A Thing of Beauty – John Keats
Poem
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,
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
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 sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.
— John Keats
About the Poet
John Keats (1795 – 1821) was a British Romantic poet. Although trained to be a surgeon, Keats decided to devote himself wholly to poetry. His secret power lies in his ability to perceive the world deeply and express emotions through rich language.
“A Thing of Beauty” is an excerpt from his poem Endymion: A Poetic Romance, based on a Greek legend. In it, Endymion, a beautiful young shepherd and poet from Mount Latmos, dreams of Cynthia, the Moon Goddess. Enchanted, he sets out to find her, wandering through forests and beneath the sea.
Glossary
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bower (n): shelter under the shade of trees
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wreathing (v): covering, surrounding, or encircling something
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pall (n): covering
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rills (n): clear streams
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sprinkling (v): falling in fine drops
B. Choose the Correct Answers
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According to the poet, a thing of beauty is _________.
Answer: (a) a joy forever -
Beautiful things never “pass into nothingness” means that they _________.
Answer: (c) never fade away -
“Will keep a bower quiet for us” means _________.
Answer: (a) will give us peace and calm -
Of all the unhealthy means _________.
Answer: (c) suffering -
The sun, moon, trees, old and young are the things that _________.
Answer: (b) remove the pall of gloom from our lives
C. Answer the Following
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How is a thing of beauty a joy forever?
A thing of beauty is a joy forever because it is a source of endless joy, and its eternal beauty never fades away. -
Why do we suffer?
Over-attachments to earthly things are like traps that bind us to materialism and keep us away from eternal happiness. Hence, we suffer. -
According to the poet, mention the evil things we possess.
The evil things we possess are hatred, greed, and negativity.
D. Figure of Speech
Alliteration
Repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words in a series.
Examples:
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wild wind
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curious clock
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splendid scholar
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memorable moments
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creepy crawlies
Imagery
Imagery helps readers visualize what is being described. It appeals to the five senses—sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
Examples:
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It was dark and cloudy in the woods.
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The boys were screaming and shouting in the playground.
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The mountain was spewing and spitting the smoke.
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The sauce was sweet and sour.
Poem Comprehension and Poetic Devices
1.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness;
(a) What is a joy forever?
→ A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
(b) What are its qualities?
→ Its loveliness increases and it never fades away.
2.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
(a) What are we wreathing everyday?
→ We are wreathing a flowery band every day.
(b) Why do we wreath a flowery band?
→ We wreathe it to bind us to the earth.
3.
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink
(a) What is the immortal drink?
→ All the beautiful things are like nectar, which is immortal.
(b) From where does the immortal drink pour?
→ It pours on us from heaven.
(c) Identify the figure of speech.
→ Metaphor: Immortal drink.
4.
Full of sweet dreams and health, and quiet breathing
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
Pick out the rhyming words:
→ Breathing – Wreathing
5.
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.
What is the rhyming scheme of these lines?
→ a a b b
6.
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
What is the literary device used here?
→ Imagery — the poet helps us visualize a flowery band binding us to the earth.
7.
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
Which are the words alliterated here?
→ simple – sheep – such
8.
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Identify the figure of speech:
→ Metaphor – The calmness of a bower is compared to the calming effect of a beautiful thing.
9.
That for themselves a cooling covert make
Identify the figure of speech:
→ Alliteration – That - themselves; cooling - covert
Short Questions and Answers
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What is a bower?
→ A bower is a pleasant shady place under trees or climbing plants. -
List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.
→ The Sun, the Moon, shady trees, daffodil flowers, streams of water, and dense green forests. -
What do the flowing streams do to us?
→ The flowing streams cool and refresh us in the hot summer. -
How are the beautiful things?
→ They are like a fountain of immortality bestowed upon us by God. -
What is a rill?
→ A rill is a small clear stream.
Paragraph Questions and Answers
1. What is the central idea of the poem A Thing of Beauty?
Beauty is a heavenly tonic or drink—an endless fountain of nectar. This beauty comes in many forms: a tale, poem, play, a lovely object of nature, or heavenly bodies. It soothes our spirits and gives us health, sound sleep, and mental peace. Beauty removes sadness from our lives and brings everlasting joy. Thus, beauty is a divine gift of God to all humanity.
2. Do the things of beauty make a lasting impression on us?
Yes, they do. We feel happy when we come into contact with things of beauty. They leave a lasting impression on our minds. Keats begins the poem by stating that a thing of beauty is a joy forever. It remains a constant source of happiness and pleasure. Its beauty never diminishes or declines; its loveliness increases with time. It removes the pall of sadness that darkens our spirits and fills our hearts with joy and peace.
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