ANSWERS AND ANALYSIS "A THING OF BEAUTY" CBSE – CLASS – XII

ABOUT THE 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 –

i)
To
autumn

ii)
Ode
to a nightingale

iii)
On
first Looking into Chapman’s Homer

iv)
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.

A THING OF BEAUTY

STRUCTURE OF THE 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, with sound sleep, with sweet dreams, good health and ease of
breathing. It gives us the perfect equilibrium that we long for. It assures us
complete well being for us.

Poetic – Device in use –

i)
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:-

i)
Inversion
………are we wreathing”

ii)
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 low spirit, loss of hope and lacuna of human values. We all face
gloomy, dejected period filled with unhealthy and darkness. And in spite of all
these only beauty removes the covering the darkness of our liner souls.

Poetic Device in use

i) Enjambment
……………..dearth o of noble natures.

ii)
Anaphora – of noble ……………of all the ……………..

iii) Alliteration – Some

“…………………………such the sun, the moon

The poet tells that beauty lies in nature. One must be able 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 the examples of beauty. He even shows 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 noble cause and meeting the doomsday even make us feel beauty. In
the concluding couplet, the poet compares this beauty to a fountain which is
initiated from the 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:-

I)
ANTITHESIS
– Old and young

II)
Alliteration
– cooking covert, simple sheep, have heard.