ABSTRACT
Sufism predates Romanticism by over 900 years and has an arresting similarity with British Romanticism and American transcendentalism. The faith in an immortal afterlife, the consideration of death as a gateway to eternity, and the belief in the unity of the creator and the creation make the two philosophical genres very close to each other. John Keats, being one of the greatest British romantic poets, has shown numerous occasions where he puts death in a hierarchic position over life, and also describes elements that have eternal nature. Sufism too searches for a greater mystic regardless of the pain and pleasure of the material world. Keats’ “Ode to Nightingale” presents the poet himself having an obsession with the spiritual world of the nightingale but his wish is countered by the sudden return to reality. Hence, through a Sufi evaluation of the ode, the hasty transformation of the poet may be explored. First of all, the definition, origin, and overall practices of Sufism are briefly discussed. Also, how Sufism concurs with other philosophical developments, especially in Europe is also highlighted. Finally, close observation of the poem is made through which the dilemma between Keats’ Sufi and realistic double consciousness is explored.
Keywords: Sufism, Romanticism, Spirituality, Physical reality, and Transformation.
Citation: Saiyara F., and Istiak A. (2022). Keats’ sufi speaker jumps back to reality: an evaluation of “Ode to Nightingale”, Br. J. Arts Humanit., 4(4), 97-106. https://doi.org/10.34104/bjah.0220970106
