CHAPTER-3

A THING OF BEAUTY
—John Keats

Revision Notes

Introduction
The poem, A Thing of Beauty, portrays that things are figuratively an endless source of nectar that pours down to us
from heaven bringing eternal joy for the soul’s grandeur. They are like a medicine of life, a never diminishing source
of pleasure and delight, a boundless source of joy that seems to be a precious gift from Heaven. A beautiful thing will
give joy throughout one’s lifetime. One can return to the beautiful thing and never finish finding it as a source of joy.
Even after one dies, the thing of beauty will continue to exist and will give joy to people of the next age group. When
they in turn pass, it will give joy to the peer group after theirs, and so on. Thus a beautiful thing may in that sense be a
joy forever. Even if the thing of beauty, practiced in the past, can’t for whatever reasons be experienced at the present
moment, our memory of the past experience can still give present pleasure. Even when we are depressed or dejected,
our experience of a beautiful thing can help us shake off our sadness and can bring us joy eternally.
Theme: This poem, in many ways, signifies a romantic finale of Keats’s firm belief in the non-destruction of
beauty, and of its claim to legitimacy with reference to its permanence, and its ability to call up, or contextualize the
truth. This forms the main theme of the poem. The poet’s artistic view of beauty as an obstinate source of pleasure and
joy comes in the face of a knowledge of the sharp problems of life, to which the essential thing of beauty offer their
own mode of struggle. Unlike the common place objects of everyday certainty, the objects of beauty are resistant to
the perishability of time, and indeed of mortality. This interlaces the melancholic note characteristic to many of the
poet’s odes with a classical, fleeting form of beauty. Their power rises with time. They are the signifiers of a continuity
that is reflected as historical truth, of a story that exceeds the limitations of specific insight, but includes and decides
the collective flow. The sun, the moon, the flora and the fauna in nature are protectors of an infinity that can never be
equated with the temporariness and incontinency of human schemes.
 Key Words
bower: shade of a tree cooling covert: a cool place
despondence: hopelessness dooms: ruins
pall: impact (here) heaven’s brink: edge of the paradise
Message: The poem “A Thing of Beauty” from John Keats’s poem ‘Endymion’, is usually read as a straightforward
assertion which gives the message that every beautiful thing gives unending pleasure. This idea can be interpreted
in several diverse senses. For the reason that human beings share the same basic natures and respond to the same
motivations in the same basic ways, a thing of beauty even if lost for a time, perhaps even for centuries , will still
have the ability to give joy to future generations if it is experienced again later. A beautiful thing is happiness forever.
Whatever happens, we cannot hate a really beautiful thing. Even when it fades, decays or dies, we love such things
without any conditions. It will never be elapsed even after its death, a thousand or two thousands later. When we live
enclosed by beautiful people, places and things, our minds will be refreshed and will have sweet dreams while sleeping.
As a further result we will have good health and quiet breathing.
Title: The poet describes that anything which is beautiful imparts joy. Happiness is a natural emotion which
evokes in a person’s mind as and when he comes across anything beautiful. Thus, the title is quite appropriate.
Form, Style, and Literary Devices: The poem “A Thing of Beauty” received contemptuous criticism after its
release and Keats himself noted its rambling and unpleasant style. On the other hand, he did not regret writing it, as he
equated the process to diving into the ocean to become more accustomed with his surroundings. Keats was never afraid
of failure; for he believed that he would sooner fail than not be among the greatest.
Not all critics detested the work. Some of the poets said that the song of Endymion beats throughout with a noble
poet’s sense of all that his art means for him. What automated defects there are in it may even serve to accelerate our
sense of the youth and brightness of this voice of aspiration.
FIGURES OF SPEECH:
Rhyme Scheme: aabbc
Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series. For e.g., ‘s’ in sleep sweet, ‘b’ in
band bind, ‘n’ in noble nature, ‘c’ in cooling covert, ‘h’ in have heard
Metaphor: • bower quiet (calmness of the bower is compared to the calming effect of a beautiful thing)
• wreathing a flowery band (the beautiful things of our life bind us to the earth)
• Immortal drinks (beautiful objects of nature are forever like a never ending portion of a drink)
Anaphora: • Use of same word in two consecutive lines (of noble natures- Of all the unhealthy)
Imagery: • creating a sensory effect of beautiful things lined up in a string (A flowery band to bind us)
• Trees giving shade (sprouting shady boon)
• growing process of daffodils (daffodils with the green world they live in)
• clean river streams (Clear rills)
• Bushes full of musk roses (sprinkling of fair musk rose blooms)
• books describing valour of fighters (grandeur-..mighty dead)
• God providing us with best things (pouring from the heaven’s brink)
Inversion: normal order of words is reversed (Are we wreathing a flowery band)
Antithesis: opposite words placed together (old and young)
List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem:
• The Sun
• The Moon
• Shady trees
• Beautiful daffodil flowers
• Streams of water
• Dense green bushes of forest ferns where fragrant musk roses grow
• Tales of heroic men who sacrifice their lives
List the things that cause suffering and pain:
• Desire to offend others
• Hopelessness
• Lack of noble men
• Bad health
• Unhappiness
• Gloom
• Darkness

Paraphrase
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.
The poet says that beauty stays forever. It never fades away. Rather, it increases with the passing time. The
perception of the poet regarding beauty is that it never goes off with the passing time, rather it beautifies more and
more. For the poet, beauty is like a beautiful shady tree under whose shade all the creatures can sleep peacefully and
enjoy good health.
2. ‘Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
In 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 : yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.
The author says that individuals have an attachment to the 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. It is the
beauty which fills us with the spirit to live. It is the beauty which builds the desire in us to live though there are sad
moments and cruel people around us. The world has a lot of negativity, hatred, and greed. According to the poet, the
cause of gloom and sadness is this negativity. So here the poet wants to say that without beauty the earth will be full of
cruel people, sad and gloomy moments. It is the beauty which is created by god which helps us to remove the sadness
from our hearts.
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.
3. 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
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. The pretty flowers like daffodils enhance the
liveliness and greenery of the world. Moreover, the flowing streams of water provide refreshment and cooling effect to
us in the hot summer season. The forests have plenty of pretty musks rose flowers. Such flowers are a beautiful sight
and eyes feel the delight due to them. All such things certainly are things of beauty.
4. 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 poet further explains that one must not forget the beautiful and inspiring stories of the brave soldiers. These
mighty warriors 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. They are like nectar given by God to us. Such beautiful things are an inspiration for all of us to continue living.
They make life worth living. Also, they help us in maintaining our faith in goodness. Life without these beautiful things
would certainly become very hard.