Exploring Visual Imagery: A Comparative Study of the Poetry of John Keats and Ghani Khan

Abstract

The poetic works of John Keats and Ghani Khan need no introductory notes to illustrate without exception their positions in English and Pashto literature respectively. A study of English literature is incomplete by not including the poetic contributions of Keats, who is far more mature in his ideas as compared to his immature age. The same is the prestige of Pashto poet Ghani Khan in moulding Pashto literature as per modern poetic trends. This study is a comparative analysis of visual imagery employed in the poetry of these two great poets, who belong to different lands, cultures and ages. John Keats, an English Romantic poet, incorporates vivid visual imagery in his poetic language to portray the theme of immortality, truth, and beauty to evoke the emotions of the readers. In contrast, Ghani Khan, a prominent Pashto poet, utilises valid and apt visual imagery in his poetry to convey the theme of mysticism, nature, mortality of life, love, and beauty. The research also identifies gaps in existing cross-cultural comparisons and East-West literary conventions in the domain of the use of visual imagery in the genre of poetry. This research study places emphasis on the similarities and differences in the poets’ approaches based on visual imagery and explores the effects of cultural contexts on their poetical expressions. At length, this study illuminates the role of visual imagery employed by John Keats and Ghani Khan in their respective poetry for a better comprehension and understanding of poetical expressions and to inspire the readers.