John Lennon's Song "Imagine" and Term Paper

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Lennon is making an argument, an emotional argument like a poet. His language is simple and direct.

It is hard to see this same directness in Romantic poetry, because the language of the 19th century is so different from our own. But even with a 21st century ear, it is possible to see this directness and simplicity in Keats, such as when Keats writes: "Beauty is truth, truth beauty, / that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know." John Lennon simply states and asserts that in the perfect world there will be: "Nothing to kill or die for, No religion too."

Because Lennon's imaginings are stated in such a simple way, it is easy to ignore how profound some of his statements are, and how radical. Imagine a world without Christianity, Judaism, Islam -- or even America or Iran. No religion and no nations, none of the kinds of things we think are worth fighting for and building a future for, just radical happiness.
Shelley's ode was radical in its own way, because it celebrated the natural world just as other poets might have celebrated God. Lennon celebrates a very natural way of life, too, and challenges common notions of moral values, just like Keats stated that beauty more than anything was important, which was a radical notion when he wrote.

What makes Romantic poetry still relevant today is that it suggested that personal feelings and thoughts by an ordinary speaker, a poet, could be important. Lennon also suggests that the ordinary thoughts of someone who is not religious or a politician could still be important when discussing world peace, or how to live a good life. Lennon does not preach or proselyte, instead he draws the listener in with beautiful images of a world living as one, without greed or hunger. It is a world one wishes more people imagined and….....

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