A Thing of Beauty

A Thing of Beauty by John Keats
About the Poet
John Keats (31 October, 1795 – 23 February, 1821) was an English

Romantic poet. He was one of the main figures of the second
generation of Romantic poets along with Lord Byron and P. B.
Shelley, ; despite his work having been in publication for only four
years before his death.
Although his poems were not generally well received by critics

during his lifetime, his reputation grew after his death. So by the
end of the 19th century, he had become one of the most beloved of
all English | poets. He had a significant influence on a diverse range
of poets and writers.
The poetry of Keats is characterised by sensual imagery, most

notably in the series of odes. Today, his poems and letters are some
of the most popular and most analysed in English literature. His
notable works are: To autumn; Ode to a nightingale; On first looking
into Chapman’s Homer; Ode on a Grecian urn.
A Thing of Beauty Introduction to the Poem
A British Romantic poet, John Keats (1795-1821), published his first

epic poem, Endymion in 1818. It is a narrative about the relationship
between a Goddess and her human lover. The poem is based on the
Greek myth of Endymion, the shepherd who falls in love with the
moon Goddess, Selene, whom the poet renames ‘Cynthia’. This
extract, ‘A Thing of Beauty’ talks of how beautiful things give us
pleasure and alleviate suffering and sorrow. The epic poem,
‘Endymion’ begins famously with the line, ‘A thing of beauty is a joy
forever’ (first stanza).
A Thing of Beauty Theme
The very opening line of the poem, ‘A Thing of Beauty…. ‘ openly

recites the very theme of the poem. Any beautiful object is always
treasured in our mind because it provides us eternal and everlasting
joy. The happiness that anything beautiful provides, never fades
into nothingness but multiplies manifold whenever it returns to our
mind.
A Thing of Beauty Summary in English
This poem presents the reader with the views of Keats on beauty
and its value, and its ‘ importance to humans. Beauty, in whatever
form it may be found, is an eternal joy to humans, because it offers
humans the constant opportunity to reflect on that beauty, which
stands in such stark contrast to the dejection, monotony and
ugliness of our everyday lives.
In spite of all the difficulties and the sufferings that humans face,
beauty has the ability to produce happiness and temporarily shift
the burdens that humans bear.
Keats therefore, establishes that in his view of the world, life for
humans consists of unremitting struggles and difficulties, and it is
only beauty in its various guises that is able to shift those trials and
at least temporarily produce happiness. The poem concludes with a
list of things that constitute “beauty” for Keats, which include both
physical objects which are examples of natural beauty such as
daffodils, and also beauty that can be found in art, such as “the
lovely tales we have heard or read”.
All of these forms of beauty act as “an endless fountain of immortal

drink”, allowing humans to forget bleak reality and experience joy.
This poem therefore, focuses on the theme of happiness and how it
can be experienced. It inspires us and gives us the courage to fight
against all odds.
Reference-to-Context Questions
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
1. 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.
a. Describe the kind of joy a beautiful thing provides.

Answer:
Anything that is beautiful provides us an unending, everlasting and
eternal joy. It leaves an indelible imprint on our heart and soul. We
love to relive the memories of that joyous experience whenever it
flashes back in our mind.
b. Explain, ‘its loveliness increases’.

Answer:
The joy that we experience on seeing a beautiful object, multiplies
whenever we remember it. Similarly, the loveliness of anything
beautiful multiplies each time we visualise it in our thoughts.
Compared to this, things which do not give us happiness only
remain for a short while, and then disappear forever.
c. Why does a thing of beauty not pass into ‘nothingness’?

Answer:
A thing, the memory of which provides us eternal joy, will never
fade away. The loveliness of a beautiful object does not fade away
or die out because it leaves an indelible imprint on our heart and
soul.
d. How can we get refreshed amidst beauty?

Answer:
The beautiful things give us peace like a quiet bower, a pleasant
shady place providing us peaceful sleep, sweet dreams and good
health and therefore, refreshes us.
2. 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:
a. Explain, ‘wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the earth’.

Answer:
Keats feels that every morning we weave a beautiful string of
flowers or memories which help us support ourselves and motivate
us to live our life to the fullest, instead of burdening our lives with
pain and suffering.
b. Why is there an ‘inhuman dearth of noble natures’?

Answer:
In these days, there are few people who are noble in character and
who rise above petty differences by being magnanimous and
generous. There is a dearth of such noble souls on our earth; as
man is selfish and self-centred.
c. What are ‘unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways’?

Answer:
The unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways refer to the trials and
tribulations of life, the selfish and jealous methods we adopt to
achieve our goals.
d. Explain, ‘spite of despondence’.

Answer:
It means despite the existence of gloom and darkness around.
3. … 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;
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
a. What images of beauty has the poet referred to?

Answer:
The poet appreciates the simplicity and serenity of beauty through
the image of the sun, the moon, the trees, the sheep, the daffodils,
the green pastures, the livid streams, and a fair bloom of musk-
roses.
b. How is ‘tree’ a perfect example of a beautiful thing?

Answer:
The tree bears the heat of the sun to give shade and coolness to
anyone who seeks shade and rest under its branches. Its greatness
is a degree greater because it gives shade not only to the mighty
ones, but also to the simplest of the animals, such as sheep.
c. What does ‘simple sheep’ symbolise?

Answer:
Sheep and lamb are envisioned as symbols of innocence and serene
beauty. Jesus Christ was a shepherd and was surrounded by his
flock of sheep, his followers. Keats has made special reference to
the sheep as symbols of divine beauty.
d. Explain, ‘the green world they live in’.

Answer:
Beauty of nature is at its best in the lush green surroundings of
meadows and pastures which provide support to all plants and
animals. It is in this green world that all living creatures find true
happiness and joy.
4. All lovely tales that we have heard or read;

An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.
a. What does Keats mean by ‘an endless fountain of immortal

drink’?
Answer:
Beauty, according to Keats, is a perennial source of motivation and
inspiration. He considers it an endless fountain from which mankind
can drink the elixir of life.
b. Explain, ‘pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink’.

Answer:
Beauty, Keats says, has been showered upon us from the heaven by
God as the greatest gift to man. This eternal and everlasting beauty
is a perennial source of gaiety, which is eternal and everlasting.
c. Which poetic device is used in the 2nd line of the extract?

Answer:
hyperbole e.g., ‘endless fountain’
d. Which lovely tales does the poet speak of?

Answer:
The motivational stories of martyrs are the ‘lovely tales’ that the
poet speaks of.

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A Thing of Beauty by John Keats

About the Poet

John Keats (31 October, 1795 – 23 February, 1821) was an English

Although his poems were not generally well received by critics

The poetry of Keats is characterised by sensual imagery, most

A Thing of Beauty Introduction to the Poem

A British Romantic poet, John Keats (1795-1821), published his first

A Thing of Beauty Theme

The very opening line of the poem, ‘A Thing of Beauty…. ‘ openly

A Thing of Beauty Summary in English

All of these forms of beauty act as “an endless fountain of immortal

1. A thing of beauty is a joy forever

a. Describe the kind of joy a beautiful thing provides.

b. Explain, ‘its loveliness increases’.

c. Why does a thing of beauty not pass into ‘nothingness’?

d. How can we get refreshed amidst beauty?

2. Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing

a. Explain, ‘wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the earth’.

b. Why is there an ‘inhuman dearth of noble natures’?

c. What are ‘unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways’?

d. Explain, ‘spite of despondence’.

3. … yes, in spite of all,

a. What images of beauty has the poet referred to?

b. How is ‘tree’ a perfect example of a beautiful thing?

c. What does ‘simple sheep’ symbolise?

d. Explain, ‘the green world they live in’.

4. All lovely tales that we have heard or read;

a. What does Keats mean by ‘an endless fountain of immortal

b. Explain, ‘pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink’.

c. Which poetic device is used in the 2nd line of the extract?

d. Which lovely tales does the poet speak of?

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