A Thing of Beauty

By John Keats (1795-1821)

 About the Poet

John Keats (born October 31, 1795, London, England—died February 23,
1821, Rome, Italy) 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. The following is an excerpt
from his poem ‘Endymion’ ; A Poetic Romance’. The poem is based
on a Greek legend, in which 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.
 “A Thing of Beauty”

A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Its loveliness increases, 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.
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
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon
 “A Thing of Beauty”
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
‘Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake,
Rich with a sparkling of fair musk-rose blooms;
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

The
End
 Explanation

A beautiful thing is a source of eternal joy, its attractiveness grows with the
passage of time and its impact never fades away. It is as pleasant as a cool quiet
bower or sound sleep with sweet dreams; or robust health and mental peace. It
provides the beholder with a haven of tranquillity and solace. It is the beauty of
nature that keeps us attached to this earth. Every morning we collect fresh lovely
flowers and prepare garlands. The fascination for flowers is our bonding with the
earth. It helps us steer clear of despondency and disappointments. We forget all
our despair, of acute shortage of noble souls, of misfortunes that overtake us to
test our forbearance. Life is full of trials and tribulations and we often find
ourselves in the midst of gloom. It is at such depressing moments that a sight full
of beauty dispels the pall of sadness from our spirits making room for hope and
optimism.
 Explanation

The objects of beauty are countless. These include heavenly bodies like the sun
and the moon, the old and young trees that provide cool shelter to sleep, the
daffodil flowers encased in green leaves, the streams that flow through a shady
passage which they make themselves with plants, and the bushes that bear
fragrant flowers. These simple and even commonplace things lift the human spirit
filling it with joy and delight. In addition to these objects of nature, there are
wonderful tales of our legendary heroes, who lived and died heroically, which
inspire us with their matchless beauty. These beautiful things are metaphorically
an endless source of nectar that pours down to us from heaven bringing eternal
joy for the soul’s grandeur. They are like an elixir of life, a never diminishing source
of pleasure and delight, an endless fountain of joy that seems to be a precious gift
from Heaven.
Analysis
This poem tries to perceive the world through language.
The believes that there are certain things which are
beautiful and worth to be treasured. He points out the
intransient nature of beautiful things. These things leave
a lasting impression on our mind .The pleasure got by
them is not momentary. They are very valuable as they
provide peace to human mind. Life is full of tribulations.
Loss of  faith and disappointment are the result of our own
making. beautiful things make life worthwhile as they lift
the veil of gloom, finding way for optimism and hope.
Analysis
The poet names a few beautiful thing which are simplest of things .
These include sun moon trees etc. even things like sheep daffodils ,
clear springs ,musk roses growing in the wild are things that give
joy and happiness to the human heart. beauties of nature have an
elixir of life . It is like a precious gift from heaven
Prepared By
Prof. Ann Mary