A Thing Of Beauty Poem Class 12 English Author And Poem Analysis
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English
Poet: John Keats
Born: 31 October 1795, London, Great Britain
Died: 23 February 1821, Rome.
John Keats is regarded as one of the best poets of second-generation Romantic poets.
Notable Works
- To autumn
- Ode to a nightingale
- On first Looking into Chapman’s Homer
- Ode on a Grecian urn.
A Thing Of Beauty – The First Stanza Of Endymion
John Keats had published Endymion in 1818. It is written in rhyming couplets in Iambic Pentameter. Keats wrote the poem on the Greek myth Endymion. Endymion was a handsome Aeolian shepherd who used to reside on Mount Latmus. Selene, the mood goddess loved Endymion. She believed him to be so beautiful that she requested Endymion’s father, Zeus, to grant him eternal youth so that she could stay with him forever. There goes another story which says that Selene loved how Endymion looked when he was asleep. So she entreated Zeus that Endymion remains in that way. However Zeus granted the wish and put Endymion to eternal sleep. Every night Selene visited him where he slept.
A Thing Of Beauty – Preacher Of Beauty
Through the poem John Keats vehemently supports the eternal state of beauty and its positive facets. The poem acquaints us how beautiful things play an important role in our lives – the poem expresses how beauty brings us near the endless joy. It never stops but it goes on increasing. The poet talks about the beauty in the sun, moon, trees, sheep, daffodils, streams, flowers etc. The poet even relates us with the beauty of stories of dead people. He opines that beauty is like an endless fountain which is being poured from heaven.
Structure Of ‘A Thing Of Beauty’ Poem
A Thing of Beauty is written in rhyming couplets and the poem is in Iambic Pentameter,. The poem is the book-I of Endymion consisting 24 lines. The poem is adorn with poetic devices like alliteration, enjambment, Anaphora, inversion etc.
A Thing Of Beauty Line By Line Explanation
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
Its loveliness increases.”
The poet John Keats in a lucid language states that a thing which is beautiful is always a matter of joy, mirth and happiness. It never stops or gets less. It always goes on increasing.
“——————-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.”
A thing of beauty will always remain relevant, important attractive. It ever goes empty. It provides us with peaceful shelter, sound sleep, sweet dreams, good health, and ease of breathing. It gives us the perfect equilibrium that we long for. It assures us complete well-being.
Poetic Device in use
It will never ………………..pass into (enjambment)
“Therefore or every
morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery bond to bind us to the earth.”
As a thing of beauty is never ceasing and beautiful forever, on every next morning we go on weaving beautiful memories to bind us to this earth.
Poetic Device in use
- “Inversion ………are we wreathing”
- Alliteration – “ to the”
“Spite of despondence, of the in human dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and over darkened ways
Made for our searching. Yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.”
We are all always dejected and disappointed because of our low spirit, loss of hope, and lacuna of human values. We all face gloomy, dejected periods filled with unhealthy and darkness. And in spite of all these only beauties removes the covering the darkness of our liner souls.
Poetic Device in use
- Enjambment ……………..dearth o of noble natures.
- Anaphora – of noble ……………of all the ……………..
- Alliteration – Some “…………………………such the sun, the moon
The poet tells that beauty lies in nature. One must be able to find those. He says that beauty lies in the sun, the moon, trees old and young which provides shelter and blessings for humans (simple sheep). He further says that daffodils which live in the world of green plants and the small rivers which cool the bushy thickets in the hot season are examples of beauty. He even shows the beauty of the brakes which are enhanced by the enchanting musk roses. Even we find beauty in the deaths of martyrs and legends. The stories of the martyrs who died bravely for a noble cause and meeting the doomsday even make us feel beautiful. In the concluding couplet, the poet compares this beauty to a fountain that is initiated from heaven’s corner. This beauty is as if a message of God. The fountain runs immortally producing heavenly nectar to the people for their peace, happiness and enabling the strength to fight the odds of life.
Poetic Device in Use
- ANTITHESIS – Old and young
- Alliteration – cooking covert, simple sheep, have heard.