18th Century Poem Analysis

The differences between eighteenth-century literature and 
romantic poems, with respect to history is constituted here. This is 
seen through the influential works of John Keats and Alexander Pope. 
These works are acknowledged as, "The Rape of Lock" and "The Eve of 
St. Agnes." Alexander Pope takes his readers on a hatred filled epic. 
 A robust piece of literature and love induced psychoses in, "The Rape 
of Lock." On the other hand, "The Eve of St. Agnes" told a tale of 
life, love, death, and eternal fate in heaven. These two brilliant 
writers have given two magnificent poems. Pope exhibits many 
characteristics of a narcissistic human being. His independence in 
life shows through his writings in fiction. Which inevitably portray 
his deeper feelings of life. Popes' efforts here are of outstanding 
quality. However, his poem did fail to convince Arabella to résumé 
her engagement to Lord Petre. Most of Pope's efforts here were 
written with time. Now, Keats has romantically serenaded his reader 
with descriptive lust and desire, which can be compared with popes' 
efforts by the difference in eighteenth century literature and 
romantic poems, their descriptive natures and ideas they portray to 
the reader through their writing.

 Pope has written an eighteenth-century poem which he calls, 
"An Hero-Comical Poem." This poem has exalted an over all sense of 
worthlessness for common rules. The mentioning of Achilles and the 
ever-popular Aeneas, are symbols of Pope's Gothic style. Pope speaks 
(almost) G-D like throughout, "The Rape of Lock." Contrary to Keats, 
who is more down-to-earth with his sense of realism in his writings. 
In the beginning of Keats romantic premise to life in St. Agnes, all 
is cold. The opening sequence brings a sense of realism to this 
bitter cold scene. Cold owls, rabbit's, and numb fingers on a holy, 
"Beads man." The Beads man symbolizes the sense of age and spirit. 
Much of this poem is a test of Keats inner soul or spirit. He has 
lead himself to St. Agnes for his own personal account of life in a 
time long gone. Keats' romantic style has brought visionary raw 
emotion to the aching hearts of all his readers. Then, both poems go 
separate ways in their tales of body and spirit.

 Taking account of all differences in these two works, has 
brought out a sense of unknown extasy. Pope displays morality with 
his own twists on fate and man kind's inability to rationalize right 
decision making in life. He complicates this with, "Moral 
superiority" and his visions of old styles blended with his attitude 
for recognition. Pope has indulged the reader in consistent religious 
order, and awkward justice for mankind. However, when viewing Keats 
poem stanza by stanza, much is revealed. Keats' tale starts as a 
direct eagerness for future considerations. His image of love and old 
age creates a stifled knot in the stomach of the reader. Enthusiastic 
resistance is overcome by Keats smooth flow, and harmonizing beauty in 
heaven. Angels and death are brought together like osmosis. His 
ability to start off in a cold bitter atmosphere of regret, and then 
sway the reader's emotion to a peaceful loving atmosphere is in itself 
astonishing. Desire brings Keats to the heightened point of emotional 
gratification within, "The Eve of St. Agnes." St. Agnes is such a 
peaceful age-old memory for Keats. He presents strength when pain is 
being inflicted. His early images of purgatory, show Keats in a bind 
of human emotion and regret for past sins. However, Pope does this 
 as well throughout, "The Rape of Lock." Although, Pope is less 
likely to find a happy medium in his tale of tolerance. He does 
manage to relinquish all his desires for the sake of his own inner 
strength. This strength is portrayed more intensely through his soul. 
 Memories are key to the anguish of the poem. In all of Keats 
mediocre issues come love and honor. The entire tenth stanza is 
caused by the emotions involved with love. However, this must leave 
some readers at a loss. Keats doesn't seem to really care whether 
anybody understands him. Keats only concern is to repent and achieve 
harmony in life with his body and soul. Each of these two poets has 
signified their lack of realism with a substantial concern for age-old 
myth, and undeniable love. The portrayal of love in each poem has 
brought most of the emotional satisfaction from the reader. Hence, 
having observed these two magnificent artists for their personal 
adherence to the reader, it is necessary to delve into the emotional 
collaboration of imagery and its effect on the mind, body, and soul of 
the two sides involved in each reading.

 Imagery can sustain many possible contradictions on the 
writer's intentions. For instance, Keats hides his characters(Porphro 
and Madeline) in order to present a more lustful in-depth love. 
Safety is a key to Keats' prolific attitude on the secrecy of a 
woman's virginity. A wholesome outlook is always in the future, it 
would seem. However, this outlook is never reached throughout the 
poem. In comparison with Pope, Keats has distinguished himself in his 
writing. Pope relies on old myths and obscure legends in order to 
achieve his outcome of clarity. Each writer has their own hero of the 
day. In each writer's mind is the idea that one can be g-d through 
their own scripture. Each must be excused for not always being able 
to know what is still real and what is fiction in life. Their 
expensive minds have brought their own personal truth to light. Can 
they hear the crying of their love sick pasts? In classic style, Pope 
has brought dreams to reality. While Keats has more realistically 
attended to his personal experiences. In addition to women, love, 
g-d, sex, soul, mind, and body, Keats and Pope have taken different 
outlooks on many similar issues. Keats has given the reader a more 
intense feeling of desire and lust, then Pope. However, when myth and 
love collide Alexander Pope has answered with his tale of g-d's, 
angels and afterlife. As an empirical narcissistic person, I have 
romanticized about the romances Keats has described. His inner 
thoughts are more clear, then those of Pope. Additionally, Pope is 
more morbid and in a way sour about his shortcomings in life. Which 
are expressed significantly in many of Pope's images. For instance, 
"poetic eyes" is used by Pope on line 124. This image can be 
expressed as a better way for the reader to see that life imitates 
art! Now, viewing both works in detail has brought out an arousal of 
insecurity and misunderstood quality. However, each has distinguished 
its own identity by its style.

 Referring back to the comparison of Pope and Keats styles can 
be quite an enhancement upon the cerebral context in each poem. Pope 
has strictly concerned himself with literary merit, and ghostly 
apparitions of old tales that haunt all writers of the possibility for 
brilliance. Keats however, has staked his claim as a romantic 
idealist of love and thought. Mind, body and soul are key factors in 
both of these works. Heaven is portrayed as a savior to man, and an 
unforsaken goal for others. Spirituality reigns deep within the 
hearts of both Keats and Pope. Consequence is not an issue, but the 
ability to repent through words of wisdom is. This is what keeps Keats 
and Pope sane(As well as many other writers, including myself). With 
wisdom comes age, and with desire comes lust. Therefore, romantic 
poets need to be preserved for their tremendous ability to stretch the 
common ability to comprehend all of life's trials and tribulations as 
seen here in all its glory!