Bright Star Would I Were

This poem talks about eternity. The lyrical vocalization makes an accent on the importance of the figure of the star. Consequently, the star not only represents eternity but, too makes a conjunction with transience. 'Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art' acquires a melancholic tone, as the lyrical vocalisation longs to exist someone else in several moments of the poem. Furthermore, this verse form likewise makes a personification of the effigy of the star, as it is the main symbol in the verse form. The poem is also filled with natural imagery and abiding mentions and comparisons to nature. Finally, the poem acquires a dreamlike tone throughout the stanzas for its abiding rhythm and night setting.

          Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art                    John Keats                    Vivid star, would I were stedfast as thou art—          Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night And watching, with eternal lids apart,          Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite, The moving waters at their priestlike job          Of pure ablution round world'south human shores, Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask          Of snow upon the mountains and the moors— No—yet yet stedfast, still unchangeable,          Pillow'd upon my off-white love'south ripening breast, To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,          Awake for e'er in a sugariness unrest, Yet, all the same to hear her tender-taken breath, And then alive ever—or else swoon to death.

Summary

'Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art' by John Keats contains a speaker'due south desire to remain in the company of his lover forever.

'Bright star, would I were stedfast as m art' past John Keats begins with the speaker stating that he wants to be "stedfast" like a star. John Keats envies its certain and stable position from which it can see the earth in all its glory. From this description of the poem he moves then to the prototype of him, nestled in bed against the breast of his 'fair love'. The implication is clearly that he would like to preserve this moment forever, only as the star remains fixed in its eternal spot.

Moreover, the poet immediately goes dorsum on the start statement and gives the reader several reasons why he does not want this. The almost of import of these is that the stars are alone. They practice not have anything to occupy their minds besides the troubles of humans downwards below nor do they have true companions. Hence they are lonely and cold in the night. Equally the poem continues, the speaker describes how he wants to accept on a star'southward steadfast position and so that he might stay with his lover. He is happiest with his head "Pillow'd" on her chest and intends to live at that place in his emotions for the rest of time.

Themes

'Bright star, would I were stedfast every bit thou art' by John Keats encompasses several themes such equally eternal dearest, purity, steadfastness, sensuality, and life vs death. However, the most important theme of the poem is eternal honey. The reference to the star forth with its quality of existence steadfast reflects a desire to exist eternally in love with one'due south honey. Here, the speaker wants his lover forever with her, counting each other'southward jiff, and feeling the warmth of beloved. While talking well-nigh eternal love the poet doesn't dive into the concept of spiritual love in the verse form. Otherwise, the poet's wish to feel the "soft fall and great" of his beloved'southward breasts will seem incoherent.

There is an unsaid sense of physicality packed in the poem. However, it'due south risky to say the poet is excessively passionate about making love with his lover. Hence, the poet chooses a median path while talking virtually love as a whole exist it, eternal love or physical dear.

Tone

'Bright star, would I were stedfast every bit thou art' by John Keats starts with a devotional tone. The poet adores the steadfastness of the bright star. Hence devotedly desires this quality. In the next few lines, the poet's tone reflects directness as well as a sense of peace. The images revolving effectually the star, moving water, and the soft-fallen mask hints there is a peacefulness in the poet's tone. In the next section where the poet chop-chop negates the ideas mentioned previously. Hence, at that place's a firmness in his tone and rationality. He knows being a star he can't be in that location with his lady love.

Autonomously from that, in the terminal few lines, the tone of the poem becomes emotional and excited as the poet senses the ups and downs of his dearest'southward bust. In the last line, the tone somehow reflects a sense of intoxication. The cause is none other than pure beloved!

Poetic Form and Structure

'Bright star, would I were stedfast every bit thou fine art' is a lyric poem and, particularly, a sonnet. Keats follows the thought-pattern of the Italian sonnet (octave & sestet). An important thing to note is that the division of the poem into octave and sestet is emphasized past a very prominent turn between the sections. Keats has chosen a sonnet equally his preferred course hither, but it seems a mix between a Petrarchan and Shakespearean. Traditionally in the former, an idea is set out in the octave (the starting time eight lines) and is resolved in the sestet. Keats' sonnet follows this blueprint in that in that location is a articulate volta (or tone alter) in line nine.

Poem Meter

In 'Bright star, would I were stedfast as yard art', regarding meter, John Keats chose to mainly use iambic pentameter, the virtually mutual metrical patterns. Keats separates the lines into five sets of two. The showtime of these is unstressed and the second stressed. His opening line is a perfect case of how this technique plays out with the emphasis on "Star," "I," "sted-," "as" and "art." In that location are a few moments though in which Keats switches to trochaic pentameter, meaning the first beat is stressed and the 2nd unstressed. It is interesting to note that this change in meter occurs in the 3rd quatrain where the change of direction has taken place; thus the form and meter of the poem mirrors its content.

Rhyme Scheme

The rhyme scheme of 'Bright star, would I were stedfast equally thou art' past John Keats is ABABCDCDEFEFGG. He follows the rhyme scheme of the English Shakespearean sonnet as it is set out in 3 quatrains and concludes in a rhyming couplet, thus ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG.

Class

'Bright star, would I were stedfast as m art' by John Keats is a xiv-line sonnet. The lines conform to the traditional Elizabethan or Shakespearean sonnet grade. The first part of the verse form states that the speaker is somewhat interested in being a star and the second gives the reader a reason why.

Literary Devices

In 'Bright star, would I were stedfast every bit thou art' by John Keats, the Speaker appears somewhat in awe of the star in its steadfast position. He makes use of personification and a series of similes to describe it, as though information technology were a sentient and omnipresent being, looking down with benevolence and non-judgment at the earth below. The metaphor in "hung aloft the night" likens it to a lantern, a beacon of light to shine the way for united states humans beneath. An 'Eremite' can be a Christian hermit or i who devotes their life to solitude to bring them closer to God. This use of personification is thus constructive in creating a portrayal every bit the star equally an emblem for good, looking down upon earth with kindness, nearly similar a Guardian Angel.

Moreover, in the second quatrain, nil is rushed into. The iambic rhythm is unhurried, indeed languorous with the rich assonance, particularly in line 10 with the repetition of soft 'o' sounds. The use of the gerund form of the verb in 'moving' and 'gazing' again contributes to these drawn out acts. The final line of the third quatrain uses an oxymoron of 'sweet unrest' which relates to the image of the star in the third line with its 'eternal lids apart'. Autonomously from that, the poet uses enjambment to internally connect the sense of the lines. This device is present in the beginning ii quatrains. The poet takes recourse to a caesura in the tertiary quatrain of the poem for marking a shift of the idea described in the previous section.

Analysis, Line by Line

Lines one–ii

Bright star, would I were stedfast equally thou art—

Not in alone splendour hung aloft the night

The get-go two words of 'Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art' inform the reader that the speaker is not addressing a person, simply a particularly vivid star. This star is special because information technology is "stedfast." It doesn't movement. He is envious of its patience and its eternal station. One can presume he is referring to the North Star, as information technology is the only i that does non move in the sky.

The second line is somewhat confusing. Rather than elaborating on why he wants to be a star, Keats' speaker immediately goes dorsum on what he said and says he doesn't desire to hang "in lone splendour." At that place is some part of beingness a star that does not completely appeal to him. The speaker has no desire to be alone in the sky, he needs visitor.

To sum up, in this beginning stanza, the lyrical voice refers to a "Bright Star". Through the commencement line, the lyrical voice seeks a desire for an ideal and talks to the star. He longs to be as steadfast as the star. Yet, he is unable to identify even briefly with the star, as he/she denies it in the 2nd line, "Non in lone splendor".

Lines 3–iv

And watching, with eternal lids autonomously,

Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,

In these lines of 'Vivid star, would I were stedfast as thou art', the speaker rejects the qualities and the star's steadfastness, denying the argument made at the beginning of the stanza. The star is cut off from the beauties of nature on earth and is positioned every bit a passive observer of life. Notice how the lyrical voice describes the star as "Nature's patient sleepless Eremite". As the star is mentioned and described, the setting tin be thought of as a night environment. A certain melancholic tone can be perceived in the passive position of the star and its relation to the lyrical vox.

Withal, the poetic persona does not desire to be stuck in the heaven with his eyes eternally watching nature. He would go a "patient, sleepless Eremite," or hermit. This emphasizes the speaker's fear of beingness alone. Even all of infinite and time do not brand upwardly for the confinement he would be forced to suffer.

Lines v–6

The moving waters at their priestlike task

Of pure ablution circular earth's human shores,

The speaker of 'Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou fine art' continues into the next quatrain to describe what the star is forced to watch throughout its life. He describes the "moving waters" on earth that practice their "task[s]" with the dedication of priests. The poet compares the ebb and flow of the tides as a daily ritual of cleansing, hence the simile 'priest-like task'. But as a priest performs the rite of baptism here the waters practise and so of their own accord.

The 6th line adds more detail. Keats uses the word "ablution." It refers to ritual cleansing. The waters are cleaning the areas on which human activities have place, as a priest would absolve a believer of their sins.

Moreover, in these ii lines, the lyrical phonation expands on the qualities of the star. He continues to decline the qualities of the star's steadfastness. At that place is strong natural imagery that portrays the force of nature in human life. Religious matters are associated with nature, only in a cold and isolated way; the water has a "priest-like task" and it is followed by the depiction of a mountain full of snow. Hence, natural imagery acquires too a melancholic tone, which was already introduced in the first stanza with the image of the star. And, although nature and the effigy of the star have very dissimilar connotations for the lyrical vocalisation, they portray a sure tone towards life.

Lines seven–8

Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask

Of snow upon the mountains and the moors—

In 'Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art', the star might be watching everything that was mentioned in lines five and six. Or it might be watching something else. It could be "gazing" or gently looking, on the "new soft-fallen mask." Information technology is looking not at a concrete mask as one might associate with the term, but with a mask of "snow upon the mountains and moors."

It obscures the land but every bit a paper mask would obscure a wearer'due south face up. The word "moor" is very personal to the English mural. It refers to vast open up lands that are often incommunicable to build on or cultivate. The snowfall is emphasizing the already lonely faces of the mountains and moors. It adds to the feeling of isolation, something Keats' speaker has been clear near his desire to avoid.

Moreover, there is a dandy elemental dazzler in this poem as the Speaker uses majestic imagery to show the world in all its beauty. The snow upon the mountains is described equally a 'new soft-fallen mask' thus it is pristine and untarnished. It too is cleansed and new, like the 'man shores'.

Lines 9–x

No—however still stedfast, yet unchangeable,

Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,

The ninth line of 'Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art' begins with the word "No." He is negating that he could either commit to beingness steadfast as the star or remain in his fluctuating homo state. He describes how he tin accept the best aspects of a star's life the "stedfast" and "unchangeable" parts and use them to his advantage.

With these new character traits in heed, he ways to remain "Pillow'd upon" his lover's "breast." It becomes clear that Keats' speaker does non have a desire to live over the world. He just wants to stay at his lover'south side for equally long as he tin can, mayhap forever. Just like the star, his eyes will remain open up and his position decided.

Additionally, in these lines, the lyrical voice makes a strong statement. The first line starts with a negation. After that, the lyrical voice emphasizes the star's steadfast quality, the eternal and "unchangeable" chemical element in it. The star is associated with the lyrical voice'southward loved 1. This is crucial, every bit many have read 'Bright star, would I were stedfast as chiliad fine art' as a love poem. The star, and its eternal qualities, can be establish in the loved ane's breast, building a strong bail betwixt the main symbol of the verse form and the lyrical vox's loved 1.

There is a repeated motif of purity, through the ablutions of the water, the fresh snow, and his 'love's ripening breast'. It might not be too much of a presumption to suppose that the couple is virginal and innocent, hence the reference to her youth, and her 'ripening' breast.

Lines eleven–12

To feel for ever its soft fall and bully,

Awake for e'er in a sugariness unrest,

Thereafter, in 'Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art', the lyrical voice talks about dear, and how it makes him/her feel. The unchangeable character found in the star is also found in the lyrical vox's dearest. The lyrical voice expresses his love: "To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,/ Awake for ever in a sweet unrest". The eternal quality in the star is also found in dear, as it makes the lyrical vox feel "awake for e'er".

And then here Keats moves from the ballsy imagery of the celestial and mountains and oceans to the more than intimate, of feeling the rise and fall of his dear's breast as they recline together. But he reuses the same language, the 'soft fall and rise' echoes the 'new soft-fallen mask' of the snow every bit though nature and humans piece of work in harmony and all is in sync.

Lines thirteen–14

Notwithstanding, still to hear her tender-taken jiff,

Then alive e'er—or else swoon to death.

In this last couplet of 'Bright star, would I were stedfast every bit thou art', the lyrical voice emphasizes the effigy of his loved 1. He repeats the identify of condolement in the chest of the loved one and the importance of his beloved in, "Still, withal to hear tender-taken breath. The lyrical vocalization also emphasizes the eternal quality of the loved one, which associates it with the image of the star previously portrayed. The final line accentuates the eternity of love and how the lyrical vocalization feels virtually her. The culling of death is presented as reverse as dearest; either dear or die, "And then alive ever—or else swoon to death".

However, in the speaker's world he does not look out over the barren moors and mountains or the priest-similar waters, he listens to his lover's tender breaths and "live ever." The simply way he would face death now is if the emotions became too strong and he "swoon[ed] to decease."

The final two lines also suggest that the speaker is content to exist human since the star is inanimate and thus never able to enjoy homo togetherness. Although he envies its immortality, it is he who is fortuitous enough to share this moment with his dearest. The repetition of 'However' initiates a interruption with the reader, as though we as well are to hush and contemplate this snatched moment of bliss. The alliterative compound adverb 'tender-taken' again reinforces the sense of intimacy.

The inclusion of dashes and the omission of a total end until the terminal sentence nigh gives this sonnet a dreamy, trance-like rhythm, and gives the reader the time to digest the beautiful images which are reinforced throughout with their allusions to each other.

Almost John Keats

John Keats was born in 1795 and died in 1821. He was an English Romantic poet and was ane of the main figures of the second generation of Romantic poets, alongside Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. He died at a very young age, at 25 years old, and his works had been published only four years before his expiry. Keats never saw the extent of his success, since he died from tuberculosis (or consumption) at this tender age of twenty-five. Having initially studied to get a surgeon, Keats felt torn between his passion for writing poetry, and his lack of disquisitional acclaim distressed him profoundly since he had given upwards so much to devote time to his craft.

An uncertain financial burden also put paid to his romance with Fanny Brawne, who many believe was the subject of 'Brilliant star, would I were stedfast as m fine art'. Information technology is worth reading most their relationship since his letters repeat some of the sentiments found in the poem. As Keats had nursed his brother through consumption and due to his medical training, he was all as well aware of what was in shop equally the disease took concur. This may well be a plausible reason for expiry being a frequent theme in his work.

Historical Context

'Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art' by John Keats was written in 1819 and, and so, revisited in 1820. Nevertheless, his biographers advise different dates for this aforementioned verse form, which contemplate his meeting with Fanny Brawne and, subsequently, his engagement to her. Even so, the poem was written between 1818 and 1819. The final version of 'Bright star, would I were stedfast as yard art' was supposedly copied into a volume of Shakespeare's poetical works, contrary to 'A Lover'south Complaint'. The verse form was published in 1838,17 years after Keats'due south death in The Plymouth and Devonport Weekly Journal. The readers have frequently associated "Bright star" with Fanny Brawne, and the poem is thought of every bit a proclamation of dear. Therefore, this poem is also a dearest sonnet.

Similar Poetry

Like 'Bright star, would I were stedfast equally thou art' by John Keats, the following poems similarly talk about eternal honey and try to glorify the beloved between ii souls.

Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of truthful minds past William Shakespeare – Here, in this one of Shakespeare'south all-time love sonnets, the poet talks about the eternal quality of pure love between two souls true to ane another.
Give All to Love by Ralph Waldo Emerson – Here, in one of the all-time Ralph Waldo Emerson poems, the poet passionately speaks on the transcendental ability of love.
The Anniversary by John Donne – It's ane of the best John Donne poems. In this poem, John Donne celebrates his 1-year-old love and the central theme of the poem is the immortality of truthful love.
Now by Robert Browning – In this poem, Robert Browning explores all the pleasure of life and love contained within one pure and perfect moment. The poet also talks most similar themes in Meeting at Nighttime and Love in a Life.

You tin read nearly 10 of the Best John Keats Poems here.