BLUE BELLS PUBLIC SCHOOL

SECTOR - 10, GURUGRAM

ENGLISH PROJECT FILE

A THING OF BEAUTY
-By John Keats

AISSCE 2022-23

NAME – RITIKA CHAUHAN

CLASS - XII A
ROLL NO -
 INDEX

1. Certificate
2. Acknowledgement
3. Theme
4. Summary
5. Message
6. Similar poetry
7. Things of beauty
8. Bibliography
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Ritika Chauhan, student of class XII-A has successfully
completed the research project on the topic “A Thing Of Beauty” -By John Keats
under the guidance of Mrs. Shivali Joshi in Blue Bells Public School Sector 10,
Gurgaon.

The original research work was carried out by him under my supervision in the
academic year 2022-2023. On the basis of the declaration made by him I
recommend this project report for evaluation.

Signature Signature
(Internal Examiner) (External examiner)
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I feel proud to present my Investigatory project. However, it would not

have been possible without the kind support and help of many individuals.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of them.

This project wouldn’t have been possible without the proper rigorous
guidance of our English teacher Mrs. Shivali Joshi who guided us
throughout this project in every possible way.

Thereby, I would like to thank Mrs. Shivali Joshi for guiding me on a step
by step basis and ensuring that I complete the project work with ease.

I am also thankful to my parents who have helped me on every stage for

completion of this project and encouragement which helped me a lot.
Summary of A Thing of Beauty
A Greek legend happens to be the basis for A Thing of Beauty
summary. In this Greek legend, a young shepherd by the name of
Endymion had a vision of Cynthia, the moon goddess. This youth
makes a resolution to go after her and seek her. In this quest, he
wanders through the forest and under the sea.  In the poem, the poet
tells us that beautiful things bring immense pleasure and delight.
Furthermore, the poet explains that God’s creations provide
happiness as well as energy. The things present all around provide us
with plenty of reasons to feel happy. Moreover, the brave soldiers’
stories bring inspiration and enthusiasm to the love life. Beauty is a
heavenly tonic. Furthermore, it is like an endless fountain of nectar.
Also, beauty can come in various forms. Beauty gives us good health
and removes sadness from our lives, resulting in everlasting joy.

A Thing of Beauty Summary in English

A Thing of Beauty is by the famous poet John Keats. Furthermore,
the poet says that a beautiful thing can give us extreme happiness and
delight. Moreover, a beautiful thing is eternal that never declines or
fades. Also, a beautiful thing resembles a shady shelter which gives
us a comfortable sleep comprising of sweet dreams and relaxation.
This will ultimately lead to good health. The sight of lovely and
beautiful things will live on in our memories for the rest of our lives.
Thinking about them makes our bodies and minds healthier, as the
ideas give us serenity and mental calm.

The author says that individuals have an attachment to Earthly things.

This attachment is such that it has the resemblance of a flowery
wreath. Furthermore, there are traps that keep people connected to
materialistic things. This connection with materialistic things
distracts humans from eternal happiness. This is because the focus of
such materialistic people will be on acquiring more and more
resources rather than on attaining eternal happiness. The world has a
lot of negativity, hatred, and greed.  According to the poet, the cause
of gloom and sadness is this negativity. Moreover, one can fade away
these negative vibes away with the help of beautiful things that
surround us. This is because these beautiful things bring nothing but
positivity. Man and nature are strongly intertwined. The beauty of
nature is what keeps us connected to this planet. Every morning, we
select beautiful fresh flowers and make garlands. They lift our spirits
and make us forget about our problems for a while.

The poet informs us about some beautiful things that are all around
us. Beauty is certainly in the eyes of the one who beholds. This
means one can see the beauty in anything. Furthermore, the poet talks
about the numerous creations of God which we should admire. One
such creation is the Sun which provides energy. Moreover, the poet
also talks about the beauty of the moon and the natural beauty of the
trees.

There are various animals around that make our world lively. Pretty
flowers like daffodils enhance the liveliness and greenery of the
world. Moreover, the flowing streams of water provide a refreshment
and cooling effect to us in the hot summer season. The forests have
plenty of pretty musk rose flowers. Such flowers are a beautiful sight
and eyes feel the delight due to them. All such things certainly are
things of beauty. Also, one must not forget the beautiful and inspiring
stories of the brave soldiers. These brave soldiers risked and
sacrificed their lives in order to protect others.

These beautiful things have a resemblance to the fountain of

immortality bestowed upon us by God as a gift and a blessing. Such
beautiful things are an inspiration for all of us to continue living.
They make life worth living. Also, they also help us in maintaining
our faith in goodness. Life without these beautiful things would
certainly become very hard.
The Theme of the Poem
The poem A Thing of Beauty by John Keats delivers the concept that
beauty can be discovered anywhere and at any time. The content of
this poem is mostly concentrated on nature and the unexpected
beauty that it brings. The topic of this poem is that beauty may be
discovered anywhere and, when appreciated, can be used to lift one’s
spirits in times of adversity. Any beautiful object is always kept in
our minds since it brings us permanent and everlasting happiness.
The enjoyment that a beautiful object brings never fades away, but
multiplies many times over anytime it returns to our mind.

Conclusion of A Thing of Beauty

A Thing of Beauty summary tells us the value of beautiful things that
are all around us and that one must cherish them. They provide us
timeless joy and leave an unforgettable imprint on our minds,
therefore every beautiful thing is worth preserving.

Question : What role do beautiful things have in our ability to

live a happy life?

Answer : When we look at beautiful things, we feel comforted and

happy, and the lasting impression they make on our thoughts is a
source of constant joy. They offer us relief from our daily struggles
and tribulations and enable us to live happy lives.
 Endymion by John Keats
‘Endymion’  is a long poem and one of Keats’ most famous. It is dedicated
to Thomas Chatterton and is based around the Greek myth of Endymion,
the shepherd much loved by Selene, the moon goddess. The poem is
separated into four books, totally more than four thousand lines. Although
the poem was met with brutal criticism when it was published, it’s now
considered one of the masterpieces of the 19th century. Here are the first
five lines of the poem: 

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:

Its lovliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

Sonnet 54 by William Shakespeare 

‘Sonnet  54,’  also known as ‘O how much more doth beauty beauteous
seem,’  is a memorable poem that uses two similar, yet different, flowers to
speak about the Fair Youth. One of these, a rose, is beautiful and filled with
life and death. The other, a wildflower is known as a canker-bloom, has a
temporary beauty, one that does not extend into death. The speaker sees
the youth as more of a rose in that his beauty will live on, through the
poet’s work, into another lifetime. Here are the first quatrains of ‘Sonnet
54’: 
O, how much more doth beauty beauteous seem
By that sweet ornament which truth doth give!
The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem
For that sweet odour which doth in it live.

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever  Greek

Mythology

Endymion” is named for the Aeolian shepherd and king of Elis in Greek
mythology. He was said to rule at Olympia and is best known for the love
he bares Selene, the moon. This had led many, including Pliny the Elder, to
cast Endymion as an astronomer or at least as one who is quite familiar with
celestial movements. 

In the mythological account of the life of Endymion, he asks for and is given
eternal life. This blessing, and curse, are only possible if he remains in
perpetual sleep. In this state, his lover, Selene, the Titan goddess of the
moon, can visit him forever. Together they have 50 daughters. 
 Detailed Analysis
Stanza One
Lines 1-9

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: 

Its loveliness increases; it will never 
Pass into nothingness; but still 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, 
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth 
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days, 
In the first stanza of this piece, the speaker is introducing the aspects of life
and beauty that he is going to be discussing in-depth in the following
stanzas and books. One must keep in mind the story of Endymion and the
immortal sleep into which he embarks. The first line of this piece is quite
well-known and begins, “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.” This is clearly
related to Endymion’s beautiful immortality, but it has been taken down to
a more human level. The speaker believes that if something is beautiful, it
gives off a “joy” that will exist throughout time. There is no end to the
“increase” of “loveliness” that will arise alongside the beauty. 

The sheer fact of the thing’s beauty will keep it from slipping into
“nothingness.” Beauty provides it with immortality, but it does not alienate
it from the human world. It will still be there for those who need it,
“keep[ing]  / A bower quiet” and ready. This place of rest will provide one
with sweet dreams as well as health. It is rejuvenating. 

The final lines of this section speak on how the beauty will take one into the
“morrow,” and when one awakens, they will have made, through their sleep
alongside beauty, a “band to bind us to the earth.” The more time one
spends with beautiful things; the closer one becomes to the earth. There is
nothing that can stop this from happening, no “despondence” or absence
of “noble natures.” All of humankind has access to beauty. 

Lines 10-19

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. 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: 
Amongst the darkest days of life, beauty will be there to lift away
“unhealthy” thoughts. It will be like a guide through one’s life that provides
a way out of “dark spirits” and shows on a brighter path as if guided by the
sun. 

Along the path that beauty makes, there are “Trees old and young” that
create “shady” spots for “sheep…and…daffodils” to live. The world is made
lovely, liveable, and worthwhile because of the beauty that inhabits it. The
plants that thrive on beauty can create “for themselves” a “cooling covert”
that protects them from the “hot season.”

Lines 20-24 

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. 
The robust world that the speaker just described is now juxtaposed with the
world that “We have imagined for the mighty dead.” The living world is just
as impressive as that of the dead. They are similar in their elaborate
complications and grand landscapes. 

The speaker continues to describe the way that beauty can move through
life. One such method is through the “tales that we have heard or read.”
These stories are passed from person to person, and their “lov[liness]” is
maintained. 

Stanza Two
       Nor do we merely feel these essences 
For one short hour; no, even as the trees 
That whisper round a temple become soon 
Dear as the temple’s self, so does the moon, 
The passion poesy, glories infinite, 
Haunt us till they become a cheering light 
Unto our souls, and bound to us so fast, 
That, whether there be shine, or gloom o’ercast; 
They always must be with us, or we die. 
In the shortest stanza of Book One, the speaker emphasizes the long-
lasting impact that beauty and loveliness have on one’s life through
“immortal drink.” When one has had the drink of beauty, the feelings do
not soon wear off. The world that one once saw as beautiful around them
enters into one’s body. They become the beauty they once observed. 

One becomes “bound” by “cheering life” and “glories infinite.” They stay
with one no matter what life brings. They will always be there until the day
that one dies. 

Stanza Three 
Lines 1-12

       Therefore, ’tis with full happiness that I 

Will trace the story of Endymion. 
The very music of the name has gone 
Into my being, and each pleasant scene 
Is growing fresh before me as the green 
Of our own valleys: so I will begin 
Now while I cannot hear the city’s din; 
Now while the early budders are just new, 
And run in mazes of the youngest hue 
About old forests; while the willow trails 
Its delicate amber; and the dairy pails 
Bring home increase of milk. And, as the year 
It is in the third stanza that the speaker first mentions Endymion and the
story that he is planning on telling. Now that he has laid out his beliefs
about beauty, he is ready to enter into the main theme of his narrative. He
announces to his readers that he will “trace the story of Endymion.” He has
been inspired to do so because Endymion’s name seems to have gone “Into
[his] being.” Endymion’s story has become his own and provides him with
“pleasant scenes.” 

The speaker has found a peaceful state of mind, a task that was not easy,
and he is now ready to tell his story. Not only is his mind at peace, but the
world around him also seems to have found a place to pause for a moment.
Nothing is out of place or in danger. 

Lines 13-24

Grows lush in juicy stalks, I’ll smoothly steer 

My little boat, for many quiet hours, 
With streams that deepen freshly into bowers. 
Many and many a verse I hope to write, 
Before the daisies, vermeil rimm’d and white, 
Hide in deep herbage; and ere yet the bees 
Hum about globes of clover and sweet peas, 
I must be near the middle of my story. 
O may no wintry season, bare and hoary, 
See it half finish’d: but let Autumn bold, 
With universal tinge of sober gold, 
Be all about me when I make an end. 
This landscape in which he is going to tell his tale will be like a lake on
which he is navigating with his “little boat.” He declares his intention to sail
for a while and tells “Many and many a verse” to his listeners. He knows
that his tale is going to take a long time (preparing the reader for the
length of the poem), so he sets a goal. He must be in the middle of the
story by the time that “globes of clover and sweet peas” hum with bees.
The speaker’s goal is to be done with his story by the time that autumn
comes. He fears dragging it out so long that it is the “wintry season” before
he is done. 

Lines 25-29 

And now, at once adventuresome, I send 

My herald thought into a wilderness: 
There let its trumpet blow, and quickly dress 
My uncertain path with green, that I may speed 
Easily onward, thorough flowers and weed.
In the final five lines of this section of “Endymion,” the speaker tells of his
metaphorical “herald,” who he will send out to announce his intentions. The
herald will be responsible for telling everyone of the “adventure” that will
be undertaken. After this has been done, the speaker is ready to begin
“Easily onward, through flowers and weeds.” He knows the path will not be
without challenges, and he is prepared to face them.
 Similar Poetry
Readers who enjoyed this piece should also consider exploring some other
John Keats poems. For example:

 ‘Bright Star‘ –  uses a star as an image of steadfastness in order to

depict how true a lover’s heart is.
 ‘In drear-nighted December‘ –  describes the way memories of happier
and warmer times impact one’s emotions in the coldest hours of
December.
 ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci‘ – is a story of unrequited love, illness, and
the impossibility of being with whom one cares when they are from
different social classes.