( Please note : The notes here are for a quick recapitulation of the poem and can’t replace a

thorough reading of the same. Using value points from your self-reading and class discussions
in addition will complete them.)
Poem 4

A THING OF BEAUTY : John Keats (1795-1821)

John Keats was a British Romantic poet. Although trained to be a surgeon, Keats decided to
devote himself wholly to poetry. Keats' secret, his power to sway and delight the readers, lies
primarily in his gift for perceiving the world and living his moods and aspirations in terms of
language.

THEME: Beauty, in different forms, is a perpetual source of joy ,soothes our spirits, removes
sadness from our lives, giving us hope and happiness.

Main Points:

> Based on a Greek legend, the poem is an excerpt from 'Endymion : A Poetic Romance’.
Endymion, a beautiful young shepherd and poet who lived on Mount Latmos, had a vision of
Cynthia, the Moon Goddess. The enchanted youth resolved to seek her out and so wandered
away through the forest and down under the sea.

> According to the poet, a beautiful thing is a constant source of joy. Its loveliness only
increases.

> It gives sweet dreams and peaceful sleep, fine breathing and good health. Hence , a boon to
all.

> We are surrounded, at times, by dejection and disappointment in life. Ignoble qualities in
others make our life gloomy and miserable resulting in suffering and pain. A thing of beauty
removes the gloom (sadness) from our spirits.
> The sight of nature such as- the sun, the moon, young and old trees shading innocent sheep,
clear streams of water, daffodils (a flower), musk-rose and forest thickets -make our lives sweet,
soothing and happy.

> This beauty is also experienced in the grandeur of the dooms that we have imagined for our
powerful dead forefathers - Doom-refers to the ruins of the great monuments or deeds of the
legendary heroes.
- The incessant beauty of nature,noble heroes, lovely tales is pouring unto us from heaven’s
brink.

Lines : ‘A thing of beauty...and quiet breathing.’

Meaning ... A thing of beauty is a perennial source of joy. It never diminishes, and its appeal
seldom wanes. Like an eternal source of ebullience, it soothes our nerves, makes our place of
living joyful, and fills us with beautiful dreams during our sleep. Like a reinvigorating balm, it
makes us healthy, blissful.

Lines : ‘Therefore, on every morrow, ...o'er-darkened ways’

Meaning ...Living on earth is not a bed of roses. Life often gets mired in sorrows, frustrations,
and despair. In order to dispel such dark clouds of doom, the earth has its oasis. The myriad
things of beauty that the earth is dotted with are like garlands of flower that bind us to the earth.
Without these, life will be barren and insufferable. These beautiful objects provide us with the
much-needed respite and solace.

Lines : ‘Made for our searching: yes, ...blooms;’

Meaning ...Sadly, many of the beautiful things on earth play hide-and-seek with us. This is rather
tragic. However, they reappear and we can again bask in their bliss. The glow of sun, the moon
is always beautiful. The young, old trees make a shade for innocent, sheep offering us great
delight. The daffodils blossom in the green of nature. In the middle of forest, ferns grow,
beautiful with musk - rose plant in bloom interwoven. The clear water of small streams makes a
cool hiding place against the heat of season. It provides a shelter against the summer heat.

Lines : ‘And such too…. brink’

The power and awe of the Nature's pang of destruction is inevitable. We have all heard and
experienced the inexorable dance of gloom, doom and destruction. It is an integral part of the
life on earth. However, the fountain of life and happiness never dries up.There is beauty even in
the ruins of magnificent monuments of the past, the noble heroes who sacrificed their lives for
the good of others. We have all heard stories of regeneration, joy, and optimism. This is
because the Heaven pours an unending stream of nectar onto the earth, to sustain life, vitality
and happiness for us all.

Poetic devices/ figures of speech -

Alliteration: noble natures; cooling covert; band to bind

Symbol: simple sheep refers to mankind as Christ is the shepherd

Rhyme Scheme: aa bb cc
Metaphor: Heaven's brink, Bower quiet, Sweet dreams, Flowery band, Unhealthy and over
darkened ways, The pall, Dark spirits. Endless fountain of immortal drink.

Transferred Epithet : Unhealthy and over darkened ways, Gloomy days

Personification : Shape of beauty

Images and Symbols: All the senses are involved---- bower, flowery band, the sun, the moon
Trees old and young, green world, musk-rose etc.

1.Questions based on extracts :

a)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.

Questions:

(i) What do we wreathe on every morrow?

(ii) Why do we wreathe it?
(iii) What do you understand by the inhuman dearth of noble nature?
(iv) What is the poetic device used in 'noble natures?"

Answers:

(i) We wreathe a flowery band of beauty every morrow

(ii) To connect with nature
(iii) Lack of great human qualities of head and heart eg. compassion, patience, love, generosity
etc.
(iv) Alliteration

b) Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;

And such too is the grandeur of 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.

Questions:
(i) What is rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose?
(ii) What is the meaning of grandeur?
(iii) Which ‘lovely tales’ are referred to here?
(iv) What comes to us from the heaven's brink?

Answers:

(i) The thick mass of green ferns in forest or nature

(ii) Glory, magnificence
(iii) Inspiring stories of noble people, legendary heroes that we have heard or read.
(iv)An endless fountain of immortal drink of beauty .

c) 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.

(i) Name the poem and the poet.

(b) What are the things of beauty mentioned in these lines?
(c) What image does Keats use here to convey that beauty is everlasting ?
(d) What is the 'immortal drink’ in these lines?

Answer.(a) The poem is 'A thing of beauty’ and the poet is John Keats.
(b) The things of beauty mentioned in these lines are the magnificent ruins that still reflect the
splendour of their past, the stories celebrating the glory of our powerful ancestors, which we
have read or heard.
(c) The poet uses the image of an endless fountain' coming down to us from heaven. According
to him, nature and other beautiful things around us are like a gift from God, which give us infinite
delight and Joy.
(d) The immortal drink here refers to beauty, in all respects, as it gives us joy that is everlasting,
one that will never come to an end.

Short Answer Type Questions Marks (30-40 words)

Question. I. How do beautiful things help us to live a happy life?

Answer. We derive comfort and happiness when we look at objects of beauty, and the lasting
impression they leave on our minds is a source of permanent joy. Beautiful things bind us to the
Earth and help us strengthen our relationship with nature. They provide us relief from our
everyday trials and tribulations, and help us live a happy life.
Question 2. What does Keats consider an endless fountain of immortal drink ? Why does he call
the drink immortal?
Answer. Keats considers beauty as an endless fountain of immortal drink. He calls this drink
immortal as the pleasure and delight given by it never passes into nothingness. It only increases
with time.

Question.3. According to Keats, what spreads the pall of despondence over our spirits? How
is it removed ?
Answer. John Keats says that pain and suffering are a part of life. We suffer from sadness, dark
spirits, scarcity of human values among people, disappointments in life. Still, we can find hope.
The hope and motivation come from nature, heroic people , and remove the pall of
despondence from our spirits. The beautiful sights, tales of heroism give us inspiration to
continue the journey of life.

Question. 4. How does a thing of beauty provide shelter and comfort?

Answer. A thing of beauty provides shelter and comfort in many ways. It is like a bower, a place
under the shade of a tree where we can rest. It gives us a sleep filled with sweet dreams. The
streams and forests provide a cooling covert for us in the hot weather.

Question 5 :How is a thing of beauty a joy forever?

Answer. A thing of beauty is a joy forever because it is an eternal source of joy and inspiration. It
leaves a lasting impression on us. The pleasure and happiness given by it never fades away but
keeps on increasing.

Question 6. What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings?
Answer. Human beings suffer from hopelessness and sadness. Life’s struggles, frustrations
often makes us hopeless and grim. We at times also suffer due to the self-centred and wicked
nature of others. In spite of all our troubles and sufferings, we are able to derive pleasure from
our surroundings, and are motivated by the beautiful stories of our mighty, noble heroes.They
help us shed our gloom, give us a glimmer of hope, and make us love life amidst all troubles.

Question. 7. Why is grandeur associated with the mighty dead?

Answer. The mighty dead are those who have laid down their lives for a great or noble cause.
Their death is replete with intellectual and spiritual beauty. Birth, growth and decay, all are
inseparable.The ‘mighty dead refers to those great men and warriors who glorified death by
embracing it most gracefully and bravely.The poet refers to ‘mighty dead’ because beauty can
be seen not only in birth and growth , but also in a magnificent death.

Question 8..What ‘lovely tales’ have we ‘heard or read’?

Answer. A glorified and magnificent death gets recorded in the leaves of history, leaving an
indelible imprint on it. It remains an everlasting source of motivation to all those who read or
hear about such great men who achieved glory in death. Their death is grand or beautiful
because it makes them immortal through the grand tombs and memorials erected in their
honour.They continue to inspire other human beings even after death.
Question.9. What is the message of the poem- A thing of beauty?
Answer. The message of the poem 'A thing of beauty is that beautiful things are a source of
constant joy and inspiration. They give us eternal pleasure and leave an indelible image on our
minds and, therefore, every beautiful thing and aspect is worth being treasured.

Question 10.. What is the endless fountain and what is its effect?
Answer. Here beauty has been referred to as an endless fountain', which is an eternal source of
motivation, an elixir of life and a precious gift from heaven. It gives us infinite pleasure and
delight, and motivates us to continue our journey of life. Although human life is given a mortal
span, there are innumerable things of beauty that are an immortal , everlasting source of joy,
inspiration for all human beings.

Question. 11. What images does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the Earth ?
Answer. The poet uses the image of an endless fountain, which showers bounties on Earth. He
calls this an 'immortal drink’ from heaven. The sun, the moon, the trees, the daffodils, the lush
green forests and streams, the lovely tales of noble people- all reflect the beautiful bounties
which God has given us.

Question 12. .What does the line, "Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to
earth suggest to you?
Answer. We weave a pretty band which binds us with our life on Earth. Here beautiful and
pleasant things - in nature, human relations , dreams and actions- have been referred to as
flowery bands. It is only those things which have beauty of some or the other kind that bind us to
this Earth, or in a way, keep us going. Every beautiful thing is like a band that ties us to this
earth as it makes us want to live and enjoy these things of beauty

Question 13.. Explain : ‘.. will keep a bower quiet for' us, and a sleep full of sweet dreams’ ?
Answer. A thing of beauty gives us a quiet bower to rest peacefully, and a blissful sleep full of
pleasant dreams. It soothes us and gives us tranquility.

Question 14. . What does the reference ‘simple sheep’ symbolize?

Answer. Lambs and sheep are envisioned as the embodiments of innocent and serene beauty.
Jesus Christ, as an apostle of peace, was a shepherd and was seen surrounded by his flock of
sheep , his followers. The poet has made specific reference to the sheep as symbols of ‘divine
beauty’.

Questions for Practice :

A.Answer the following in about 30-40 words each :

1.How do we bind ourselves to earth every morning?
2.In hot season, how do men and beasts get comfort?
3. What spread the pall of despodence over our dark spirits? How is it removed ?
4. What is the message of the poem?

B. Answer the following in about 120-150 words :

1.How does Keats describe the troubles and sufferings in human life on one hand, and the
everlasting beauty in it, on the other? Refer to the poem to substantiate your answer.
2. Do you think the poem sees beauty in life as well as death, destruction? Justify your answer
with textual evidence.