Analysis of The Poem "Bright Star" by John Keats

Romantic ideals are or less evident in the modern world when there is a visible connection between the human world and the natural world. The connection should be in line with birthing of new set of ideas, approximately a changed mindset towards the natural world. Therefore, that on its own requires human interaction, the involvement of feelings and emotions with the nature holistically. This essay will give an analysis of the poem, “Bright Star” by John Keats, with its effective and striking phrases and it will also evaluate how this ideas or images are relevant to the present day. The first part of the text will give an explanation as to what the poem “Bright Star” is all about (main theme). To the second part of the text, it is where the relationship of the poem “Bright Star” with the concept of romanticism will be unfolded, that is, from the first line to the last. Then, lastly, an explicit conclusion will be drawn.

The poem by John Keats, “Bright Star” eliminates the non-human qualities of the star and he is only left with steadfastness in terms of love and movement. He desires the permanence, timelessness and eternity like the star high above the sky while living in the physical realm central around time and change, which is rather an impossible goal to achieve with human qualities. But in the end, he realises that even if love does not enable him to live forever like the star, he will inevitable die content in love and ecstasy.

In the first line, the poet reveals the longing desire to be like a star which remains unchanging and in a constant motion or placed above, high over the earth firmly. Here he explains the star’s isolation with qualities of splendour (beauty). From line two he somehow rejects the qualities of the star as steadfastness such that it contrast with the poet’s relationship with his beloved late. “And watching, with eternal lids apart,” in this line, he explains that the star’s isolation as implicit in its watching. It never sleeps, motionlessness.

From line four, the poet further elaborates to readers that the star’s sleeplessness is more or less part of the characteristics of the star’s non humanness. It is like Hermit (Eremite), a person living in solitude as a religious discipline rather makes it very much impossible to achieve in the physical realm. According to the poet the alternate rising and falling of the sea is due to the attraction of the moon and sun. Therefore, there is movement and liveness as well as spirituality (priest like). In line six further emphasis is placed that the poet is human and the star is not. Thus, we see continuity of earthly religious imagery of hermit and priest like, not some kinds of goals which are rather impossible to achieve in man context.

In line seven, “Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask”, suggests that the mask is the covering of snow on the ground, with connotations of being new and soft. All the moon can achieve is only to look steadily in admiration (gazing). But, there is a twist in the poem “Bright Star” when the poet looks back to himself in comparison to the star. Hr realises that the star has always been motionless and unchangeable (steadfastness) with compared to human qualities.

The poet introduces a contrast to the star with “ripening’, which is movement and change in human life (maturity), unlike the star. The human breast fall and swell in pursuit of physical especially sexual pleasures which is rather something or a characteristic that the star possesses not in comparison to human beings. “Awake for ever in a sweet unrest” In this line, line twelve, the poet reveals another contrast to the eternal sleeplessness and motionless of the star whilst he is not sleeping but awake in sweet unrest.

In line thirteen, “Still, still to her tender-taken breath,” here the poet places an emphasis on timelessness for human beings on planet earth. Then, the “breath” highlights the steadfastness in time (eternity), but nit life’s eternity rather of love, passion and sensuality’s eternity. He further accepts in line fourteen, that the possibility of dying from pleasures is more or less familiar with human nature. “Swoon” suggests the assurance of fainting (death) especially from extreme emotions associated with sensuality.

In conclusion, the poet in “Bright Star” is comparing non-human qualities with human qualities. He desires to be as steadfast as a star in the sky, an ideal which cannot be attained by human beings in the world of flux. Eventually, before the poem ends, the poet comes to realisation that love, joy and fulfilment are to be found here in the earthly realm, even if love does not enable him to live forever, he will surely die content in love and ecstasy. Even the religious imagery is more or less associated with coldness and loneliness, even the star he asserts to be somehow cut off from beauties (splendour) of nature. In a nutshell, the poet here desires to be like a star which holds permanence, timelessness and eternity while living in a world of time and flux.