On the Sea

'On the Sea': summary

The speaker praises the sea, remarking upon its incredible power and duality of nature. It can be strong enough to fill up thousands of sea caves, yet gentle enough to lap over a seashell without displacing it. The speaker recommends that weary urbanites should head to the sea for its meditative, healing properties and gain some respite from the hustle and bustle of their ordinary lives.

Fig. 1 - A seashell is an important symbol in the poem.

Meaning

‘On the Sea’ conveys the power and age of the sea. This poem can be interpreted as suggesting that city life, where people are disconnected from nature, leads to suffering. It also expresses the healing power of nature; when reconnected with the sea humans will be able to gain emotional equilibrium and feel rejuvenated.

John Keats: 'On the Sea'

John Keats was an English Romantic poet. He died when he was only 25 years old but he left a significant legacy behind.

Keats was born on October 31st 1795 in London. In 1811, he started training to be a surgeon, an occupation he was engaged with until the end of his life. In 1814, he wrote his first poem. Two years later, in 1816, Keats published a poem for the first time. In the following years, he continued to write poetry and he published a collection in 1817. He died of tuberculosis, on February 23rd 1821 in Rome.

John Keats composed 'On the Sea' during a trip to the Isle of Wight. His goal for his stay on the rural Isle of Wight was to work on another poem, ‘Endymion’ (1818), without the distractions of a city or town. Whilst staying in a seaside cottage in Shanklin, he spent a lot of time gazing at the ocean. This beautiful seascape is widely believed to have inspired ‘On the Sea’ (1817), which he included in a letter to his friend John Hamilton Reynolds along with a description of his picturesque surroundings.

'On the Sea': context

John Keats was a key figure in the Romanticism movement. 'On the Sea' is thus a Romantic poem.

One of the key conventions of Romantic poetry is the glorification of nature. In ‘On the Sea’, nature, and specifically the sea, is presented as a powerful, changeable force. This can be seen by its duality, depicted as alternately strong in the lines 'its mighty swell Gluts twice ten thousand Caverns' and delicate in the lines 'in such gentle temper found /That scarcely will the very smallest shell Be moved'.

Romantic poetry is known for its expression of feelings. ‘On the Sea’ expresses deep praise and admiration for the sea. However, it also explores a type of mental weariness and burnout which the speaker claims the sea will help cure.

'On the Sea': poem

Let's take a look at the full sonnet of 'On the Sea' and analyse it.

'On the Sea': analysis

The title ‘On the Sea’ informs the reader of the subject of the poem.

Form

'On the Sea' is a Petrarchan sonnet.

Structure

This poem is one stanza long. However, it consists of two distinct parts, the octave (eight lines) and the sestet (six lines). The octave focuses on a description of the sea. The sestet marks a shift in subject matter to the impact of the sea on human beings.

Rhyme scheme

‘On the Sea’ follows the rhyme scheme ABBAABBACDEDEC.

Poetic devices and techniques

'On the Sea' incorporates a number of literary devices and techniques:

Sibilance

Sibilance is used throughout the sonnet to mimic the gentle hiss of the waves as they crash upon the shore. This can be seen in the lines 'eternal whisperings', 'desolate shores' and 'gluts twice'.

Onomatopoeia

Keats uses onomatopoeia in the lines 'Gluts twice ten thousand Caverns'. The word 'gluts' mimics the sound of water filling up sea caves.

Allusion

'On the Sea' also includes allusion.

Keats refers directly to Hecate, an ancient Greek goddess of magic and spells, in the lines 'Hecate leaves them their old shadowy sound'. Later, he alludes to Greek mythology in the lines 'sea nymphs quired'. Sea nymphs are present in many mythologies, however, by first referencing Hecate he links this imagery to ancient Greece. By linking the poem to the past civilizations, Keats is reminding the reader how old the sea is.

Personification

The sea is personified in the lines 'Often 'tis in such gentle temper found', where it is given the human quality of having a temper. This suggests that the sea is capricious, choosing whether to be rough or gentle. It adds to the tone of awe at the sea’s power.

Juxtaposition

The sea is described first as an all-encompassing force that can fill up caverns. Immediately afterwards it is depicted as so soft and gentle that it sometimes barely disturbs the seashells. This juxtaposition of the different moods of the sea serves to emphasise its changeable nature.

Sonnet 'On the Sea': themes

Now that we've analysed the sonnet 'On the Sea', let's dive even deeper into the main themes!

Fig. 2 - The sea can be seen as a symbol of nature's majesty and unpredictability, as well as a reminder of human mortality and insignificance in the face of such natural forces.

Human suffering

The poem can be interpreted as suggesting that living in a noisy, bustling urban environment leads to human suffering. This can be seen in the lines 'Oh ye! whose ears are dinned with uproar rude / Or fed too much with cloying melody'. Modern life is referred to through words associated with excess. A return to the simplicity of nature, specifically the seaside, is presented as a remedy to this fatigue and overstimulation.

The power of nature

The power of nature is expressed in a variety of ways in this poem. Keats reminds the reader of its ancient age, it has been an ever-present element throughout human history, outlasting great civilisations. The poem reminds us of its physical strength and unpredictability. ‘On the Sea’ also draws attention to the spiritual connection that humans have with this great body of water, that it is able to soothe unsettled minds.

References:

¹ Peter Childs and Robert Fowler, ‘The Routledge Dictionary of Key Terms’, (2006).

² Collins, ‘Collins Dictionary’ (2022).