Summary:
John Keats’ poem When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be expresses his deep fear of dying before he can fulfill his poetic potential and experience true love. He worries that his mind is filled with creative ideas, like grain waiting to be harvested, but he may not live long enough to write them down. Keats also fears that he will not have the chance to experience deep, passionate love. However, in the final lines, he realizes that fame and love are insignificant when faced with the vastness of death. The poem ends with a melancholic yet accepting tone, as Keats comes to terms with his mortality.
| Question | Answer |
| Poem Name | When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be |
| Poet | John Keats |
| Year Written | 1818 |
| Year Published | 1848 (posthumously) |
| Poem Type | Shakespearean Sonnet (14 lines) |
| Rhyme Scheme | ABAB CDCD EFEF GG |
| Main Themes | Fear of death, unfulfilled potential, transience of love and fame |
| Tone | Melancholic, reflective, philosophical |
| Symbolism | Harvest (creativity), Stars (destiny), Love (human emotions) |
| Famous Line | “When I have fears that I may cease to be” |
| Final Message |
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1. : Who is the poet of When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be?
(A) William Wordsworth
(B) John Keats
(C) Lord Byron
(D) P.B. Shelley
2. : What is the primary fear expressed by the poet in the poem?
(A) Losing his loved ones
(B) Dying before fulfilling his potential
(C) Being forgotten by society
(D) Living a long and unremarkable life
3. : What literary device is used in the phrase “Before my pen has glean’d my teeming brain”?
(A) Simile
(B) Metaphor
(C) Hyperbole
(D) Alliteration
4. : What does the poet compare his unwritten ideas to?
(A) A vast ocean
(B) Harvested grain
(C) A blooming flower
(D) A burning fire
5. : What does Keats long for in addition to poetic achievement?
(A) Fame and fortune
(B) Deep and passionate love
(C) A peaceful countryside life
(D) Political success
6. : What does the phrase “fair creature of an hour” likely refer to?
(A) A passing moment
(B) The beauty of nature
(C) A fleeting romantic love
(D) A childhood memory
7. : What is the tone of the poem?
(A) Joyful and optimistic
(B) Melancholic and reflective
(C) Angry and rebellious
(D) Hopeful and determined
8. : How does Keats view fame and love by the end of the poem?
(A) As the ultimate goals of life
(B) As meaningless in the face of death
(C) As rewards for hard work
(D) As eternal and unchanging
9. : What poetic form is When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be written in?
(A) Ode
(B) Shakespearean sonnet
(C) Free verse
(D) Ballad
10. : What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
(A) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
(B) AABB CCDD EEFF GG
(C) ABC ABC DEF DEF
(D) ABBA ABBA CDE CDE
