A Thing of Beauty

1
Describe the kind of joy a beautiful thing provides.

Anything that is beautiful provides us an unending, everlasting and

eternal joy. It leaves an indelible imprint on our heart and soul. We
love to relive the memories of that joyous experience whenever it
flashes back in our mind.
2 Why does a thing of beauty not pass into ‘nothingness’?

A thing, the memory of which provides us eternal joy, will never fade
away. The loveliness of a beautiful object does not fade away or die
out because it leaves an indelible imprint on our heart and soul.
3 Explain, ‘wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the earth’.:
Keats feels that every morning we weave a beautiful string of flowers
or memories which help us support ourselves and motivate us to live
our life to the fullest, instead of burdening our lives with pain and
suffering.
4 Why is there an ‘inhuman dearth of noble natures’?
In these days, there are few people who are noble in character and
who rise above petty differences by being magnanimous and
generous. There is a dearth of such noble souls on our earth; as man
is selfish and self-centred.
5 What are ‘unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways’?

The unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways refer to the trials and

tribulations of life, the selfish and jealous methods we adopt to
achieve our goals.
6 Explain, ‘spite of despondence’.

It means despite the existence of gloom and darkness around.

7 How is ‘tree’ a perfect example of a beautiful thing?
The tree bears the heat of the sun to give shade and coolness to
anyone who seeks shade and rest under its branches. Its greatness is
a degree greater because it gives shade not only to the mighty ones,
but also to the simplest of the animals, such as sheep.
8 What does ‘simple sheep’ symbolise?
Sheep and lamb are envisioned as symbols of innocence and serene
beauty. Jesus Christ was a shepherd and was surrounded by his flock
of sheep, his followers. Keats has made special reference to the
sheep as symbols of divine beauty.
9 What does Keats mean by ‘an endless fountain of immortal drink’?

Beauty, according to Keats, is a perennial source of motivation and

inspiration. He considers it an endless fountain from which mankind
can drink the elixir of life.
10 Explain, ‘pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink’.

Beauty, Keats says, has been showered upon us from the heaven by
God as the greatest gift to man. This eternal and everlasting beauty
is a perennial source of gaiety, which is eternal and everlasting.

Poetic devices

 Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which

are close in series (Sleep-Sweet)
 (‘b’ in Band Bind, ‘n’ in Noble nature, ‘s’ in some shape).
 (‘s’ in Sprouting Shady, Simple sheep, ‘c’ in cooling covert)
 (‘h’ in have heard)

Metaphor: bower Quiet (calmness of the bower is compared to the

calming effect of a beautiful thing)

 Metaphor: wreathing a flowery band (the beautiful things of our life

bind us to the earth)

 Anaphora: Use of same word in two consecutive lines (of noble natures-
Of all the unhealthy)
 Imagery: creating a sensory effect of beautiful things lined up in a string
(A flowery band to bind us)
 Inversion: normal order of words is reversed (Are we wreathing a
flowery band)
  Imagery: Trees giving shade (sprouting shady boon), growing process of
daffodils (daffodils with the green world they live in), Clean River
streams (Clear rills)
 Antithesis: opposite words placed together (old and young)
 Metaphor: Immortal drinks (beautiful objects of nature are forever like a
never-ending portion of a drink)
 Rhyme: Rhyme scheme is used in every stanza of the poem (forever;
never, keep; sleep, dead; read etc.)
 Imagery: Bushes full of musk roses (sprinkling of fair musk rose blooms),
books describing valor of fighters (grandeur-. mighty dead), God
providing us with best things (pouring from the heaven’s brink)

Additional questions

1 How can mighty dead be things of beauty?

“Mighty dead” are beautiful things in that they have inspirational actions in
their lives, which are read about and been told. Their stories and legends
continue captivating readers.

2 Do we experience things of beauty only for short moments or do they

make a lasting impression on us?

Answer: We feel happy by coming into contact with things of beauty. They
make a lasting impression on us. Keats make it clear at the outset. A thing of
beauty is a joy forever. Therefore, this is a constant source of joy and pleasure.
Its beauty never declines or diminishes and its loveliness goes on increasing
every moment. Thus, its value remains undiminished. It never passes into
nothingness and hence removes the pall of sadness that covers our dark
spirits.

3 Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead’?

Answer: The mighty dead were very powerful and dominating people 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’.

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

Answer: There are many things that bring us troubles and suffering. 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 suffering. It makes us love life.

5 What does the line, ‘Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to

bind us to earth’ suggest to you?

Answer: 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 every day. It keeps us
attached to the beauties of this earth.

6 List the things that cause suffering and pain.

Answer: There are many things that cause us suffering and pain. Malice and
disappointment are the biggest sources 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 and act as a pall of sadness on
our lives.