Sound Patterns

After reading a poem that I feel completely moved by, I ponder to myself about what it really was that moved me in that particular writing.  In my past blogs, you have seen me take a closer look at items that have emotionally affected me in writings.  I have emphasized imagery and personal interpretation through depiction and tone.  But while reading John Keats, "Ode on a Grecian Urn", I find myself focusing more on the sound patterns more than anything else.  Keats is able to execute numbers of diverse sound patterns from alliteration to consonance.  By using these precise sound patterns Keats creates an ode of praise to this beloved Grecian urn he depicts.

I was captured right from the beginning of my reading in this ode by the sound patterns.  Alliteration struck me as I read "silence and slow" as soon as the second line.  Keats continues this "S" sound right into the third line with the word "Sylvan" creating an easy flow for his readers.  This alliteration does not stop in the first stanza; it continues into the second as well when Keats mentions the words though, thou, and thy, near the end of the stanza, giving it an almost a romantic feel.  I believe this portrays his praise on the subject of this Grecian urn.   From here, the third stanza has the constant "H" sound which is found in the words happy (which shows up numerous times), human, and high.  Keats does not over do this repetition though, for in the fourth stanza it only appears in the subtle "S" sounds like in the words sea shore, streets, silent, and soul.  Finally, in the last stanza, Keats uses a unique phrase to express alliteration when he writes, "marble men and maidens". 

Not only does Keats execute alliteration well, but he is able to do it also with consonance.  The one area that stands out to me, he inscribes in the final stanza when he uses the two words, attic and attitude in the same line.  The "T" here really pops out to the eye.  In addition to consonance, I also find assonance in this ode.  It appears right away in the first stanza with the "ou" sound that Keats uses in the words, thou and our.  Also, in the first stanza, I kept hearing a long "I" sound.  This resonated from the words quietness, silence, time, pipes, and wild.  He brings back consonance in the third stanza when we see the "ea" in leaves and unwearied. 

Keats does not stop here with his sound patterns.  Repetition is the pattern of the third stanza.  Although repetition isn't exactly a sound pattern, it is a great way to accentuate the words that he wanted to emphasize.  The word "happy" is consistently seen reappearing throughout the entire stanza.  It is used to described items that Keats wants emphasized like the boughs, the melodist, love, and love again!  He is able to create this tone of happy bliss and encouraging love.

Throughout his ode, Keats utilizes many diverse sound patterns.  Even though he seems to use many and switch them up often, they do not get confusing for the reader.  Instead, I believe, they enhance his words and create imagery that would be lost without these patterns.