John Keats' “Ode on Melancholy” is a complex poetic investigation into the equally complex emotions of pain and sadness. Melancholy is defined as a gloomy state of mind, despondency, depression or discouragement. Keats urges the reader to view melancholy in a much more positive light. He views melancholy as a necessary part of the human experience. It is a deeply rooted emotion in our lives and to ignore it would be to try to numb our senses. It is an ode dedicated to expelling negative misunderstandings of an emotion that is essential to the human experience. Similar to his other “Great Odes,” Keats uses concrete imagery to add a sense of authenticity to his argument. He explores this emotion of grief in the realm of real life by theorizing about the state of melancholy and arguing about its necessity. His passionate argument for melancholy relies on a view of emotion as deeply rooted in the circle of life. Through his very dense and passionate expression, Keats explores the qualities of melancholy and its necessity in relation to natural reality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay The passion of Keats's ode is clearly demonstrated in the first line: "No, no, don't go." This immediately sets the tone and argument of the poem as very different from his other “Great Odes.” Instead of focusing on an internal experience or daydream, Keats issues a call to action. This ode is written to advise readers to explore their experiences rather than get lost in them. The first line begins by using both pleading and negative terms in an attempt to reinforce his cry so that the reader does not reject the melancholy. He mixes this negativity with many different images of oblivion, such as "Lethe", "Bane of the Wolf", and "Shadow", implying that people are inclined to use such aids to escape their melancholy. Keats suggests that what we hide from – the “mysteries of grief” – are the factors inherent in melancholy, such as pain and death. Images such as “beetle” and “moth” are subjects of contempt. Keats addresses it directly to implore the reader not to allow pain or death to be removed from their minds. These images invite us not to forget sadness, not to give in to suicide (“poisoned wine”), nor to become superstitious with regard to death (“yew rosary”). Keats argues that the consequence of escaping the reality of pain is a “shadow,” or darkening, of our soul. Melancholy, an emotion that encompasses the reality of pain, death, and grief, is “awakening anxiety” in that it keeps us alive and aware of our own senses. Keats uses surprisingly unique descriptions throughout the second stanza as he attempts to modify common notions of sadness. These serve to strengthen his argument that melancholy is a necessary step in the circle of life. He describes feelings of melancholy as a “crisis,” implying its unpredictable and inescapable nature. It is considered as “sudden” as rain. This comparison between emotion and rain continues as Keats describes melancholy as having descended from "heaven" in a "crying cloud." Despite the fact that the cloud cries, expresses sorrow, its emotions help to “nourish” the flowers. Here we begin to see a sense of education in the nature of melancholy. There is one more expression »,.