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Fame, like a wayward girl, will still be coy
To those who woo her with too slavish knees,
But makes surrender to some thoughtless boy,
And dotes the more upon a heart at ease;
She is a Gypsy,—will not speak to those
Who have not learnt to be content without her;
A Jilt, whose ear was never whispered close,
Who thinks they scandal her who talk about her;
A very Gypsy is she, Nilus-born,
Sister-in-law to jealous Potiphar;
Ye love-sick Bards! repay her scorn for scorn;
Ye Artists lovelorn! madmen that ye are!
Makeyour best bow to her and bid adieu,
Then, if she likes it, she will follow you.
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Copyright © 2003-2008 Gunnar Bengtsson, Poetry Connection. All Rights Reserved.
“On Fame” is a poem discussing life and what it means to be content without fame. “Ripe plum”, undisturbed lake”, and “rose leaving herself upon the briar” are words used as symbols in this poem, representing submission to a death-like life. Personification is also used, giving the rose human qualities, referring to it as a female and giving it the motion of plucking. The tone of the poem is religious, because of the word “miscreed”. Keats uses this to show that grace and salvation could not be found in the quest for fame. Therefore this sonnet contains more imagery with the use of more adjectives, making the poem more appealing.
Eugene from Canada