Compare and Contrast

NOTES: m
Both poem's are talking about their life and the looming reality of future death.
How they want to live for more, but there are impediments
They both touch about on the subject of love.

OUTLINE:
In these two poems, first by John Keats, and the second written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, both eloquently delve into the subject of growing up, old, and growing into death. Similarities in both poems are uncovered in both author's use of diction, rhyme and imagery. However, often differences arise due to the author's varying view points. The first point represents more clearly the fear of death in a way of looking in the future, whereas the second poem represents life as unfulfilled reflecting on the past. John Keats unites with Henry Wadsworth in creating a poem similar in diction and structure, symbolism and imagery, however differ in their opinion on the cycle of life in exploring their particular situation.

Point 1: similarities

John Keats: express his view of life through the use of diction - such as "fears" , "full ripened grain" "never live" "unreflecting love" "stand alone" "nothingness"
Wadsworth: expresses his similar view of life through the use of diction - such as "gone" "almost" "dim" "restless" "not fulfilled"

Diction is used to represent their belief and worries of an unfulfilled life whether life has passed them by or just beginning. They use rather derogatory words linked to happy words such as "unreflecting… love."

Point 2: structure

The structure of each poem is reflected by their mono stanza with ABAB rhyming scheme.

Point 3: Symbolism

"half way up the hill" this line is used by Wadsworth to represent the trek through life. As he comments in the first few lines, is that "half his life is gone", and therefore half the trek through life is completed.
"the night's starrd face" is an endless expanse upon which your life can be.