A Thing of Beauty

A Thing of Beauty- by John Keats
Summary :
A Thing of Beauty is about appreciating anything and everything around us. Anything that looks beautiful
is a source of joy for us. A beautiful thing becomes more attractive as we keep enjoying it. The more we
look closely at its beauty, the more we discover its stunning features. We never forget a thing of beauty as
its memory is etched into our minds due to the joy and loveliness received from it. The after-effect of a
beautiful thing is that it will always prove to be a source of happiness and peace, just like a shade under a
tree or a sleep full of sweet dreams. Our lives, as a consequence, will be full of good health and peace.
Humans are connected to nature in a very close way. We participate in various earthly activities to keep
ourselves attached to mother nature. Bonding with nature around us has been compared to wreathing
flowery bands. There are many negative things in our lives, like dealing with hopelessness, encountering
people who are not kind or compassionate by nature and facing various immoral and inhuman activities
that lessen our belief in humanity. Despite acknowledging the presence of these things, a beautiful thing
never fails to uplift our moods. It makes us forget our worries and troubles away.
We can find beauty anywhere if we want to see it. We can find it in ordinary things around us like the sun,
the moon, trees or something as simple as a shade for sheep(simple sheep refers to ordinary human being).
The poet gives more examples to show the richness of beauty around us, like flowers, rills and the mid-
forest brake. He also points out that we can find beauty in places where we generally do not look, like the
reasons and circumstances behind the deaths of mighty heroes and warriors. Beauty exists in intangible
things like the stories that we read or hear.
The poet urges us to see the immense reserve of beauty around us. He calls it an ‘endless fountain of
immortal drink’: ‘endless’ because sources of beauty are limitless and ‘immortal’ to denote the effect of
beauty on our minds. The memory of a beautiful experience is forever. It never dies. We are blessed to
experience beauty in all forms around us. A direct reference to ‘heaven’ has been made to show that God
has provided us with many sources of beauty.
Rhyme scheme used: aa bb.
Figures of speech used
Alliteration: sleep full of sweet dreams,
band to bind,
noble natures,
such the sun ,
sprouting a shady boon for simple sheep

cooling covert
2. Metaphor.
wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the earth
sprouting a shady boon For simple sheep
An endless fountain of immortal drink
3. Enjambment : The continuation of lines without pause, creating a fluid

narrative flow.
– Throughout stanza 1( A thing of beauty…….breathing)
- Throughout stanza 2 ( Therefore on every morrow……..dark spirits)
- Throughout stanza 3 ( Such the sun the moon……….. forest brake)
- Throughout stanza 4 ( Rich with a …………… heaven’s brink)
4. Imagery:
– “A flowery band to bind us to the earth”
- 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”
“Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms”
5. Personification
- That for themselves a cooling covert make” ( Giving human-like actions to
the rills, as they actively create a cooling cover.)
-,Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.”

[The act of pouring is attributed to an inanimate object (the fountain), giving it
human-like qualities.]
A Thing of Beauty- Question Answers
Q1. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.

Ans: Everything of nature is a thing of beauty and a source of pleasure. Some of them are:
the sun, the moon, old and young trees, daffodil flowers, small streams with clear water, mass
of ferns and the blooming musk-roses. All of them are things of beauty. They are a constant
source of joy and pleasure.
Q2. List the things that cause suffering and pain.
Ans: There are many things that cause us suffering and pain. Malice and disappointment are
“the biggest source of our suffering. Another one is the lack of noble qualities. Our unhealthy
and evil ways also give birth to so many troubles and sufferings. They dampen our spirits.
They act as a pall of sadness on our lives.
Q3. What does the line, ‘Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to earth’
suggest to you?
Ans: Keats is a lover of beauty. He employs his senses to discover beauty. The link of man
with nature is eternal. The things of beauty are like wreaths of beautiful flowers. We seem to
weave a flowery band everyday. It keeps us attached to the beauties of this earth.
Q4. What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings?
Ans: There are many things that bring us troubles and sufferings. They dampen our spirits.
However, ‘some shape of beauty1 brings love and happiness in our lives in spite of such
unpleasant things. A thing of beauty removes the pall of sadness and sufferings. It makes us
love life.
Q5. Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead’?

Ans: The mighty dead were very powerful and dominating persons during their own times.
Their achievements made them ‘mighty’ and great. Their noble works dazzle our eyes. We
imagine that such mighty dead forefathers will attain more grandeur on the doomsday. Hence
‘grandeur’ is associated with the ‘mighty dead’.
Q6. Do we experience things of beauty only for short moments or do they make a lasting
impression on us?
Ans: We feel happy by coming into contact with things of beauty. They make a lasting
impression on us. Keats makes it clear at the outset. A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It is a
constant source of joy and pleasure. Its beauty never declines or diminishes. Its loveliness
goes on increasing every moment. Its value remains undiminished. It never passes into
nothingness. It removes the pall of sadness that covers our dark spirits.
Q7, What image does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth?
Ans: John Keats uses a very beautiful image to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth. It is
the endless fountain of immortal drink. It pours constantly into our hearts from heaven. Thus,
the beautiful bounty of the earth is called “an endless fountain of immortal drink.”
Q8.What symbolism has been used in simple sheep ?
Answer: Simple Sheep alludes to ordinary people, and the

poet wishes to emphasize that nature does not discriminate
when it comes to raining its blessings...they are just as
readily available to the simple sheep as they are to those
who profess to have amassed vast wealth.
Sheep is also a sign of divinity in Christianity, as it is
thought that Jesus Christ was a shephered and surrounded
by a flock of sheep when he was crucified.
Reference to context:
A. “Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing …………….n spite of all,
(a)Name the poem and the poet.

(b)Why are we despondent?
(c)What removes the pall from our dark spirits?
(d) What are we doing every day?
Answers:
а)The poet is John Keats. The poem is A Thing of Beauty.

(b)We possess the evil qualities of malice and disappointment. We suffer from the lack of
noble qualities. That is why we feel despondent.
(c) Some beautiful shapes or a thing of beauty removes the pall of sadness from our hearts or
spirits.
(d) We are weaving a flowery wreath of beautiful memories which bind us to the earth.
B. “And such too is the grandeur of the dooms……………heaven’s brink”
a)Name the poetic device used in “ we have heard or read”.

(b)Explain: ‘the grandeur of the dooms’.
(c)What is the thing of beauty mentioned in these lines’?
(d)What image does the poet use in these lines?
Answers:
(а) Alliteration
(b)The magnificence that we imagine for our mighty dead forefathers on the dooms day.
(c)The lovely tales of mighty men are mentioned in these lines.
(d)The poet uses the image of ‘an endless fountain of immortal drink’ to describe the
beautiful bounty of the earth. The earth has bestowed us with sun, moon, flowers, rivers,
greenery etc.

A Thing of Beauty

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

A Thing of Beauty

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

A Thing of Beauty

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

A Thing of Beauty- by John Keats

Rhyme scheme used: aa bb.

Figures of speech used

Alliteration: sleep full of sweet dreams,

such the sun ,

sprouting a shady boon for simple sheep

wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the earth

sprouting a shady boon For simple sheep

An endless fountain of immortal drink

3. Enjambment : The continuation of lines without pause, creating a fluid

- Throughout stanza 2 ( Therefore on every morrow……..dark spirits)

- Throughout stanza 3 ( Such the sun the moon……….. forest brake)

- Throughout stanza 4 ( Rich with a …………… heaven’s brink)

“Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms”

-,Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.”

A Thing of Beauty- Question Answers

Q1. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.

Q5. Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead’?

Q8.What symbolism has been used in simple sheep ?

Answer: Simple Sheep alludes to ordinary people, and the

A. “Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing …………….n spite of all,

(a)Name the poem and the poet.

а)The poet is John Keats. The poem is A Thing of Beauty.

B. “And such too is the grandeur of the dooms……………heaven’s brink”

a)Name the poetic device used in “ we have heard or read”.

You might also like