Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College

In Line 1, the speaker addresses Eton College with “ye,” an archaic version of “you.” The speaker’s diction is formal and elevated, demonstrating their poetic merit. The tone is effusive as the speaker praises the landscape and architecture of Eton College. They note specific details like the spires, towers, and “watry glade” (Line 2). In Line 3, the speaker uses the symbol of “grateful Science” to represent knowledge. In Line 4, the speaker employs allusion to reference the history of Eton College. The Henry the speaker mentions is King Henry VI, the founder of Eton College. In Line 6, the speaker uses allusion again since Windsor refers to Windsor Castle, a famous royal residence near Eton College. Wrapping up the first stanza, the speaker returns to the idyllic environment of the school, detailing once again its grove, lawn, flowers, and the River Thames.

Stanza 2 continues the effusive tone as the speaker gushes over the “happy hills” (Line 11) and “pleasing shade” (Line 11). The first two lines of Stanza 2 also feature an example of repetition since the speaker repeats “ah” three times, drawing attention to the positive emotion that these natural images evoke.