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In the poem "To the Nile" by John Keats, what is the poet's attitude towards the river?

The speaker admires the river. Note that he calls the Nile "Chief" of the pyramids and the crocodiles. That is to say, the Nile is the leader or guiding force of culture (pyramids) and nature (crocodiles). The Nile has been the "nurse" of many African nations. Here, the speaker notes how the river has helped civilization develop along its banks. Without this great river, these civilizations would not have developed so well or they would...

The speaker admires the river. Note that he calls the Nile "Chief" of the pyramids and the crocodiles. That is to say, the Nile is the leader or guiding force of culture (pyramids) and nature (crocodiles). The Nile has been the "nurse" of many African nations. Here, the speaker notes how the river has helped civilization develop along its banks. Without this great river, these civilizations would not have developed so well or they would have developed elsewhere. Being along a large river or a body of water helps a society in terms of having a water supply, transportation, ports, fish, and so on. The Nile has clearly been useful for a number of societies, namely ancient Egypt. 


The speaker says the Nile is fruitful, but then asks if this is actually true. Is the Nile fruitful or does it just "beguile" (charm) those who live on its banks to stay there and develop their societies? The speaker supposes that the Nile would have to be fruitful and charming to keep societies near even though the northern part of the river is surrounded by desert. Despite all of the grandeur and charm of the river, the speaker concludes that the Nile is also like all rivers: 



Green rushes like our rivers, and dost taste 
The pleasant sun-rise, green isles hast thou too, 
And to the sea as happily dost haste. 


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