Freedom in nature (Motif)
The poem uses a series of natural images to express the feeling of liberty.
Confinement (Motif)
The repeating motif of being confined appears in the speaker’s embrace of Althea, the bird in a cage, and the stone walls and iron bars of the prison.
Birds (Symbol)
Birds flying in the air are a symbol of liberty.
Fishes (Symbol)
Fishes swimming in the water are a symbol of liberty.
Linnet’s song (Allegory)
The song of caged linnets (or finches) serves as an allegory for the poem itself, which is a song of praise for the king.
Winds (Symbol)
The wild winds blowing over the waves are a symbol both of liberty and the king’s ever-expanding power.
Angels (Symbol)
Angels are a symbol of the liberty the speaker feels in his soul.
