FLEETING MOMENTS, TIMELESS LOVE: AN AESTHETIC ANALYSIS OF THE ROMANTIC PARADOX IN JOHN KEATS’ “BRIGHT STAR”

Authors

  • Airich Angel Mahinay Student Researcher, Department of Teacher Education, BSED- English, UM Digos College, City of Digos, Philippines
  • Maria Grace E. Lucas Student Researcher, Department of Teacher Education, BSED- English, UM Digos College, City of Digos, Philippines
  • Ana Mae M. Monteza Professor I, Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics, Program Chair, Department of Teacher Education, City of Digos, Philippines

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejlll.v9i2.637

Keywords:

aesthetic analysis, “Bright Star”, figurative language, John Keats, romantic poetry

Abstract

This study presents an aesthetic analysis of John Keats’ “Bright Star”, focusing on the romantic paradox between the longing for permanence and the transient nature of human experience. The research aimed to explore how Keats employed symbolism, rhythm, and figurative language to express this tension. Utilizing a qualitative method grounded in aesthetic theory and guided by Mambrol’s framework, the study closely examined the poem’s artistic elements to uncover its thematic intricacies. The findings revealed that Keats effectively juxtaposed the eternal stillness of the star with the warmth and temporality of human intimacy, using rhythmic variation and vivid imagery to emphasize this contrast. The poem ultimately suggests a preference for fleeting emotional connection over unchanging solitude. This analysis contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 4 by highlighting the role of literary studies in developing critical thinking, interpretative skills, and appreciation for poetic craft. The study recommends further research into the digital pedagogical applications of Romantic poetry in contemporary classrooms.

Author Biographies

  • Airich Angel Mahinay, Student Researcher, Department of Teacher Education, BSED- English, UM Digos College, City of Digos, Philippines

    Airich Angel Mahinay is a fourth-year Bachelor of Secondary Education majoring in English student at the UM Digos College. With a keen interest in literature, particularly through the lens of Romanticism's emphasis on emotion, imagination, and individual expression, her work investigates the influence of aesthetic principles on reader interpretation and emotional engagement. As a future educator, she is committed to fostering a learning environment where literature is experienced, not merely analyzed, to cultivate students' appreciation for its artistic depth and enhance their critical and creative thinking.

    Email: aigelmahinay24@gmail.com

  • Maria Grace E. Lucas, Student Researcher, Department of Teacher Education, BSED- English, UM Digos College, City of Digos, Philippines

    Maria Grace E. Lucas is a fourth-year Bachelor of Secondary Education student majoring in English at the UM Digos College. Her passion lies in examining literature beyond its surface, focusing on the emotional, imaginative, and artistic elements that shape the reader experience. Driven by a desire to understand the impact of aesthetic components on interpretation and meaning-making, she explored these aspects in this research. As an aspiring teacher, she aims to guide students in recognizing literature as an artistic expression that engages both intellect and emotion.

    Email: lucasmariagrace11@gmail.com

  • Ana Mae M. Monteza, Professor I, Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics, Program Chair, Department of Teacher Education, City of Digos, Philippines

    Ana Mae M. Monteza (PhD) is the Program Chair of the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Mindanao Digos College and a professor of Linguistics and Literature. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics with a focus on Sociolinguistics from the University of Mindanao. Her research covers gender studies, social communication, literary criticism, teaching pedagogy, and AI in education. An active international resource speaker, she is a member of ELITE and Share-to-Care for Education International and contributes to international journals as an editorial board member and peer reviewer. In her free time, she writes poetry and short stories inspired by her travels.

    Email: anamae_monteza@umindanao.edu.ph

References

a) Journal articles

Asim, M., Amjad, H., & Akram, A. (2017). Vision of nature: Romantic poetical imagination. Asian Innovative Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(1), 42–54. Retrieved fromhttps://dducollegedu.ac.in/Datafiles/cms/ecourse%20content/B.A.%20(Hons)%20ENG%20PAPER%209%20Vision_of_Nature_Romantic_Poetical_Imagi.pdf.

Sharma, L. R. (2021). Discerning sensuousness in Keats’s poetry. Shanlax International Journal of English, 9(4), 22–27. Retrieved fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/355150882_Discerning_Sensuousness_in_Keats%27s_Poetry.

Sala-Suszyńska, J. (2016). The role of figurative language. Humanum, 20(1), 163–172. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/720615051/The-role-of-figurative-language?utm.

Tang, Y. (2023). The development and reflection of romanticism in John Keats' poems. Communications in Humanities Research, 4(1), 518–523. Retrieved fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/371261465_The_Development_and_Reflection_of_Romanticism_in_John_Keats'_Poems.

b) Articles by DOI

Hasted, M. (2023). Celestial variability and Keats’s “Bright Star”. Romanticism, 29(3), 253–266. https://doi.org/10.3366/rom.2023.0611

Monteza, A. M. (2023, June). Women through times: A socio-stylistic cognition on the phylogenesis of women’s representation in the society through communication style. European Journal of Literature, Language and Linguistics Studies, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.46827/ejlll.v7i2.447

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d) Online documents

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e) Books

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Abrams, M. H. (1971). Natural supernaturalism: Tradition and revolution in romantic literature. Norton. Retrieved from http://armytage.net/pdsdata/Meyer%20Howard%20AbramsNatural%20supernaturalism_%20tradition%20and%20revolution%20in%20romantic%20literature%20%20-Norton%20(1973).pdf.

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Keats, J. (2005). Selected Letters of John Keats. Harvard University Press. Retrieved from https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674018419.

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Schoenfeldt, M. (2010). The Cambridge introduction to Shakespeare's poetry. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.ph/books?hl=en&lr=&id=BeKrQAYeO_UC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=Shakespearean+sonnet+form,+consisting+of+14+lines+in+iambic+pentameter,+divided+into+an+octave+and+a+sestet,+with+a+volta+marking+the+shift+in+theme&ots=uoSE4W_BBv&sig=zv6CfOA5FoZ1a2jrNTEA-lj0tEM&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=IAMBIC&f=false

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Published

2025-09-11

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 2 (2025)

Section

Articles