Odeona Grecian Urn: by John Keats

Ode on a
Grecian Urn
By John Keats
Author’s Background
● He was one of the finest English poets of the Romantic
School of writing.
● In 1816, Keats became a licensed apothecary, but he never

practiced his profession, deciding instead to write poetry.
● Keats is also known for his theory of “Negative Capability”

which expresses the belief that great people have the ability to
accept that not everything can be resolved.
● He was best known for his odes, including “Ode to a

Grecian Urn,” “Ode to a Nightingale” and “Ode to Autumn.”
● His works are marked with rich imagery and melodic

beauty.
Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats
Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness, Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Thou foster-child of silence and slow time, Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd,
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme: Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:
What leaf-fring'd legend haunts about thy shape Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave
Of deities or mortals, or of both, Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;
In Tempe or the dales of Arcady? Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss,
What men or gods are these? What maidens loth? Though winning near the goal yet, do not grieve;
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,
What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy? For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!
Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed Who are these coming to the sacrifice?
Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu; To what green altar, O mysterious priest,
And, happy melodist, unwearied, Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,
For ever piping songs for ever new; And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?
More happy love! more happy, happy love! What little town by river or sea shore,
For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd, Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,
For ever panting, and for ever young; Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?
All breathing human passion far above, And, little town, thy streets for evermore
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd, Will silent be; and not a soul to tell
A burning forehead, and a parching tongue. 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."
FIGURE OF SPEECH
Alliteration
Sound of /n/ in “Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.
And /t/ sound in “”Beauty is truth, truth beauty,— that is all.”
Assonance
Sound of /o/ in “More happy love! more happy, happy love!”
and /i/ sound in “Attic shape! Fair attitude! With brede.”
Synecdoche
He used this device to express the downside of natural love as
he has used the words, “burning forehead” that is fever and
“parching tongues” is thirst.
Personification
He addresses the urn as “bride of quietness” and “Sylvan historian”; “you
soft pipe, play on” as if pipe and urn are humans that can perform certain
acts.
Consonance
The sound of /l/ in “Will silent be; and not a soul to tell” and /n/ sound in
“All breathing human passion far above.”
Anaphora
Repetition of any word or expression in the initial part of the sentence such
as ‘forever’ in the first two lines and ‘happy’ in the last two lines.
Paradox
He has used paradox in the second stanza, “Heard melodies are sweet, but
those unheard”, “Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone”, implying melodies
are heard by the spirits and not by the ears.
RHYME SCHEME
METRICAL PATTERN Stanzas 1 and 5: ababcdedce
Iambic Pentameter Stanza 2: ababcdeced
Stanzas 3 and 4: ababcdecde
IMAGERY
The First Scene: Men and Maidens
GENRE
The Second Scene: A Young
Romantic Ode Musician
The Third Scene: A Sacrifice
Plants and trees
SYMBOL
Plants and Trees (Youth and Spring)
Urn (Time and Life)
MEANING
What makes Ode on a Grecian Urn of particular significance is its
exploration of the possibility that beautiful art rises above time and
reality, that beauty is truth, deciphered through the poetic
imagination.
THEME
focuses on art, beauty, truth and time
GROUP 5
Jandoc, Nicko Vergara

Suriben, Julius Leutemore Jr. Macusi
Balawen, Judy Ann Iban
Dumo, Daphne Patricia Balagot
Gonzales, Mika Ella Ducusin
Lua, April Heart Cera
Ragudo, Cielo Alaine Bondad

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Ode on a

● In 1816, Keats became a licensed apothecary, but he never

● Keats is also known for his theory of “Negative Capability”

● He was best known for his odes, including “Ode to a

● His works are marked with rich imagery and melodic

Jandoc, Nicko Vergara

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