Ode to a SkylarkP.B.Shelley

By Dr. Maninder Sudhiir

ode noun \ˈōd\— od·ist nouna poem in which a person expresses a strong

feeling of love or respect for someone or somethingCeremonious lyric poem on an occasion of dignity in which personal emotion and universal themes are

united The form is usually marked by exalted feeling and style,

varying line length, and complex stanza forms The term ode derives from a Greek word alluding to a choric

song, usually accompanied by a dance

What is an Ode?

Long poem : 21 stanzas of 5 lines each Total of 105 lines Meter is ababb Published in 1820 PB Shelley was one of the major English Romantic poets,

and is regarded by some critics as amongst the finest lyric poets in the English language

He was born in 1792 died in 1822 - He drowned in a sudden storm while sailing in Italy - At the age of 30

Percy Bysshe Shelley is one of the epic poets of the 19th century, and is best known for his classic anthology verse works such as Ode to the West Wind and The Masque of Anarchy. He is also well known for his long-form poetry.

The love of the poet : Bird’s song The way it soars up in the purple sky at the duskCompares the bird to a number of things: A rose, a star, the planet Venus, a poet, a maiden, a

glowing worm etc. All human songs are sad- the bird’s song is pure joy He dreams of singing with as much joy and freedom as

the bird – the skylark

Main idea of the poem

Title/ Plot "To a Skylark" doesn't exactly have a plot It is more like a bunch of observations about a single idea—a

stretched-out description of the song of a bird. The poem opens up with the speaker calling out to a bird (which he calls a "Spirit"). He tells the bird how much he loves its singing. Then he describes how it shoots up into the sky at dusk, into the purple evening

After that, he compares the bird's song to a bunch of different things: a star the planet Venus a poet a maiden a worm a rose

Then he starts to talk about how all of the beautiful things that human beings make can't compare to the song of this bird

All human songs are sad, but this bird's song is just pure joy

Finally the speaker dreams of being able to sing with as much joy and freedom as this happy bird

The opening is a joyful shout by the poet- calls out to the bird without expecting a reply

This is called an ‘apostrophe’-- apostrophe used in literature is an arrangement of words addressing a non-existent person or an abstract idea in such a way as if it were present and capable of understanding feelings –

Blithe : is an old fashioned term that means carefree, happy and light hearted

Wert : be ( means you are not a bird – you are a spirit

Stanza 1

writers try to bring abstract ideas or non-existent persons to life so that the nature of emotions they want to communicate gets across in a better way – because it is more convenient for the readers to relate themselves to the abstract emotions when they observe them in their natural surroundings

In addition, the use of apostrophe motivates the readers to develop a perspective that is fresh as well as creative

Shelley refers to the bird as a spirit—it is chirpy, pretty little bird, connected to the spirit world– and to all that is beautiful and heaven like – also that it is immortal-

It is one special supernatural bird Sings out – from its heart --- says that the song is

beautiful The word Heaven – the letter ‘H ’suggests that there is

something holy about the bird The birds song fills the persona with delight that as per

him are beyond words and inspires him Nothing is better than the song but it is Mysterical:

Raising the bird to the heights and bringing out that there is nothing higher than the bird

Its song rains down from the heaven to the earth and there is no impediment (Something that impedes; a hindrance or obstruction)

It is not just a song but an expression of emotions ---- sort of a personification – expression of emotions- feelings like a person

Profuse -Plentiful; copious, giving or given freely and abundantly; extravagant

Strains: pieces of music; passages of melody Unpremeditated: Not planned or thought out in

advance; not planned beforehand; spontaneous

The poet goes on to say that the bird sings a lot of improvised (To invent, compose, or perform with little or no preparation)- unpremeditated

To play or sing (music) extemporaneously, especially by inventing variations on a melody or creating new melodies in accordance with a set progression of chords) songs

Both of them are making art both : the bird and the poet

It rises from the Earth towards the Heaven and keeps moving higher and higher

In the third line he uses a simile to describe the bird- which is a spirit comparing it to a cloud of fire

In the next line he speaks about the blue deep--- one wonders if he is speaking about the sea but no here he refers to the blue sky

The poet says that it is flying higher and higher and all the while it is singing the song

Captures the joy and freedom of the bird- singing and soaring and soaring and singing

Stanza 2

Imagery: Golden Lightning: refers to sunset - makes us think of the

crackling lighting

Sunken sun – it is sunset and the golden light is coming from there -a beautiful sunset lightning up the sky

Alliteration: Sunken Sun He talks about the beauty and brightness of the sky and how the

sun when it sets can fall below the clouds and brightens them from below and the sky looks beautiful – stirs our emotions and in such a surrounding the skylark can be heard singing a melodious song in its flight

Stanza 3

The fourth line the poet speaks about the freedom and pleasure of movement without an effort --- its flight is like floating pure and easy

The poet again refers to Skylark as “unbodied joy”- a spirit- which is full of energy and freshness- full of possibilities and new beginning

‘Even’ here means evening Here the poet is saying that the way the Skylark flies in

the sky one feels even the evening that has turned purple melts around it- emphasis on how beautiful the bird is

Pale purple – alliteration Simile - like a star , that may be present even during the

day --- but it is invisible The poet refers to not what we see but what we hear and

imagine A negative word is used to describe something that is

beautiful --- shrill delight : to emphasis on the beauty of the song

Stanza 4

Metaphor: comparison of the sound to the arrows: here the keen( sharp) metaphorical arrows (rays / beams) of light that come from the silver sky

Metaphor : beams from intense lamp; The silver sphere here is the Morning Star – the Venus Reference to the sunken sun – dusk ;

and the silver sphere – Venus , the morning star The bird is free and unlike a human is at liberty to do,

go where it wants – the poet is jealous of the freedom and liberty of the bird to travel; where and when it pleases

Stanza 5

The same way that we know that Venus is there during the day buts it fades in the sunlight- the skylark too can be heard but not seen due its height - as it flies high in the sky

The poet goes on to say that the voice of the skylark is very powerful–

it can be heard both on the Earth and the sky (the air)

Shelley is absorbed and captivated by the sound the song of the bird which seems to fill up the whole world

Stanza 6

He goes on to compare the song to the night sky and the moon shines its light on a single cloud that is there

– the light of the moon covers the cloud and the poet goes on to say that the light is so bright that the heaven too is overflowed by that light

the same way the bird’s song is so overpowering that the entire universe is covered by it

Compares the loud voice to the single cloud in the night sky- the moon being behind the cloud fills the cloud and the sky with light

And the same light overflows the Heaven with light Shelley uses a lot of Similes and metaphors in this

poem

The song of the Skylark is so amazing, so mysterious that we cannot find any comparison

Compares the bird’s song with the raindrops coming from the rainbow cloud – then goes on to say as compared to the bird’s song they are nothing

The rain of melody is better than the actual rain – the main is not as bright as colorful as melodious as the song of the skylark

A metaphor : melody cannot / isn’t rain

Stanza 7

Compares the skylark to a poet -- in the next four stanzas the poet is using simile comparing the skylark’s song to:

“the light of thought” of the ‘poet’ “Soothing love” of the ‘maiden’ in a high tower Existence of a “glow worm golden” Aura of “ a rose”

Stanza 8

The poem or the thoughts come to the poet and he writes the same are put on the paper without taking into consideration the consequences

Wrought:(of metals) beaten out or shaped by hammering.

made or fashioned in the specified way.The poetry is written without invitation and call for

the sameHere the song of the skylark is sung without having

been commanded or invitedAs the poem emerges without anyone asking , out

of the pure creative spirit of the poetUses the word hymns: songs sung in the place of

worship comparing it with song of the skylark

The poet is the one that connects us to the hopes and fears that we don’t pay heed to- it makes us sympathize with these feelings

He further goes on to say that these feelings are there but we don’t see them as we don’t see the stars during the day

It is through the work of the poet that we are made aware of these feelings

The song of the bird and the poems of the poet have the power to call up intense new feelings, to make the people see the world in a new and important way

The poet uses poetic comparison to bring out the beauty of the song of the skylark

Compared to a maiden (princess) in a high tower of her palace

The bird is elevated – both in terms of flight (high –born) and in a literal sense

She(Princess) is in love and needs to be comforted Alliterations: love laden and soul of secret She is finding comfort in the music she is alone in her

room (bower)

Stanza 9

She is singing to herself –again as the skylark sings to herself and for herself

The poet here connects the skylark with beautiful princesses and sweet love songs.

Bower: shade or enclose (a place or person).

Stanza 10Here the poet compares the beautiful singing sky-spirit to a glow worm - is now like a worm -glow-worm is like the fireflies we have the only thing is they don’t fly - notice them at night, maybe in a damp little valley (a "dell of dew"). The speaker is fascinated with things in nature that make beautiful songs or sights, even when they know no one is watching (when they are "unbeholden," as he so poetically puts it).

The "aerial hue" connects the color ("hue") of the worm's glow to the sky and the air and the world of the skylark

Like the far-away skylark, this little worm makes wonderful things happen—even when it can't be seen itself – it is covered with flowers and grass and hidden from the world

Stanza 11 Like a rose embower'd, In its own green leaves- another Simile

• This one compares the skylark to a hidden natural beauty

• In this case, it's a roseThe flower's loveliness is cradled and covered up by its leavesWe can't see it, but its beauty still finds a way to reach us

• the poet sets up all kinds of little sound-echoes in this poem The use of the word "embower'd" here connects to the "bower" of the princess just a few lines before The winds steal away the flower's smellThat "scent" floats away from the secret beauty of the rose, and reaches people who can't see the flower itself

Again, this is a lot like the skylark, whose beauty reaches the in the way of a song, even when the eyes can't see him

here the author personifies the winds, calling them "thieves." It's as if the rich smell of the flowers was filling the breeze,

weighing it down "[H]eavy-winged thieves" – the smell the very smell

that they have stolen intoxicates the winds- same is the effect of the song on the poet

This idea that sound and smell and sight and weight are all interconnected, and potentially overwhelming, is one of the key points in this poem

smells can be sweet and heavy at the same time according to the poet

Stanza 12 The rains of spring ("vernal showers") make a pleasant sound

on the "twinkling grass.“ how alive and exciting nature is in this poem –

‘the twinkling grass’•This is another pretty nature image:

flowers waking up in the rain•There's a little subtle personification here, since flowers don't actually sleep the song of the skylark is better than all that other things in

nature There are plenty of joyous things in nature—glow-worms and

flowers and raindrops, etc.—but the music of the lark goes beyond ("surpasses") it all

Stanza 13This is a shift in the poem, a moment where the speaker shifts

his tone and his strategy - Just like in the first line, he talks directly to the bird (apostrophe)

the word "Sprite," (a fairy, a magical creature) reminds us (just like in line 1), that the speaker isn't sure whether this bird is part of the natural or the supernatural world

The speaker wants to know what thoughts are behind this beautiful singing - He thinks of this bird as an artist, and he wants to know its secrets

The speaker is looping back to comparing the singing of the bird to poetry - in earlier paragraph too he has

compared it to poetry

Praising love or wine are ancient standard subjects for poems In all those poems, the speaker has never heard anything so

full of joy and "rapture" as the song of the skylark.

Notice the word "flood." It seems as if the skylark's song is always overflowing and flooding and sloshing the place.

Again, the skylark is not just killing it with this song. It is way over-the-top killing it. It's almost as if it's a little too much for our speaker - it has overwhelmed the poet

Rapture: a feeling of intense pleasure or joy.

Stanza 14 "Hymeneal" chorus is a poem or a song for a wedding (Hymen

was the Greek god of marriage)A triumphal chant would be written to celebrate a victoryAs far as the speaker is concerned, all the human poetry – be

it a hymeneal or a triumph song - can't stand up to the skylark's tune

In comparison, poetry would just sound like meaningless boasting ("an empty vaunt")

Those empty boastful poems or songs would just make us feel like something was missing (a "hidden want") compared to the skylark's incredible melodies

Stanza 15

The speaker keeps prying into the bird's secrets

He wants to know what the source, the origins ("the fountains") of his happy melody ("strain") might be.

This is all about trying to understand the meaning behind the beauty of nature, to use comparisons to try to get at the truth of the perfect art the speaker sees all around him.

What inspires these melodies? Is it other things in the natural world (on earth, at sea, or in the air)? Is the skylark singing about the world it sees?

maybe it's the feelings of the skylark that make it sing the way it does - Maybe it sings because it loves another skylark (its "own kind")

Maybe it sings with the joy of never having known what pain feels like

There is a feeling of the sadness and longing of the speaker in that "ignorance of pain."

He is dreaming of a world beyond pain, a creature that can make art without any of the suffering

that humans feel – is heartbreaking – the jealousy that a person can sing sweet songs as it is not aware of all the pain and suffering in the world

the speaker is playing out the fantasy - imagining that the skylark can make pure art without any hint of suffering

When he hears the sound of that" clear" and "keen" (sharp, poignant) joy ("joyance"), he cannot imagine how it could ever be connected to sadness and depression ("languor")

In the speaker's mind, this bird is so perfectly happy that it could never even feel the "shadow of annoyance”

Stanza 16

The speaker imagines that the bird can feel love but not the sad "satiety" (the feeling of being filled with something) that comes with being full of love

It's not really clear how he knows- came to the conclusion that a bird is capable of love

Basically, through this personification the skylark can be everything the speaker dreams of, without any of the pain

Since it can't talk back, he can fantasize about all the pure joy it must be feeling

Things take a mysterious turn: the speaker imagines that somewhere, in its dreams or

in its waking life, the skylark can see and understand ("deem") things about the true nature of death

This reminds us that he thinks of the skylark as much as an immortal spirit being as an actual natural creature

The skylark can see beyond even the dreams of mortals - It understands the deep truth about death, because it cannot die - that's the only way he can imagine that it could make such beautiful music (like a "crystal stream").

Stanza 17

The trouble with mortals, with humans, is that we're always thinking about the past and the future. We wish desperately ("pine") for the things we once had, or can't have yet

The speaker is going deep here, using the song of the skylark as an opportunity to try to describe the human condition

According to the speaker, nothing that we feel is pure. Nothing can escape the pain of mortality. Even when we laugh, it is filled up, weighted ("fraught") with sadness and pain

Stanza 18

But under all that grim sadness, there's also a kind of beautiful truth. Sadness and beauty can't be separated for humans

All of our singing and our poetry and our art is connected to our mortality

Essentially, the speaker is saying that, unlike the pure spirit of the skylark, we are in some way always singing about our eventual death

All our sweetest songs are those that are filled with pain, sadness

the poet goes on to invoke us to think what would it be like to live without human

emotions What would it be like to be less human, less

mortal, and more like the pure skylark What if we could ignore or get rid of ("scorn")

the feelings like hate and pride and fear that make us so unhappy

What if we were born without any feelings of pain or sorrow

What if we didn't have to cry

Stanza 19

He still believes that even if there was no pain in our lives :

then also we couldn't ever be able to reach the joy of the skylark – never sing a song like it

Maybe that's because we would still be human

Or maybe it's because we need that pain,

that sorrow, in order to feel real joy 

The skylark's song is better than all the human music ("measures") in the world. 

we can plan and scheme and make "delightful sound" but we can't stack up to the skylark – it’s song is ultimate and there is no comparison

Our books don't match to it either. All the poems and ideas and novels we've stored up are "treasures." But still:

they don't match the skylark's song

Stanza 20

The poem that the speaker's writing will never be as good as the song he's writing about – the song of the skylark

A little bird can make music beyond his description, beyond his power

The simple song of the skylark is more wonderful than even the best human poem

Scorner: a person who expresses contempt by remarks or facial expression

Now that he knows he can't match up to the skylark's pure beauty, the speaker asks the skylark to teach him

He wants just a piece, just half of the happiness (the "gladness") that he figures the bird must feel

 if he knew the bird's happiness, he would be able to speak a kind of "harmonious madness."

This is a key phrase, and it's also an oxymoron. Usually we think of harmony and madness as being a contradiction, but here the speaker buts both together. 

Stanza 21

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that puts together two seemingly contradictory words or phrases that actually end up making a whole lot of sense.

Example: "The jumbo shrimp she brought to the party was terribly good." (There were two of them in that

sentence.)The speaker is trying to imagine a kind of

song, a kind of poem, that would push beyond the normal human limits, that would allow him to feel and write and sing as purely as a skylark

This is all he wants: for the world to hear him as clearly as he hears the skylark

He wants them to absorb his words, to be as entranced with them as he is with the song of the bird 

There's something sweet and sad about this ending.

He starts out talking to the bird, asking it questions, and winds up almost jealous of its beauty and its immense power, realizing that he will never know its silent, hidden secrets