被視為「古今隱逸詩人之宗」的陶淵明，論其詩人多以平澹靜穆稱之，然自宋．朱熹開始，詩家陸續注意到陶詩裏還帶有幾分建功立業的豪情壯志，和一如屈騷濟世的憂憤情懷，〈詠荊軻〉便為這類作品的代表。荊軻刺秦事在《戰國策．燕策》、《史記．刺客列傳》裡皆見記載，情節也大略相似，但多次在創作中歌詠荊軻的陶淵明顯然不是簡單重述歷史而已，透由有意識地調整視角，豐富了事件之層次，傳遞詩人自價值實現的層次詠讚其人格精神。在敘事結構方面，全詩一半以上篇幅敘述送別和赴秦的氛圍場景，並以「橫渡易水」與「徘徊仕隱」、「慷慨赴秦」與「毅然歸田」、「劍術立奇功」與「亂世用奇謀」三組完整意象醞釀、展現事件主角勇於犧牲、不畏強暴的激昂悲壯形象。

Tao, Yuan-Ming, considered to be the ancestor of hermit poets at all times, had been portrayed mostly as being ordinary and solemn by other poets. However, starting from Zhu Xi of Song dynasty, poets have successively noticed somewhat of lofty sentiments and high aspirations to make contributions and feelings of worried and indignant to benefit mankind as Quso in Tao's poems. Praise of Jing, Ke is a representative of this kind of works.The event that Jing, Ke tried to assassinate the king of Qin was recorded in both the ”Strategies of Yan” chapter of Stratagems of the Warring States and the ”Assassin Biography” chapter of Records of the Grand Historian with similar circumstances. Nevertheless, Tao, Yuan-Ming, praising Jing Ke in literary creations repeatedly, did not intend to restate history. By means of adjusting visual angle, Tao, Yuan-Ming enriched gradations of the event and conveyed the eulogy of Jing Ke's personality and spirit in respect of realizing life value. In the aspect of structure of narration, more than half of the poem depicts the ambiance of farewell and going to Qin. In addition, three groups of integrated imageries, ”crossing Yishui River” and ”wandering over seclusion”, ”going to Qin heroically” and ”resigning from office and return home resolutely,” and ”swordsmanship performs exploits” and ”using unusual strategies in troubled times” brew and show the heroically tragic and passionate image that the protagonist is bold to sacrifice and defies threats and violence.