A Thing of Beauty

John Keats – A Short Biography

John Keats was one of the main figures of the second generation of Romantic poets,
along with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. His work included Endymion, Isabella,
Lamia, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems. He died at a very early age of twenty-
five of tuberculosis after leaving an indelible mark on English poetry.
Theme / Central Idea of the Lesson. Analysis of A Thing of Beauty

Theme
A thing of beauty is a source of constant joy. Beauty can be found everywhere. It is
something that has the ability to transform lives. It also highlights the fact that beauty
has a therapeutic quality, i.e. the ability to remove negativity. It can be any object,
nature, tales or even noble deeds of our ancestors.

Form

`A Thing of Beauty’ belongs to the Romantic genre. The poem is written in rhyming
couplets and the rhyme scheme is AABB.

Source
‘A Thing of Beauty’ is an excerpt from his poem, `Endymion: A Poetic Romance’ which
was first published in 1818. It begins with the line “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”.
Endymion is written in rhyming couplets also known as heroic couplets. The theme of
Endymion is love, beauty and youth and it reflects the poet’s attitude towards beauty.
Moral/ Message of the lesson – A Thing of Beauty
 Message

The poem conveys the message that a thing of beauty is a joy forever. It transcends
time. It will never fade away. Beauty has the power to remove darkness and negativity
and helps us survive when there is a ‘dearth of noble nature’ or when one is surrounded
by evil. It is therepeutic. Moreover, it highlights the fact that beauty is not only physical
but also spiritual and seems to flow down from heaven as an ‘immortal drink’ made for
man.
Short and Simple Summary of the lesson in English– A Thing of Beauty/ Summary
in simple Words/ Critical appreciation of the lesson – A Thing of Beauty
Summary
According to the poet, John Keats, a thing of beauty is a source of constant joy. Its
beauty goes on increasing. It never fades away i.e. it never passes into nothingness. A
beautiful thing is as comforting as a bower which is a peaceful and pleasant place in the
shade of a tree, providing shelter and protection from the hot rays of the sun, giving us
sound sleep, full of pleasant dreams, health and peaceful breathing.
As a result of this, every morning we are weaving a flowery wreath to bind us to the
beauties of the earth despite our feelings of sadness and depression. We all possess
negative attributes of hatred and disappointment. We suffer from a lack of noble qualities
and follow unhealthy, evil ways. In spite of all this a beautiful thing helps us to remove
the cover of gloom or darkness from our lives. It makes us love life despite the things
that make us sad and dampen our spirits.
Here are a number of beautiful things that have the power to uplift our spirits like the
sun, the moon and old and young trees. The trees sprout and spread their branches to
provide shelter within their green covering (shade) for the simple sheep (humans).
Similarly, the sight of daffodils blooming within their green surroundings, the clear and
small streams of water which make a cooling shelter for themselves against the hot
season, the thick mass of ferns looking grand with their beautiful musk roses are all
things of beauty that make us feel happy.
The mighty dead people whose achievements have made them great and powerful
inspire us through their sagas of noble works. Their legends and stories enthuse us and
we imagine their magnificence. A beautiful thing is also a source of joy just as the lovely
tales we have heard or read give us profound happiness. It is like a fountain of
immortality gushing out from endless nature, pouring its sacred and immortal drink into
the heart and soul of man and this is a source of immense joy for us.
 Poetic Devices
Metaphor:
 ‘bower quiet’-refers to a quiet shady part in the garden
 Wreathing a flowery band
 `pall’-a covering like a shroud
 ‘endless fountain of immortal drink’- refers to the deeds of great men and women that have
made them a source of inspiration for people of all times

Alliteration:
 `noble natures’
 ‘cooling covert’
 ‘band to bind’
Visual Imagery:
 ‘flowery bands’
 ‘shady boon’
 ‘clear rills’
 ‘daffodils in green world’
 ‘grandeur of dooms’
 ‘cooling covert’
 ‘endless fountain of eternal drink’
Symbol:
 ‘simple sheep’ —Biblical reference- refers to mankind as Christ is considered the shepherd
who leads human souls out of the dark world of sins and temptations
Transferred epithet:
 ‘gloomy days’ • ‘unhealthy and o’er darkened ways’
Oxymoron
 ‘mighty dead’
CHAPTER NUTSHELL
Theme
1. Things of beauty have an embalming effect.
2. They help us cope with negativity.
3. They make life more meaningful.
4. God has blessed us with objects of beauty.
5. We need to bond with them.
List of things of beauty
1. Sun, moon, deep forests
2. Sheep grazing in open pastures
3. Daffodils, rivulets, musk roses
4. Tombs built to honour heroes.
5. Legends, tales from classics and scriptures
These things of beauty are like blessings from heaven, they sweeten our bitter lives.
Qualities of a thing of beauty
1. Gives everlasting joy.
2. Ageless.
3. Never goes waste
4. Shelters and protects like a bower.
5. Relaxes, comforts, invigorates us.
Things that cause pain
1. Ill health, gloomy days, depression
2. Lack of goodness in human beings
3. In sad moments things of beauty come to our rescue, remove the gloom from our lives.

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

(A)Name the poem and the poet.
Ans. The poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty’ and the poet is John Keats.
(B)How is a thing of beauty a joy forever?
Ans. A thing of beauty provides everlasting joy. Its beauty never decreases but
continues to increase with the passage of time. It never fades away.
(C)What do you understand by a `bower’?
Ans. ‘Bower’ is the shelter under the shade of trees. It provides protection from the
harsh rays of the sun.
(d) What kind of a sleep does it provide?
Ans. It provides a sound sleep, full of sweet dreams, health and peaceful breathing.
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: yes, in spite of all,
(a)What are we doing every day?
Ans. Every morning, we are weaving a flowery wreath which binds us to the beauties of
the earth or we are collecting things of beauty that connect us to other things of beauty
and keep us grounded.
(b)Which evil things do we possess and suffer from?
Ans. Human beings possess qualities of malice, hatred and disappointment. There is a
shortage of noble qualities and men continue to be evil and unhealthy.
(C)Explain ‘in spite of all’.
Ans. In spite of all the negative qualities and evils mentioned by the poet, a thing of
beauty can infuse us with positivity and joy.
(D)Find words from the passage which mean (i) malice (ii) disappointment
Ans. (i) spite (ii) despondence
3.
Some shape of beauty moves away from the pall
From our dark spirits.
Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon.
For simple sheep;
(A)What removes the pall from our dark spirits?
Ans. A thing of beauty removes the pall or cover of unhappiness from our dark spirits.
(B)What sprouts a shady boon for sheep and how?
Ans. The old and young trees sprout branches to provide shade and shelter to the
sheep. It is a blessing for the sheep against the harsh sun.
(C)Find words from the passage that mean (i) covering (ii) blessing
Ans. (i) pall (ii) boon
(d) Name the poem and the poet.
Ans. The poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty’ and the poet is ‘John Keats’.
4.
…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;
(a)How do ‘daffodils’ and ‘rills’ enrich the environment?
Ans. The daffodils bloom and are surrounded by the green world. The clear stream & of
water create a cooling shelter for themselves against the heat of the sun.
(b)What makes the mid forest brake rich?
Ans. The beautiful musk-roses help to make the beautiful forest rich in beauty.
(c)Find words in the passage which mean: (i) small streams (ii) shelter of thickets
Ans. (i) clear ‘rills’ (ii) covert
(d)Cooling covert is a (i) simile (ii) metaphor (iii) personification (iv) alliteration
Ans. alliteration.
5.
And the sun 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
(a)Explain ‘the grandeur of the doom’.
 Ans. The magnificence that we associate with our ancestors and the beautiful things
created by them.
(b)What is implied by ‘all lovely tales that we have heard or read’?
Ans. All the legendary stories that have been read or heard by us are also things of
beauty as they inspire us.
(c)What is the source of the ‘endless fountain of immortal drink’?
Ans. It is like a fountain of immortality gushing out from endless nature, pouring its
sacred and immortal drink into the heart and soul of man and this is a source of
immense joy for us.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE

QUESTIONS
1. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.
Ans. The things of beauty are the sun, the moon, old and new trees, sheep, daffodils,
green world, clear streams, musk roses that bloom among the thick forest ferns, deeds
of our noble ancestors’ tales that we have heard or read.

2. List the things the cause suffering and pain.

Ans. The things that cause suffering and pain are dark phases of our life like
depression, disappointment, adverse circumstances, gloomy days, the death of noble
people and ill health.

3. What does the line ‘Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to earth’
suggest?
Ans. Every morning we connect with nature, to the beauties of the earth despite all the
sadness that we experience. This is a result of all the beautiful things around us.

4. What makes human beings love life in spite of all troubles?

Ans. In spite of all the sufferings, the marvel of a thing of beauty provides happiness and
inspires us to deal with the problems of life

5. Why is grandeur associated with the ‘mighty dead’?

Ans. Grandeur is associated with the ‘mighty dead’ because great men will always be
remembered for their noble and splendid deeds and creations. They have left behind a
legacy for us to enjoy.
6. Do we experience things of beauty only for a short time?
Ans. No, these things of beauty have a lasting impression on us. Its impact never
passes away. Even when the beauty fades away, it’s always remembered with joy.
7. What image does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth?
Ans. The poet creates the image of ‘an endless fountain of immortal drink’ that pours
joys on to us from the edge of heaven. These are the beautiful things in nature that he
calls ‘immortal drink’.
8. What is the cause of our ‘gloomy days’ and ‘dark spirits’?
Ans. Our own acts of unkindness, cruelty and malice towards others, make our days
sad and gloomy. We also get disappointed due to the lack of human values and nobility
around us.
9. How does a thing of beauty provide us shelter and comfort?
Ans. Nature bestows us with things of rare beauty. It has created the shade of trees to
make us feel comfortable and peaceful in it so that we are able to enjoy sound sleep,
sweet dreams and good health. Similarly, beautiful things like the sun and moon have
the power to lift our spirits.
10. What spreads the pall of despondency over our dark spirits? How is it removed?
Ans. Man makes his life miserable and full of suffering because of his own actions. The
pall of despondency is the sadness that is a result of what he does. A thing of beauty
works wonders by removing the cover of gloom that engulfs man.
11. What is the message of the ‘A Thing of Beauty’?
Ans. Keats, an ardent lover of nature, in his poem refers to the power of nature. He
urges man to realize that these powers make life enjoyable and worth living. He tells us
how a thing of beauty provides joy.
12. How do the ‘daffodils’ and ‘clear rills’ enrich our environment?
Ans. Daffodils are lovely yellow, orange or white flowers that bloom in green
surroundings. The ‘clear rills’ or clear streams of water create a ‘cooling comfort’ or a
passage for themselves as they pass through the thick bushes to ward away the heat of
the sun.

13. What is the ‘grandeur’ of the ‘dooms’ and ‘endless fountain of immortal drink’?
Ans. The ‘grandeur of the dooms’ is a reference to our mighty and dead ancestors who
have left behind their imitable deeds as inspiration for us. The ‘endless fountain’ is the
everlasting joy provided to us by the bounties of nature as if in the form of nectar pouring
on us from heaven.
14. What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings?
Ans. Human beings love life because nature is the best healer and it brings beauty and
joy to our lives. The memory of beautiful experiences help us to bear our sorrows.
15. Keats feels that Nature binds us to the Earth. How does he justify this?
Ans. Keats feels that man has a strong bond with nature. Despite the gloom and
suffering, man is connected to the earth. A flowery band ties us to the earth. This
metaphorical band is a thing of beauty and brings joy. There is an affinity between things
of beauty in nature and in man.
16. A row can ‘mighty dead’ be things of beauty? [Delhi 2017]
Ans.`Mighty dead’ refers to the great and inspiring people about whom grand stories
were written. These are read and admired even today and are a source of wonder to
man.
17. In the hot season, how do man and beast get comfort? [Delhi 2017]
Ans. A thing of beauty reserves a bower, quiet place in our heart. When we are tired,
tensed, troubled or disappointed, the thing of beauty heals our sorrows and restores
happiness for us again.
18. What rich bounty has the heaven given us? [Delhi 2017]
Ans. John Keats sees beauty in all the natural things. According to him, everything of
nature is a source of beauty and have the potential to bring joy. In the poem we can see,
the sun, the moon, the trees, daffodils, green forests, clear rills, masses of ferns,
blooming musk-rose, lovely tales, etc. These beautiful sources provide pleasure and joy
to mankind. So do the many beautiful stories of legendarymen.
Important Long/ Detailed Answer Type Questions- to be answered in about 100 -
150 words each Value based questions-
VALUE-BASED QUESTION
Q1. How do things of beauty enrich
us? (6 Marks Each)
Ans. Our desire to live on this earth is to a great extent due to the presence of beautiful
things that are a constant source of joy for us. Without beauty, the earth is full of gloom
and sadness. There is cruelty, selfishness and mean behaviour all around and lack of
good-natured people. It is this beauty, a creation of God which removes the sadness
and darkness from our minds and souls. As we get wrapped up in the beautiful flowery
band or this strong connection with nature we get a reason to live further. The sun, the
moon, trees old and young are all sources of happiness for us. The trees sprout and
spread their branches to provide shelter within their shade for the simple sheep. The
Daffodils bloom within the green surroundings in which they grow. The clear and small
streams of water make a cooling shelter for themselves against the hot season. The
thick mass of ferns looks grand with their beautiful musk roses. All these things enrich
our lives to an extent that it is not possible to live without them.
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