by John Keats
A great message about how these beautiful natural things can uplift our shattered souls.
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever...”
Answer the following questions:
1) List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.
The sun, the moon, old and young trees, young sprouts, sheep, daffodils, rills (small water streams), forests, musk-rose blooms, and the grandeur of the dooms of the mighty dead.
2) List the things that cause suffering and pain.
- Feeling of despondence (feeling depressed, sad and hopeless)
- Inhuman dearth of noble natures (shortage of good people around us)
- Gloomy days (dark and sad days)
- Unhealthy and over-darkened ways (bad, illegal, unethical ways we do certain things)
3) What does the line, “Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to earth” suggest to you?
No matter how sad we are, the nature will always have a place for us to go and find peace of mind. It will always keep a bower quiet for us. Whenever we are depressed, the beauty of nature will reinvigorate and energize us.
Due to these reasons, in order to get that calmness and peace of mind, we connect ourselves with nature just like a bunch of flowers get connected to one another and form a wreath. Once we bind with nature, we feel blissful. This may also indicate how we collect the memories of good times, and weave them into a wreath to recall during bad times. This would change our mood, and motivate us in life.
4) What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings?
Things of beauty in nature remove the paleness and dullness from our spirits. They lift us from despair to hope. These things of beauty make human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings.
5) Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead’?
Some of the great people in the past laid down or sacrificed their lives for something good. They fought against bad things with bravery and courage. Their stories are written and told through generations, and these stories live forever. Such stories inspire the next generations and make them choose the right path. Therefore, the poet considers these stories of their bravery and sacrifice to be a thing of beauty and associates ‘grandeur’ with them.
6) Do we experience things of beauty only for short moments or do they make a lasting impression on us?
Things of beauty make a lasting impression on us. They are a joy forever. Its loveliness increases, and it will never pass into nothingness.
7) What image does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth?
The earth is rich with resources and things of beauty like rivers, mountains, forests and other natural wonders. As these things last for a very long time compared to human lives, and because they give us a blissful feeling, the poet compares them with an endless fountain of immortal drink that is spilling out from the edge of heaven.
Poem Analysis:
* Rhyme Scheme:
AABBCC...
* Figures of Speech:
1) Alliteration:
band to bind
noble natures
cooling covert
2) Metaphor:
endless fountain (represents rich resources the nature gives us)
3) Symbolism:
simple sheep (sheep here represent human beings, it is a biblical reference according to which God is our shepherd who guides us)
4) Transferred epithet:
gloomy days
5) Oxymoron:
mighty dead
6) Contrast:
the sun, the moon
trees old, and young
cooling covert make against the hot season
7) Imagery:
flowery band
green world
fair musk-rose blooms
fountain of immortal drink
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