1. By John Keats
“THE ODE ON MELANCHOLY”

2. Definitions!
 LETHE: In Greek mythology, the river of
forgetfulness, that flows through Hades.
Drinking the water will result in memory loss.
 WOLF’S-BANE & NIGHTSHADE: poisonous
plants that contain a sedative.
 PROSERPINE: Roman goddess; queen of the
underworld.
 YEW-BERRIES: symbol for mourning

3. ...Definitions Continued
 PSYCHE: Roman mythological princess, loved
by Cupid, the god of love. She is often
referred to as, “being to beautiful for her own
good.”
 KIST: Kissed.
 PEONIES: Large flowers with red, white, pink
or yellow blossoms.
 THE BEETLE/DEATH-MOTH/DOWNY OWL:
Symbols of death.

4. Stanza One
 The three stanzas (10 lines each) in the ode
each address different of melancholy.
 First Stanza- Addresses what not to do when
feeling melancholic.
 The speaker forbids forgetting one’s sadness
in, “Lethe (1),” or using, “Wolf’s-Bane...for it’s
poisonous wine ,(2)” to commit suicide.
Focusing on objects of death such as the,
“beetle...death-moth.. Downy owl, (6-7)” and
mourning with a, “rosary of yew-berries,(5)”
are also rejected ways to handle melancholy.

5. Stanza Two
 Second Stanza- brings ideas of what one
should focus on and be surrounded with
when, “melancholy fit shall fall.(11)”
 The speaker urges one to, “Glut thy
sorrow,(15) on beauty. Beauty found on:
“a morning rose/Or on the rainbow of the salt
sand-wave,/Or on the wealth of globed
peonies.(15-17)”

6. Stanza Three
 THE THIRD STANZA- Shows how closely
linked feelings of pain and joy are, as one
cannot exist without the other.
 The speaker insists all beauty comes to an
end and that melancholy is ,”veil’d...in the
temple of delight.(25)”
 If one can, “burst joys grape .../he shall taste
the sadness of her(melancholy’s) might/and
be among her cloudy trophies hung(28-29)”
Meaning that in the centre of overwhelming
feelings of joy lay melancholy.

7. Theme of the Ode
 The main theme is that it is impossible to
experience joy unless one has also
experienced melancholy.
 For example the absence of a loved one
intensifies the joy of reuniting as absence
draws the heart fonder.
 Melancholy draws a strong hunger for
happiness and joy.

8. Literary Devices Used..
 Metaphor:
“April Shroud (14)”
 Personification:
“Veil’d melancholy has  Alliteration:
her sovran shrine (26)” “Then glut thy sorrow
on a morning rose (15)”
 OxyMoron:
“aching pleasure (23)”
 Simile:
“but when the
melancholy fit shall
fall/sudden from
heaven like a weeping
cloud (11-12)”

9. FIN