"Ode to a Nightingale" : Literary devices
"Ode to a Nightingale" is a notable literary work by John Keats. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of "Ode to a Nightingale".
Literary devices
Literary Terms
- Ode → The poem is a type of ode, which means it is a serious, thoughtful poem about a deep subject.
Figures of Speech:
- Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses to create vivid pictures in the reader’s mind. Example: “Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!”
- Metaphor: A comparison between two things without using “like” or “as.” Example: “Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!” Here, the nightingale is a metaphor for eternal beauty and immortality, as it is “not born for death.”
- Personification: Giving human qualities to non-human things. The nightingale is personified as a bride, suggesting purity and beauty.
- Hyperbole: An exaggerated statement or claim. Example: “Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!” The nightingale is exaggeratedly described as immortal, as if it cannot die. It represents idealised beauty.
Symbolism/Symbols: Using objects or images to represent bigger ideas. Examples:
- The Nightingale: Symbol of Eternal Beauty and Freedom.
- Wine/Bacchus: Symbol of Earthly pleasure and escapism.
- The Forest (Nature): Symbol of Escape from Reality.
- The “Eternal” Song of the Nightingale: Symbol of Timeless Art and Imagination.
- Hemlock: Symbol of death or poison.