poem did fail to convince Arabella to r?sum?
her engagement to Lord Petre. Most of Pope’s efforts here were
written with time. Now, Keats has romantically serenaded his reader
with descriptive lust and desire, which can be compared with popes’
efforts by the difference in eighteenth century literature and
romantic poems, their descriptive natures and ideas they portray to
the reader through their writing.
Pope has written an eighteenth-century poem which he calls,
“An Hero-Comical Poem.” This poem has exalted an over all sense of
worthlessness for common rules. The mentioning of Achilles and the
ever-popular Aeneas, are symbols of Pope’s Gothic style. Pope speaks
(almost) G-D like throughout, “The Rape of Lock.” Contrary to Keats,
who is more down-to-earth with his sense of realism in his writings.
In the beginning of Keats romantic premise to life in St. Agnes, all
is cold. The opening sequence brings a sense of realism to this
bitter cold scene. Cold owls, rabbit’s, and numb fingers on a holy,
“Beads man.” The Beads man symbolizes the sense of age and spirit.
Much of this poem is a test of Keats inner soul or spirit. He has
lead himself to St. Agnes for his own personal account of life in a
time long gone. Keats’ romantic style has brought visionary raw
emotion to the aching hearts of all his readers. Then, both poems go
separate ways in their tales of body and spirit.
Taking account of all differences in these two works, has
brought out a sense of unknown extasy. Pope displays morality with
his own twists on fate and man kind’s inability to rationalize right
decision making in life. He complicates this with, “Moral
superiority” and his visions of old styles blended with his attitude
for recognition. Pope has indulged the reader in consistent religious
order, and awkward justice for mankind. However, when viewing Keats
poem stanza by stanza, much is revealed. Keats’ tale starts as a
direct eagerness for future considerations. His image of love and old
age creates a stifled knot in the stomach of the reader. Enthusiastic
resistance is overcome by Keats smooth flow, and harmonizing beauty in
heaven. Angels and death are brought together like osmosis. His
ability to start off in a cold bitter atmosphere of regret, and then
sway the reader’s emotion to a peaceful loving atmosphere is in itself
astonishing. Desire brings Keats to the heightened point of emotional
gratification within, “The Eve of St. Agnes.” St. Agnes is such a
peaceful age-old memory for Keats. He presents strength when pain is
being inflicted. His early images of purgatory, show Keats in a bind
of human emotion and regret for past sins. However, Pope does this
as well throughout, “The Rape of Lock.” Although, Pope is less
likely to find a happy medium in his tale of tolerance. He does
manage to relinquish all his desires for the sake of his own inner
strength. This strength is portrayed more intensely through
Memories are key to the anguish of the poem. In all of Keats
mediocre issues come love and honor. The entire tenth stanza is
caused by the emotions involved with love. However, this must leave
some readers at a loss. Keats doesn’t seem to really care whether
anybody understands him. Keats only concern is to repent and achieve
harmony in life with his body and soul. Each of these two poets has
signified their lack of realism with a substantial concern for age-old
myth, and undeniable love. The portrayal of love in each poem has
brought most of the emotional satisfaction from the reader. Hence,
having observed these two magnificent artists for their personal
adherence to the reader, it is necessary to delve into the emotional
collaboration of imagery and its effect on the mind, body, and soul of
the two sides involved in each reading.
Imagery can sustain many possible contradictions on the
writer’s intentions. For instance, Keats hides his characters(Porphro
and Madeline) in order to present a more lustful in-depth love.
Safety is a key to Keats’ prolific attitude on the secrecy of a
woman’s virginity. A wholesome outlook is always in the future, it
would seem. However, this outlook is never reached throughout the
poem. In comparison with Pope, Keats has distinguished himself in his
writing. Pope relies on old myths and obscure legends in order to
achieve his outcome of clarity. Each writer has their own hero of the
day. In each writer’s mind is the idea that one can be g-d through
their own scripture. Each must be excused for not always being able
to know what is still real and what is fiction in life. Their
expensive minds have brought their own personal truth to light. Can
they hear the crying of their love sick pasts? In classic style, Pope
has brought dreams to reality. While Keats has more realistically
attended to his personal experiences. In addition to women, love,
g-d, sex, soul, mind, and body, Keats and Pope have taken different
outlooks on many similar issues. Keats has given the reader a more
intense feeling of desire and lust, then Pope. However, when myth and
love collide Alexander Pope has answered with his tale of g-d’s,
angels and afterlife. As an empirical narcissistic person, I have
romanticized about the romances Keats has described. His inner
thoughts are more clear, then those of Pope. Additionally, Pope is
more morbid and in a way sour about his shortcomings in life. Which
are expressed significantly in many of Pope’s images. For instance,
“poetic eyes” is used by Pope on line 124. This image can be
expressed as a better way for the reader to see that life imitates
art! Now, viewing both works in detail has brought out an arousal of
insecurity and misunderstood quality. However, each has distinguished
its own identity by its style.
Referring back to the comparison of Pope and Keats styles can
be quite an enhancement upon the cerebral context in each poem. Pope
has strictly concerned himself with literary merit, and ghostly
apparitions of old tales that haunt all writers of the possibility for
brilliance. Keats however, has staked his claim as a romantic
idealist of love and thought. Mind, body and soul are key factors in
both of these works. Heaven is portrayed as a savior to man, and an
unforsaken goal for others. Spirituality reigns deep within the
hearts of both Keats and Pope. Consequence is not an issue, but the
ability to repent through words of wisdom is. This is what keeps Keats
and Pope sane(As well as many other writers, including myself). With
wisdom comes age, and with desire comes lust. Therefore, romantic
poets need to be preserved for their tremendous ability to stretch the
common ability to comprehend all of life’s trials and tribulations as
seen here in all its glory!