I need help analyzing this poem.

O Solitude! if I must with thee dwell,
Let it not be among the jumbled heap
Of murky buildings; climb with me the steep, --
Nature's observatory -- whence the dell,
Its flowery slopes, its river's crystal swell,
May seem a span; let me thy vigils keep
'Mongst boughs pavilion'd, where the deer's swift leap
Startles the wild bee from the foxglove bell.
But though I'll gladly trace these scenes with thee,
Yet the sweet converse of an innocent mind,
Whose words are images of thoughts refin'd,
Is my soul's pleasure; and it sure must be
Almost the highest bliss of human-kind,
When to thy haunts two kindred spirits flee.

Here you go Gigi:

[www.northallertoncoll.org.uk]


Les

Well, to begin with, it's a Petrarchan sonnet (look it up).

O Solitude! if I must with thee dwell,

Keats would be roundly criticised today for this 'inversion'. The normal way for it to be phrased is ... I must dwell with thee. The words are reversed in pursuit of the needed 'el' sound rhymes. John was only about 20 years old when he wrote this, I believe, which may have something to do with the stumble.

Let it not be among the jumbled heap

Start paying attention to the similar sounds chosen by the poet, and how they are grouped together. among, jumbled, murkey, for example. Its, river's, crystal, below are others. Note the usual iambic beat is sometimes changed to trochaic at the beginning of a line for variance, since the same old thing over and over gets old quickly.

Of murky buildings; climb with me the steep, --
Nature's observatory -- whence the dell,
Its flowery slopes, its river's crystal swell,
May seem a span; let me thy vigils keep
'Mongst boughs pavilion'd, where the deer's swift leap

Some would fault the 'mongst, since starting the line with an anapest instead of an iamb is an acceptable substition (look it up). Does it add a conversational tone? Perhaps so.

Startles the wild bee from the foxglove bell.

Here is the volta (look it up).

But though I'll gladly trace these scenes with thee,
Yet the sweet converse of an innocent mind,
Whose words are images of thoughts refin'd,

Poets used to abbreviate words like refined, to distinguish them from refinèd, which sadly, they also used when they needed an extra beat.

Is my soul's pleasure; and it sure must be
Almost the highest bliss of human-kind,
When to thy haunts two kindred spirits flee.


So, what is he trying to convey? It's a nature poem. If I must be alone, let it be out in the wild instead of locked in a closet in the city. Still, if that is true, to whom is he speaking? To solitude itself, or an unnamed third person? Your call.

>Start paying attention to the similar sounds ...

Oh, I forgot to include why this is important. Soft sounds evoke quiet emotions, glaring sounds clash. Hey, you! Go away! That prompts a different response than a soothing lullaby song.