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A Thing of Beauty by John Keats





A Thing of Beauty
JOHN KEATS
 About the poet JOHN KEATS 

FATHER’S NAME: THOMAS KEATS, a livery stable keeper
MOTHER’S NAME: Frances Keats
Born:31 October 1795,Moorgate, London, England
Died:23 February 1821 (aged 25),Rome, Papal State, Cause of death: Tuberculosis ( his brother , Tom and mother also died of tuberculosis)
Alma mater: Clarke School, Enfield,King's College London
Literary movement: Romanticism
Relatives:George Keats (brother)
Endymion: According to Greek mythology, Endymion was the shepherd son of Aethlius. He was a beautiful young man. He loved Selene, Moon goddess, often known as Diana. He lived on Mount Latmos.  He had a vision of Cynthia,( Selene) the moon goddess. He was so enamoured with her that he decided to seek her through the forest or even under sea.



A Thing of Beauty


A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
‘Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake,
Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.


Word Meanings
1. morrow                     (archaic) morning
2. wreathing                 making wreaths (arrangements of flowers in circular shapes), weaving
3. spite                         hatred
4.  despondence             dejection, depression
5. dearth                       deficiency
6. o’er-darkened ways   sadness, unhappiness
7. pall                           cover/shroud
8. dark spirit                 dejected spirit
9. sprouting                  producing new leaves
10.rills                         small streams
11. cooling covert                     cool shady place

12. brake                                  a thick mass of ferns

13. musk rose                           a rambling (spreading) rose with large white musk-scented flowers
14. grandeur of the dooms         beauty of the judgement days
15. mighty dead                        great ancestors
16. brink                                  door

Style 
This poem is written in rhyming couplets in iambic pentameter (also known as heroic couplets). Rhyming schme is aabbcc…

Poetic Devices

Metaphor
1. …will keep/A bower quite for us (a shady place in garden)
2. sweet dream (happy and pleasant dream)
3. Some shape of beauty… (beautiful things like sun, moon trees etc.)
4. pall (a cover which looks like shroud)
5. endless fountain of immortal drink… (natural beauty and great achievements of heroes of past

Oxymoron
Mighty dead
Transferred epithet
Gloomy days
Alliteration
Noble nature
Some shape
Simple sheep
Cooling covert
Have heard




SUMMARY
This poem is the first stanza of Endymion book one. The first line of the poem is the opening line of Endymion. According to Keats, a thing of beauty is eternal joy. It (beauty) will never fade away into futility in course of time. A beautiful thing acts like a bower, a pleasant place of tree or garden that gives us soothing comfort and helps us sleep peacefully having sweet dreams. It also gives us good health and quiet breathing.

Therefore, every morning we are weaving the wreaths, flower bands to bind us with the beautiful earth. In spite of feeling sad or depressed; or having inhuman quality, lack of nobility; in spite of having gloomy days, having all kinds of unhealthy, dark ways made for us; beautiful shapes and sights remove all these dark elements from our dark spirits and make us happy.
The poet mentions a number of beautiful things (some shapes of beauty) like the sun, the moon, old and young trees spreading their branches to give shade to the sheep. He also mentions the beautiful spectacle of daffodils in the green world and clear streams, which make for a cover of cool shade. In the middle of the forest thicket of fern (brake) with beautiful musk roses is enchanting. All these beautiful elements make us happy.
Apart from beautiful natural elements, the feats of brave men have made them dear to us through the grandeur of their work. All their lovely tales, we have heard or read are the fountain of immortal drink of joy.  All these beautiful things pour that immortal drink into our heart from the heaven.

Think it out
1. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.

Ans.    The Sun
The Moon
Young and old shady trees
Beautiful daffodil flowers
Streams of water running for cool cover
Sparkling forest ferns rich with fragrant musk roses
Tales of great royal ancestors who sacrificed their lives

2. List the things that cause suffering and pain.

Ans.     Hopelessness (despondence)
Lack of noble men (inhuman dearth of human natures)
Ill health
Unhappiness
Gloom
Darkness

3. What does the line, ‘Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to earth’ suggest to you?

Ans Despite experiencing all the unhappiness, every morning we weave beautiful wreaths to bind us together with the earth.

4. What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings?

Ans. Despite despondency and gloominess in our life, we love our life because the things of beauty remove the suffering and bring joy to us.

5. Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead’?

Ans. The great royal ancestors (mighty dead) will always be remembered because of their noble deeds and splendid actions. Their sacrifice, inspiration and brilliance (grandeur) will be always be the fountain of eternal joy for us.

6. Do we experience things of beauty only for short moments or do they make a lasting impression on us?

Ans. According to the poet, the things of beauty have eternal joy for us. It never dwindles into nothingness. In spite of gloomy ruthlessness of life, beautiful memories rejuvenate us.

7. What image does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth?

Ans. The poet uses a visual image to describe an endless fountain of immortal drink that pours on us beautiful memories and refreshing joy. The beautiful elements of nature and inspiring stories of heroes bring those beautiful memories to us.



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