O Solitude! if I must with thee dwell`

Question 1

Poem form

Answer 1

Petrarchan sonnet with an auto biographical speaker

Question 2

“If I must with thee dwell”

Answer 2

• Portrays an inevitable feeling of solitude
• “must” - aura of reluctance towards solitude, unusual for a Romantic poet
• Keats’ is reflecting about the different environments you can be in solitude in

Question 3

“the jumbled heap of murky buildings”

Answer 3

• “jumbled heap” - metaphor for the city as chaotic and oppressive, mimics Keats’ feelings towards London
• “murky buildings” - unclean imagery symbolising the corruption, dark and oppressive nature of London
• Also acts as a literal description of buildings as a result of the industrial revolution

Question 4

“the steep, Nature’s observatory”

Answer 4

• metaphor, indicating the power of sublime nature
• “observatory” gives the reader an elevated feeling of solitude, and a spiritual experience
• The sublime is being personified

Question 5

“Its river’s crystal swell”

Answer 5

• Metaphor, contrasts to the “murky buildings”
  “Crystal”
• Sense of spiritual richness
• Contrast between light and dark - highlights purity of nature and corruption of city

Question 6

“May seem a span”

Answer 6

• Boundless abilities of nature
• Keats’ creates a feeling that if you are in solitude within nature, you have a sense of freedom

Question 7

“Let me thy vigils keep ‘mongst boughs pavillion’d”

Answer 7

• “vigils”, Keats’ wants to celebrate the spiritual feeling of nature
• “Boughs pavillion’d” - paradoxical image, Keats’ feels protected yet also feels free within nature

Question 8

“Where the deer’s swift leap startles the wild bee”

Answer 8

• Nature is being closely observed and appreciated

Question 9

“The sweet converse of an innocent mind, Whose words are images of thoughts refin’d”

Answer 9

• Keats’ wants to share this solitude with another Romantic individual
• Portrays an ideal image of friendship
• Cowden Clarke (the friend)

Question 10

“soul’s pleasure”
“Highest bliss”

Answer 10

• Portraying nature as a spiritual image
• Transcendence of nature

Question 11

“thy haunts two kindred spirits flee”

Answer 11

• “Haunts” - image of childhood nostaliga
• Paradoxical image, speaker desires to be in solitude but, with an ideal companion (making it not solitude)
• Keats’ ideas of ‘Negative capability’
• Relates to Romanticism - emotions are not always logical but it is always logical to follow your emotions

Question 12

Themes surrounding Petrarchan structure

Answer 12

lines 1-8: focus on how solitude is better in nature
volta
lines 9-14: wanting to be in solitude with a companion in nature

Question 13

“But though I’ll gladly trace these scenes with these”

Answer 13

Volta
- following emotions and wanting a companion