When analyzing the two pieces, "When I have Fears" and "Mezzo Cammin" there was a similar theme and use of language to portray it. The first poem was written by John Keats, in 1818, a few years before his death. He expresses sadness, as Keats had health problems and was worried that he would not be able to realize his potential as a writer. “Mezzo Cammin” was from the point of view of a middle-aged person who expresses that he has let half of his life slip away without accomplishing anything. It was written in 1842 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Although the poem "When I'm Afraid" is more of a young man's lament and "Mezzo Cammin" takes on a bored and dissatisfied tone, both contribute to a central theme based on the fear of death and frustration with the dissatisfaction of one's potential. to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay There are very clear similarities between the theme relating to depression, frustration and death in the two poems. In “When I Have Fears,” Keats expresses this sadness and regrets the way he has lived his life. Line 14 states “Till love and fame think of nothing.” He uses these powerful images to lament all the things he will never accomplish; love and success. However, Keats seems to have accepted the fact that he will die soon. In “Mezzo Cammin,” Wadsworth takes a similar theme in an entirely different direction. He says, in a slightly depressed and dissatisfied tone: "Half my life is gone and I have let the years slip away from me and I have not fulfilled myself." (lines 1-2) In this poem, the speaker appears to be a middle-aged man who is going through a crisis. He is dissatisfied and has not realized all the potential he had. Wadsworth doesn't know how to live the rest of his life and regrets the time he already had. He fears death though it “thunders far from above” (line 14). The theme of fear, of death, is exemplified in both poems through imagery, however the tone of each is very different. The two sonnets were written at very different times and therefore have very different structures. “When I Have Fears” is a Shakespearean sonnet, and was written during the Romantic movement. Shakespearean sonnets use an anguished tone, with intense imagery revolving around love, sin, and passion. The perspective Keats takes is shown when he says “And when I hear, fair creature of an hour / That I may never look upon you again.” (lines 9-10) This line is a heavy example of some characteristics of a Shakespearean sonnet written during the Romantic movement. On the contrary, “Mezzo Cammin” is a Petrarchan sonnet, written based on Italian literature. The title is also very significant in showing the tone. “Mezzo Cammin” refers to a verse taken from Dante's Divine Comedy: “In the middle of our life's journey, I found myself in a dark wood, with the straight path lost”. This phrase is a direct reflection of how Wadsworth feels, as if he is halfway through his life and has fallen off track. The structure of each poem is significant because it has a great impact on the tone and direction in which it is taken. The poetic devices and choice of words used in both poems are slightly similar. John Keats uses personification to emphasize the beauty of the world he will leave "When I see the starry face of the nights" (line 5) is an example of his use of intense imagery, this literary device creates a more realistic scene, and allows the reader to imagine actually being there. Keats talks about the love he will never experience. It refers to “Huge nebulous symbols of high romance.” Wadsworth in opposition speaks mainly.