From the start, it is given that this poem is going to contain depressed images,
imagery of sad mythological creatures and those whose worlds were turned upside
down and filled with great sorrow because of the choices made by individuals.
Ode to Melancholy: A lyrical poem addressed to sadness and depression of the
spirits. The first line is a warning sign. It warns the reader to avoid the
river Lethe, the river of forgetfulness. The river that flows beneath the ground
in the Underworld, ruled by Hades. Souls of the dead drink the water in order to
forget their earthy lives. The line is giving the impression that it is not good
to forget. Do not allow yourself to get so entirely wrapped up in yourself that
you forget the world around you. Psyche was a mortal, whom all the world began
to worship for her beauty. Venus did not appreciate this for she was the goddess
of beauty and no one else dare worship another but her. She commanded her son,
Cupid, God of Love, to put a curse on beautiful Psyche. Instead, he fell in love
with her and he put her in a secret palace and visited her secretly, in the
dark, every night. Pysche did not know who it was that had taken her captive,
for Cupid would not allow her to see his face, but she grew to enjoy his
company. She was not happy enough with having Cupid there in the dark and her
curiosity got the better of her, she attempted to sneak a peak at Cupid and he
awakened from his slumber and banished her because he had warned her to refrain
from catching a glimpse of his face. Venus forced her to complete difficult
tasks and she spent many years searching the earth looking for Cupid. He
eventually rescued her and they became husband and wife. The moral of this
footnote is that one should not unhappy with what one has, it may bring
misfortune and grief. Psyche was miserable for a long time, although she did not
drink from the river Lethe, she was not happy with her current life and wanted
more. Her longing to see her lover forced her to become melancholy and grief
stricken and she was forced to repent. This piece by John Keats suggests that
one should avoid the onset of sadness, accept what is yours and nothing more. If
you attempt to mourn and be sad, “shade to shade will come too drowsily,/And
drown the wakeful anguish of the soul.” Here he saying that mourning will
cause death. Do not try to forget, just accept and carry on with your life.
Things could be worse.

Bibliography1.) Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature. “Lethe”. Library of
Congress Catalog in Publication Data. Merriam Webster Inc. Springfield, Mass.
1995. 2.) Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature. “Psyche”. Library
of Congress Catalog in Publication Data. Merriam Webster Inc. Springfield, Mass.
1995. 3.) Cassell: Dictioanry of Classical Mythology. “Psyche”. Jenny March.
Cassell Wellington House. United Kingdom. 1998.