"Ode On A Grecian Urn" by John Keats: Bs English Semester Iv

“Ode on a Grecian Urn”
by John Keats
BS ENGLISH
SEMESTER IV
Summary
 The poem opens as the speaker addresses the Grecian urn

to describes and ask about the scenes on the urn. They are
described to be immortal and ever beautiful. Although they
are beautiful scenes and will never fade, they are still not
alive and can’t experience the joys of life. The world that the
urn depicts is frozen and the world that surrounds it
continues to prosper in life. The confusing scene of the
sacrifice reinforces that the urn doesn’t hold up to the
expectations of the real world. The final stanza displays the
shift as the speaker states that “beauty is truth and truth is
beauty” for that is all he needs to know in order to be
successful on Earth.
Time period and style
 The poem is from the romantic time period.
The style of the poem is iambic pentameter so each

line consists of ten syllables.
Theme
Eternal beauty and wisdom are often sought after

although they are not obtainable.
Stanza I
In Stanza I, Keats establishes the urn to be a wise

and ancient “Sylvan historian” who expresses flowery
tales. The author primarily focuses on using imagery
to connote the urn’s characteristics and the images it
displays. Keats also directly addresses the urn asking
it rhetorical questions establishing mystery about the
urn. This mysteriousness is also seen as an imperfect
aloofness. The urn is described as haunting as the
unanswered questions about the scenes depicted still
weigh on Keats mind.
Stanza II
In Stanza II, Keats again focuses on imagery to

convey his message. Keats describes a scene of a
piper playing a love song and sees the urn to be so
beautiful that the piper’s song falls on his spirit
instead of his ears. However, the author recognizes
the faults of the serene setting. Though the piper’s
love is forever beautiful, he will never hold her or
kiss her. Forever will the piper love her and forever
will she be fair but he will never have bliss.
Stanza III
Stanza III takes the ideas mentioned in the first two

stanzas to describe the life one the urn as one without
disappointment and suffering. The repetition of
“happy” reinforces that the urn has a positive lifestyle
where everything remains the same. The “paintings”
on the urn are “forever young” as the world of art is
eternal. The “happy methodist’s” songs will continue
forever because the more music the more love. The
speaker says love in the real world is imperfect in
contrast to the “warm” “young” love on the urn.
Stanza IV
Stanza IV focuses on the life experiences as a

community rather than the individual life described
in stanza III. The poet portrays three possible
locations that the town could exist where the
sacrifice would take place. The silent town displays
pain which relates to the pain of the “lowing” cow
prior to its sacrifice. Moreover, this presents a theme
of pain in suffering which contrasts the happy theme
in stanza III.
Stanza V
Stanza V begins with a shift as the poem alters towards an

excited tone from the previous mellow tone. There is a
plethora of plant imagery of the urn. In stanza V, the urn is
depicted as having “forest branches” and “trodden weed”
which choke the poem with myriad vegetation. They depict
the urn as being crowded and chaotic. Stanza V utilizes
diction that portrays that even after the current generation
the urn will always be around to assist in any problems.
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty…” The two are one in the
same and go hand in hand. Truth and beauty can only be
felt and are not tangible. The urn emits these necessities.
Essay Organization
Thesis: Keats, in his “Ode on a Grecian Urn” utilizes figurative language,

as well as structure to create his message that although often sought
after, eternal beauty is unobtainable.
Topic Sentence: Feelings of happiness are evoked as the poet compares

aspects of life on the urn to life in reality to convey that although
beautiful the images on the urn lack life and are empty.
Through the use of imagery, Keats introduces readers to an urn
depicting scenes of love frozen in time but never blissful, building his
message of unobtainable eternal beauty.
Keats establishes a sense of chaos and complication at the end of the
poem in order to establish his message that the urn will perpetually be
around to assist generations in problems and display that truth is
beauty and beauty is truth.
Poem Annotation

"Ode On A Grecian Urn" by John Keats: Bs English Semester Iv

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“Ode on a Grecian Urn”

 The poem opens as the speaker addresses the Grecian urn

 The poem is from the romantic time period.

The style of the poem is iambic pentameter so each

Eternal beauty and wisdom are often sought after

In Stanza I, Keats establishes the urn to be a wise

In Stanza II, Keats again focuses on imagery to

Stanza III takes the ideas mentioned in the first two

Stanza IV focuses on the life experiences as a

Stanza V begins with a shift as the poem alters towards an

Thesis: Keats, in his “Ode on a Grecian Urn” utilizes figurative language,

Topic Sentence: Feelings of happiness are evoked as the poet compares

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