"Ode to a Nightingale" : Quotations
"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".
Quotations
“Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!”
Explanation: This line emphasizes the eternal nature of the nightingale’s song and its ability to transcend mortality.
“Away! away! for I will fly to thee,
Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards,
But on the viewless wings of Poesy,”
Explanation: The speaker wants to fly to the nightingale, not through physical means like Bacchus’s wine-fueled celebrations, but by the spiritual power of poetry.
“Forlorn! the very word is like a bell.”
Explanation: This line conveys that the word “forlorn” has a melancholic and resonant quality. It illustrates the power of language in evoking emotions.
“Was it a vision, or a waking dream?
Fled is that music:—Do I wake or sleep?”
Explanation: In these lines from John Keats’ questions whether the experience of hearing the nightingale’s music was a vivid vision or a dream and whether their current state is one of wakefulness or sleep.