Ode to a Grecian Urn

Ode to a Grecian Urn

Thou still unravished bride of quietness,
Thou foster child of silence and slow time,
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:
What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape
Of deities or mortals, or of both,
In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?
What men or gods are these? What maidens loath?
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?
What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endeared,
Pipe to the spirit dities of no tone.
Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave
Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;
Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss,
Though winning near the goal---yet, do not grieve;
She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss
Forever wilt thou love, and she be fair!

Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;
And, happy melodist, unweari-ed,
Forever piping songs forever new;
More happy love! more happy, happy love!
Forever warm and still to be enjoyed,
Forever panting, and forever young;
All breathing human passion far above,
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloyed,
A burning forehead, and a parch tongue.

Who are these coming to the sacrifice?
To what green altar, O mysterious priest,
Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,
And all her silken flanks with garland dressed?
What little town by river or sea shore,
Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,
Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?
And, little town, thy streets for evermore
Will silent be; and not a soul to tell
Why thou art desolate, can e'er return.

O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede
Of marble men and maidens overwrought,
With forest branches and the trodden weed;
Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought
As doth eternity. Cold Pastoral!
When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty"---that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

Initial Impression-

The poem is very melodic throughout. The poet, John Keats, seems to continually praise a Grecian Urn, while describing it enthusiastically, saying “O Attic Shape! Fair attitude. ” The art, which is the Grecian Urn, is depicted vividly by Keats. Keats’ describes various types of images he sees on the Urn as well as the emotions the Urn cause him to outpour. The melodies that the mute Urn are much better than music, which is composed of melodies one can only hear. However, Keats acknowledges that these melodies from the Urn are “sweet, not to the sensual year.” Rather, he says, the melodies of the Urn are “more endearing,” suggesting that the unspoken melodies are in hearts of the viewers and leave and indelible impression on the viewers. Further, the poem is simply describing Keats’ response to the Urn, an object Keats sees as fine art. The Urn represents the beauty of artwork, and the ode represents the appreciation, in words, we should have for beauty.

Paraphrase-

The unperturbed bride of being silent,

It is the adapted child of silence and causes time to slow down,

The inexpressible sprit of the woods,

A tale that language can’t even express,

What legends haunt the Urn with

Gods or humans, or both,

In the attempt of Greece men?

What types of deities or humans are these? What causes this anger?

What absurd pursuits? What hardships to escape?

What pips and timbrels? What wild happiness?

Sounds are sweet, but the sounds that aren’t

Are even sweeter; therefore, the soft instruments, play on;

Not to the sense of the ear, but something more,

Pipe to the spirits they arouse of no sound.

Beautiful youth, under the trees, it cannot leave

The song, nor can the trees be drawn bare;

Bold Lover, never, never can you kiss another,

Through close to the goal—yet, you do not cry;

Your goal, the girl, cannot fade, though you still do not have the bliss

Forever, wilt he love her, and she remain fair!

Ah, happy, content tree limbs! That cannot shed

Your leaves, nor ever say farewell to the Spring;

And, happy melody, un-bothered,

Forever playing songs new;

More, more happy, happy, love, love!

Forever warm, and still to be enjoyed;

All human’s passionately above,

That leaves a heart or soul with sadness and mawkish praises,

A blazing forehead, and desiccated tongue.

Who are these coming to the pedestal to be sacrificed?

To grass colored altar, O mystical priest,

Lead it that young cow coming in the skies,

And all her silken flanks with nice dressed?

What a small town near the shore,

Or mountain with a great citadel,

Is eradicated of this kin, this pious prayer?

And, little town, with big streets will be silent;

A won’t tell anyone why this is desolate.

O Attic shape! Fair attitude!
Of marble made, tense men,
With trees and branches;
Thou, quietly, continue to tease us out of own thoughts
As likely with eternity. Cold Farmers!
When old age is the only waste in life,
In midst of other woe, it will remain
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty"

SWIFTT

SW- The ode is composed of five stanzas with about ten lines each. The choice of words gives a deep sense of beauty and truth, both of which are used synonymously used in the poem. Some of the words such as eternity and evermore, when describing the Urn, are effective in evoking thoughts about the longevity of beauty.

I-The imagery that Keats creates gives the Urn an almost realistic quality. The Urn, as the Keats describes it, contains images that have an eternal feel. For example, Keats says, “ And, little town, thy streets evermore will silent be; and not a soul tell why thou art desolate, can e’er return.” This example, like the rest of the poem, evokes sensual imagery.

F- There are many strong adjectives used in Keats’ poem. He says thing like “happy, happy love” and “a flowery tale more sweetly” in order to express a deep sense of admiration to the art on the Urn. Additionally, the poem contains allusions to ancient Greece such as Tempe and Arcady.

T- The tone throughout the poem is that of longing and appreciation. Keats uses phrases such as “Beauty is truth, truth beauty” to explicate the true beauty of the Urn. Keats, through his tone, shows admiration for the Urn.

T-The theme that Keats express is that beauty is an eternal quality, and it contains the highest sense of the truth to it. Additionally, the Urn, which the poem is dedicated to, is simply an object that represents anything that has true beauty.

Conclusion-

My initial impression of the poem differs from my conclusion. I now believe that the poem is about beauty in general, and the poet simply uses the Urn as an example of an object with an eternally beautiful quality. Unlike other poets during his time, Yeats describes beauty in terms of a physical object, as opposed to abstract qualities such as the soul and heart. Additionally, the admiration in Yeat’s tone clearly expresses the eternal qualities of the Urn. Yeats describes the Urn by talking about the frozen image that seems express a story of unattainable love and desire.