John Keats's "Ode on a Grecian Urn"

Text:
Thou still unravish'd 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-fring'd legend haunt 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 loth?
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 endear'd,
Pipe to the spirit ditties 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,
For ever 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, unwearied,
For ever piping songs for ever new;
More happy love! more happy, happy love!
For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd,
For ever panting, and for ever young;
All breathing human passion far above,
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd,
A burning forehead, and a parching 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 garlands drest?
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 Reaction:

Keats is addressing an old Grecian (Greek) urn and observes the multiple scenes displayed around the urn. He admires the beauty of the pictures and the stories that are told. He recognizes that the people in the scenes are frozen in time, which he find beautiful. He believes the urn represents beauty and truth and will continue to portray this message.

Paraphrasing:

Still, unperturbed urn,

Master of quietness and slow time,

Recorder of history, who can tell

A tale better than this poem:

What story is told

Of god(esse)s and humans, or of both,

In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?

Who are these men or gods? What women are reluctant?

What chase? What struggle to escape?

What musical instruments? What wondrous delight?

Melodies that can be heard are sweet, but those we cannot hear

Are even sweeter; and so, soft flutes, continue to play;

Not to the physical ear, but

Play to the spirit an unheard song:

Young, fair gentleman, beneath the trees, you can never leave

Your song, nor can the trees lose their leaves;

You can never kiss your lover,

Though you are close to kissing her, do not despair;

She will always be beautiful, though you have not kissed,

You will forever be in love, and she will be fair!

Ah, happy branches! That cannot shed

Your leaves, nor ever say goodbye to Spring

And, happy, tireless musician,

For ever will your songs be new;

More love, more playing!

It will always be enjoyed,

Forever lusting and young;

Filled with passion,

That leaves one’s heart sad and heavy,

A fever, and an unquenchable thirst.

Who is coming to the sacrifice?

To what altar, mysterious preist,

Do you lead the moaning cow,

Dressed for sacrifice?

What place by a river or sea

Or mountainous with a citadel,

Is vacant this sacrificial morning?

And, little town, from now on, your streets

Will be silent; and no one will be left to tell
Why you are deserted, can ever return.

Oh what shape and beauty! With braids

Of marble lovers decorated,

With tree branches and weeds;

Silent urn, you make us think

As eternity does: Cold Pastoral!

When this generation has passed and gone,

You shall remain, among other woes

Than the current ones, a friendly, insightful item, who says to man,

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty, ---that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice:

“Ode on a Grecian Urn” contains five ten line stanzas. The first and last stanzas directly address the urn while the middle three stanzas describe the different scenes displayed on the urn and address those concerned in the scene. Keats uses several rhetorical questions in this poem. He questions the urn, but of course, he receives no reply. Because this is an old-fashioned ode, he also uses very formal, poetic, and sometimes elevated syntax and diction in order to make the ode more proper.

Imagery:

This ode is rich with imagery. Keats vivid diction and the detailed descriptions of the urn allow the reader to imagine each scene. The second stanza shows two youthful lovers beneath a tree. The young musician is pursuing the fair maiden, but can never reach her. The third stanza describes a tree in the midst of an endless Spring, with the passionate musician under its boughs forever. The fourth recounts the tale of the priest and townsfolk attending the ritual sacrifice of a cow, leaving the town forever desolate.

Figurative Language:

Keats uses a variety of figurative language in “Ode on a Grecian Urn.” He uses repetition in lines 17 and 25. The ode utilizes apostrophe: Keats addresses the urn and the people and objects on the urn, none of which are able to respond to his (rhetorical) questions. Personification is also a common element of this ode. For example, Keats remarks to the tree, “Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu” (22). Lines 11 and 12 present a paradox: “Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard / Are sweeter.”

Tone:

Keats’s tone in “Ode on a Grecian Urn” is light and filled with admiration. He enjoys the happy scenes detailed on the side of the urn and treasures the ability of the urn to preserve history, and he enjoys the beauty and truth embodied by the Grecian urn.

Theme:
Beauty and truth are one in the same, and they are the most important components of knowledge. Another theme is the power of art in preserving and expressing history.

Conclusion:

My initial thoughts about “Ode on a Grecian Urn” were essentially correct, but I have developed a deeper understanding of the poem. Keats uses romanticism when scrutinizing the urn. He notices the small details of the scenes and uses expressive imagery to imagine he is in the scenes, directly addressing the lovers, the tree, or the priest. Keats values the urn for its preservation of both beauty and the truth and the details which have lasted the test of time.