Deconstructing Dualities and Challenging Conventions: A Critical Discourse Analysis of John Keats` "Ode to Nightingale" as a Postmodernist Manifesto on Art, Nature, Mortality and Existential Consciousness

Abstract

This paper presents a rigorous critical discourse analysis of John Keats' renowned poem "Ode to a Nightingale" as a postmodernist manifesto on art, nature, mortality, and existential consciousness. The study employs a combination of stylistic analysis, postmodernism, and critical discourse analysis frameworks to examine the intricacies of Keats' poetic discourse. Drawing on the theoretical concepts proposed by Leech and Short (2007), Lyotard (1984), Jameson (1991), and Fairclough (2003), the analysis delves into the challenging of conventional notions, the exploration of postmodernist themes and symbols, and the engagement in postmodernist discourse through language choices and discourse structures employed by Keats in the poem. The stylistic analysis section employs Leech and Short's (2007) framework to meticulously analyze the various literary devices employed by Keats, including imagery, metaphor, alliteration, assonance, rhyme, and rhythm, in relation to their subversion of conventional notions of art, nature, mortality, and existential consciousness. The postmodernism section draws on the fragmented and multi-perspective approach proposed by Lyotard (1984) and Jameson (1991) to interpret how Keats' exploration of complexities in these themes is reflected through the employment of postmodernist themes and symbols in the poem. The critical discourse analysis section, following Fairclough's (2003) framework, analyzes the language choices and discourse structures employed by Keats, revealing his engagement in a postmodernist discourse that challenges traditional binary oppositions and constructs a nuanced understanding of art, nature, mortality, and existential consciousness. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale" as a postmodernist manifesto, shedding light on the deconstruction of dualities and the subversion of conventional notions in the poem. The study contributes to the scholarly understanding of Keats' literary techniques and thematic exploration from a postmodernist perspective, enriching the discourse on art, nature, mortality, and existential consciousness in Keats' works