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Analyze the theme of mortality in John Keats’s "Ode to a Nightingale" and Jayanta Mahapatra’s "Grass." How do these poets approach the subject differently?-10 marks

John Keats's "Ode to a Nightingale" and Jayanta Mahapatra's "Grass" both explore the theme of mortality, but they approach it from markedly different perspectives and styles. The treatment of mortality in each poem reflects the poets’ distinct philosophical and emotional responses to the transient nature of life.

John Keats’s “Ode to a Nightingale”

In Keats's "Ode to a Nightingale," mortality is addressed through a complex interplay of idealism and reality. Keats contrasts the ephemeral nature of human life with the seemingly eternal and transcendent song of the nightingale. The nightingale represents an ideal of immortal beauty and joy, while the poet himself is acutely aware of his own mortality.

  1. The Contrast of Immortality and Mortality:“Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!” (Line 61).---- The nightingale is portrayed as a symbol of eternal life, unburdened by human suffering and mortality. This contrasts with the poet’s own impermanence. The nightingale’s song represents an escape from the limitations of human existence, offering a vision of perpetual beauty and joy.

  2. The Pain of Mortal Existence: “Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies” (Line 47).---Keats reflects on the inevitable decline of human vitality and the physical reality of aging and death. The contrast between the enduring song of the nightingale and the poet’s mortal experience underscores the poignancy of human life’s transience.

  3. Yearning for Escape:“O, for a draught of vintage! that hath been / Cool’d a long age in the deep-delved earth” (Lines 43-44).----Keats expresses a desire to escape the harshness of mortal life and join the nightingale in its timeless existence. This longing highlights the tension between the desire for eternal beauty and the inescapable reality of mortality.

Jayanta Mahapatra’s “Grass”

In contrast, Mahapatra’s "Grass" approaches mortality through a more grounded and introspective lens. The poem deals with the decay of the natural world and its reflection on the human condition. The theme of mortality is intertwined with the imagery of decay, memory, and the passage of time.

  1. Decay as a Symbol of Mortality:“the cracked earth of years, the roots staggering about” (Lines 6-7).---Mahapatra uses imagery of decay and the natural world to reflect on mortality. The “cracked earth” symbolizes the passage of time and the physical manifestation of decay, which mirrors the inevitable decline of human life.

  2. Personal and Collective Memory:“ancestral smell of rot, reminding me / of secrets of my own” (Lines 3-4).---The reference to “ancestral smell of rot” suggests a connection between personal experiences and collective history. The speaker’s confrontation with this decay reflects a deeper engagement with mortality and the weight of past experiences that shape one's present state.

  3. Confrontation with the Past: “my hands that tear their familiar tormentors apart / waiting for their curse, the scabs of my dark dread” (Lines 11-12).----The act of tearing apart “familiar tormentors” symbolizes the speaker’s struggle with their own fears and past traumas. The “scabs of my dark dread” further emphasize the persistent nature of mortality as a source of ongoing psychological distress.

Comparison

  • Approach to Mortality:

    • Keats: Explores mortality through the contrast between the timeless nightingale and the ephemeral human condition, highlighting a longing for transcendence and the pain of human impermanence.

    • Mahapatra: Approaches mortality through the imagery of decay and the natural world, focusing on the interplay between personal and collective histories, and the persistent impact of past traumas.

  • Imagery and Symbolism:

    • Keats: Uses the nightingale as a symbol of eternal beauty and escape from mortality, contrasting with human vulnerability.

    • Mahapatra: Uses decay and natural elements as symbols of the inexorable passage of time and the inescapable reality of mortality.

In summary, while Keats’s "Ode to a Nightingale" contrasts the ideal of eternal beauty with the reality of human mortality, Mahapatra’s "Grass" reflects on mortality through the imagery of decay and the weight of memory, offering a more grounded exploration of the theme.

References:

1.Scott, H. (2005). Keats’s ODE to a Nightingale. The Explicator, 63(3), 139–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/00144940509596919

2.Mohanty, S. (2014). THE POETRY OF JAYANTA MAHAPATRA (1928- ). In BRILL eBooks (pp. 117–126). https://doi.org/10.1163/9789401210331_008

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