By: John Graves and Chloe Fernandes Poetry Explication By: John Graves and Chloe Fernandes
When I have Fears That I May Cease to Be By: John Keats When I have fears that I may cease to be Before my pen has gleaned my teeming brain, Before high-pilèd books, in charactery, Hold like rich garners the full ripened grain; When I behold, upon the night’s starred face, Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance, And think that I may never live to trace Their shadows with the magic hand of chance; And when I feel, fair creature of an hour, That I shall never look upon thee more, Never have relish in the fairy power Of unreflecting love—then on the shore Of the wide world I stand alone, and think Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.
Literal sense? Literal sense? The entire poem, which is one sentence, basically says that he is afraid to die young and is wondering if love is more important than poetry. He fears he will be an unsuccessful writer as well.
Diction? Diction? Colloquial, abstract, and vague language. Language is concrete at some points. The word “charactery” brings the thought that the person is very decorated and learned. “faery power” describes a fairy tale with a happy ending. “night’s starr’d face” images that the sky is looking upon the author. Plenty of words have connotations: charactery, teeming, grain, creature The edymology of all the words are irrelevant to the poem.
Tone and Mood? Tone and Mood? Establishes a depressed, worrisome mood. The poem is sad Is there irony? NOPE. The poem evokes a sad unhappy mood and makes you feel like “even if I do something AMAZING….. Im gunna die anyways”
Rhetorical Situation? RheoricalSiuaion? The author is either speaking to himself or a friend because he needs to express his feelings, ideas, and concerns. The author is speaking directly to you, the reader.
Figurative Language? Figuraive Language? Mr. Keats uses a quite a bit of figurative language: “hold like rich garners the full ripened grain” simile. “night’s starr’d face” personification. “shadows with the magic hand” personification. Does not use any metaphors Poem uses mainly personification and no other forms of figurative language.
Imagery? Imagery? Young educated guy who is worried and ponders whether or not love is more important than poetry. The words of the poem only simulate the sight and sense The poem does have some symbols that are beyond the meaning. “full ripen’d grain” and “night’s starr’d face” are examples
Sound? Sound? The poem has a rhyme scheme: abab cdcd Not very repetitive as far as word choice or sounds (excluding the rhyming words) There is only one alliteration: “wide world” No assonance or onomatopoeia The sounds for the words produce an euphonic effect
Structure? Structure? It’s a Shakespearean Sonnet, contains iambic pentameter, and there is a rhyme scheme.
THE END