A THING OF BEAUTY ppt2-1.pptx

Excellent notes of a thing of beauty

1. A THING OF BEAUTY BY JOHN KEATS THEME: Nature is an endless treasure of beauty and a perpetual source of joy A Thing of Beauty  is a poem written by the famous romantic poet,  John Keats . The poem tells about how nature and its wonder mesmerize us and take away all the sorrow that surrounds us from time to time .

2. Romantic poet : Keat

3. ENDYMION AN EPIC Endymion is an epic poem in English. This poem by Keats is based on the Greek mythology of Endymion, the shepherd beloved by the moon goddess Selene. We see an elaboration of the original story and the moon Goddess Selene is named as “Cynthia”. The poem equates Endymion’s original romantic ardor with a more universal quest for a self-destroying transcendence in which he might achieve a blissful personal unity with all creation. Endymion begins with the famous lines: ‘A Thing of beauty….

4. 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.

5. Very simply put, yet poetic, Keats describes a thing of beauty as emanating joy forever. Its beauty only increases and it will never cease. The everlasting beautiful sight of beautiful things is stored in our memory. They give us peace, just like a quiet shady place gives us a sleep full of sweet dreams. The benefits proffered by a thing of beauty are listed as giving sound rest with good dreams and well-being, as it provides us tranquility and mental peace.

6. BOWER

7. POETIC DEVICES Literary devices: Rhyme scheme : aabbc (forever, never, keep, sleep, breathing) Alliteration : Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series (Sleep-Sweet) Metaphor : bower Quiet (calmness of the bower is compared to the calming effect of a beautiful thing) 

8. 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…

9. The earth minus the beautiful things is a despondent, spiteful place thriving in callous insensitive dearth and is harsh toward human beings. All the beautiful memories of our sweet dreams help us to strengthen our bond with Earth. Therefore, every morning we prepare a wreath of flowers that binds us to Earth more strongly . Every day human beings face gloomy days packed with unhealthy spite and darkness. Hopelessness, sadness and lack of noble ways are a part of human life. However, in spite of all, a thing of beauty helps remove the dark cloud that burdens our souls. Hence, the poet says that we – human beings – each day create an ornate band, made of all the lovely things we see. This band keeps us bound to the despondent earth – as we would otherwise be hopeless. They remove the veil of gloom, bringing about hope and optimism.

10. POETIC DEVICES Imagery : creating a sensory effect of beautiful things lined up in a string ( A flowery band to bind us) Alliteration : Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series (‘b’ in Band Bind, ‘n’ in Noble nature, ‘s’ in some shape). Anaphora : Use of same word in two consecutive lines (of noble natures- Of all the unhealthy) moves away the pall-Metaphor Transferred Epithet : gloomy days   Inversion : normal order of words is reversed ( Are we wreathing a flowery band)  

11. … Such the sun, the moon, Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon 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;

12. This closing paragraph simply tells us some of the beautiful things on Earth. After all, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder – Everyone can highlight something beautiful in anything. The examples cited by the poet are as such: the sun, the moon, trees, flowers, streams, musk-rose blooms, architectural sepulchers, even fairy tales or heroic legends. All these are eternal sources of joy. The  ‘simple sheep’  are human beings – the poet sympathizes with the innocence of human beings. Keats sees the beauty in innocent humans seeking solace in nature, and Mother Nature in its own way sprouts a shady abode of relief and consolation. The expression ‘Lily of the valley’ is quite well known and rouses images of a delicate lone white flower holding up its head amidst a setting of thorns and barbs and everything contrary in nature to delicateness – so too are the daffodils mentioned in the poem.

13. POETIC DEVICES Alliteration : Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series (‘s’ in Sprouting Shady, Simple sheep, ‘c’ in cooling covert) 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)

14. 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.

15. The poet also sees beauty in the death of martyrs and legends.  ‘The mighty dead’  are those martyrs who have died bravely for a cause. We honor them by erecting magnificent, grand sepulchers in which beauty is seen. The stories about our ancestors are deemed as heroic and mighty. If one looks around, there are innumerable beautiful things to notice –they have a sublime effect on human spirit- they seem to flow immortally as a fountain, from the gods above to help the pitiable human beings to cope with the harshness of life. All beautiful tings are like an endless fountain from the heavens, sent by God himself, so that mankind may enjoy these precious gifts.

16. POETIC DEVICES Rhyme scheme is used in every stanza of the poem (forever; never, keep; sleep, dead; read etc.) Alliteration : Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series (‘h’ in have heard) Metaphor : Immortal drinks ( beautiful objects of nature are forever like a neverending portion of a Imagery -Drink

17. 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) endless fountain of immortal Drink – Imagery immortal Drink – Metaphor endless fountain – Hyperbole

18. Heroic tales

19. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem. The Sun The Moon Shady trees Beautiful daffodil –flowers Streams of water Dense green bushes of forest ferns where fragrant musk roses grow Tales of heroic men who sacrifice their live

20. List the things that cause suffering and pain. Desire to offend others Hopelessness Lack of noble men Bad health Unhappiness Gloom Darkness

21. THANK YOU