Ode on a Grecian Urn Critical Analysis

8/19/2019 Ode on a Grecian Urn Critical Analysis

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THE ACCESS ACADEMY, Nawab Colony, Okara

DE N A GRECIAN URN: CRITICAL ANALYSIS

‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’ was inspired by a collection of Greek pottery wic

!eats saw in te "ritis M#se#$ in %&%'( )eraps, te inspiration for te

poe$ was deri*ed fro$ a $arble #rn wic belon+ed to ord Holland( -n

+i*in+ #s te i$a+ery of te car*in+s on te #rn, !eats was not tinkin+ of asin+le #rn b#t of Greek art in +eneral( !eats ad a nat#ral tendency towards

Greek way of life( Tis ode sows te f#ll force of Hellenic in.#ence on

!eats/s $ind(

Tis ode is based on te tension between te 'ideal' and te 0real'( !eats ere

i$a+ines an #rn as a sy$bol of te world of art wic represents te ideal

world( Ten e e1periences tat world created tro#+ is i$a+ination( Te

perfect, per$anent and pleas#rable world of te #rn stands a+ainst te

destr#cti*e, corr#pt and painf#l world of reality(

2Ode on a Grecian 3rn/ is a well b#ilt poe$ in tree parts4 introd#ction, $ain

s#b5ect and concl#sion( Te 6rst stan7a +i*es te introd#ction8 te second,

tird and fo#rt stan7as describe te $ain s#b5ect, and te 6ft stan7a

presents te concl#sion( Te introd#ction describes te $ystery of te #rn

and sows wat 9#estions te i$a+es painted on te #rn pose to te poet8

te $ain s#b5ect consists of te scenes on te #rn as !eats sees te$ not

wit is pysical si+t b#t wit is i$a+inati*e si+t( Te concl#sion answers

te 9#estion wic te poet as raised in te 6rst stan7a( T#s in te words

of Graa$ Ho#+,

“The poem has what Aristotle would call a beginning, a middle and

an end.”

Te ode be+ins wit an apostrope to te #rn( !eats #ses tree $etapors to

personify te #rn4 “the unravished bride of quietness”, “the foster-

child of silence and slow time” and “sylvan historian”( -n te rest of

te stan7a, e $editates #pon te pict#res painted on te #rn and raises

so$e 9#estions to re$o*e te a$bi+#ity(

“What mad pursuit What struggle to escape

What pipes and timbrels What wild ecstasy”

-n te second stan7a, te poet ceases is searc after te identity of te

painted i$a+es and addresses te$( To i$,

“!eard melodies are sweet, but those unheard

Are sweeter,"”

ect#red by4 M3HAMMAD M3SSA:A; ?@@%'B?B?


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beca#se s#c $#sic is lastin+ and per$anent( T#s !eats sows s#pre$acy

of art o*er life( Art as +i*en per$anence and i$$ortality to te $#sician

and te lo*er painted on te #rn( !eats is forced to tink abo#t te

s#periority of Art o*er Nat#re( Art is per$anent, wile #$an life and its

sens#o#s bea#ty are transitory( Co$pton ;ickett says,

“!uman life and happiness may be brief# yet art has given them a

lasting durability, and so lin$s the ages together.”

-n te tird stan7a, !eats e$pasi7es te #ncan+in+ appiness of te

6+#res by te repetition of words and prases( E*en to#+ teir passion is

#nsatis6ed, teir state is far better tan tat of te $ortals for wo$

satisfaction t#rns pleas#re into satiety( Te last two lines +i*e #s a +li$pse of

!eats/s personal life(

“%he cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,

&or ever wilt thou love, and she be fair'”

Here !eats refers to =anny "rawne wit wo$ is lo*e re$ained #nacie*ed(

-n te fo#rt stan7a, !eats describes te pict#re of a sacri6cial procession(

He i$a+ines tat te people wo a*e co$e to see te sacri6ce can ne*er

ret#rn to teir o$es( He reali7es tat 5#st as a $o$ent of appiness is 61ed

for e*er in art, so is te $o$ent of desolation(

-n te 6ft stan7a, te !eats addresses te #rn in a dierent way( He calls it

Attic shape, Silent form and Cold pastoral( -n tis way, te #rn ispersoni6ed( -t will re$ain #ncan+ed for te f#t#re +enerations and will

contin#e to teac tat bea#ty and tr#t are inseparable(

“" a friend to man, to whom whou say(st,

)*eauty is truth, truth beauty(, - that is all

+e $now on earth, and all ye need to $now.”

Te central to#+t of tis ode is te #nity of tr#t and bea#ty( Accordin+ to

!eats, bea#ty and tr#t are not separate tin+s b#t two sides of one and te



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sa$e tin+( :at is bea#tif#l $#st be tr#e, and wat is tr#e $#st be

bea#tif#l( Te knowled+e of tis +reat fact is of s#pre$e i$portance and tis

fact represents te *ery essence of wisdo$( Ha*in+ tis knowled+e, $ankind

needs no oter knowled+e( !eats as s#$$ed #p is pilosopy of life and

teory of art in tese lines( "#t tey a*e aro#sed $#c contro*ersy a$on+

te critics( T( S( Eliot e*en called tis state$ent “a serious blemish on

this beautiful poem.”

Te feat#res of !eatsian ;o$anticis$ and !eats/ pilosopy of art, bea#ty

and tr#t are also i$portant in tis poe$( To#+ it is a ro$antic poe$, we

6nd te classical interests of !eats in te style and for$ of tis poe$( Tis is

a ro$antic poe$ $ainly beca#se of its do$inant i$a+inati*e 9#ality( !eats

ad a stron+ desire to belon+ to te real$ of te eternal, te per$anent,perfect and te pleas#rable( =or tis p#rpose, e establises so$e $eans to

acie*e tat world of is wis wit te elp of i$a+ination(

To sum up, we $ay say tat in 2Ode on a Grecian Urn’ , !eats e$patically

points o#t te dierence between art and life( ife, to#+ real, is s#b5ect to

decay and deat8 art, to#+ #nreal, as per$anence of bea#ty( Howe*er,

tere is idden patos tat r#ns tro#+o#t te poe$ and it re$ains a sad

poe$( Te #rn is a 2cold pastoral/8 it as no war$t of #$an life( Nor can it$ake any pro+ress, beca#se pro+ress i$plies can+e( "#t te #rn is beyond

any can+e( So te #rn is deatless, b#t is also lifeless(

ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE: CRITICAL ANALYSIS

‘Ode to a Nightingale’ is te lo*eliest poe$ of !eats( ;obert "rid+es says

abo#t it4

“ could not name any nglish poem of the same length which

contains so much beauty.”



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Tis ode re*eals te i+est i$a+inati*e powers of te poet( -t was inspired

by te son+ of a ni+tin+ale wic te poet eard in te +ardens of is

friend, Carles "rown( -t is a spontaneo#s e1pression of !eats/ life( Te poe$

presents te pict#re of te tra+edy of #$an life( -t brin+s o#t an e1pression

of !eats0 pessi$is$ and de5ection( He co$posed tis poe$ in %&%B wen is

fa$ily life was sattered at te ti$e wen is eart was f#ll of sorrow( His

yo#n+est broter To$ ad died, te second one ad +one to A$erica and te

poet i$self was s#erin+ fro$ T#berc#losis( At tat ti$e e was also in te

a+ony of is passionate lo*e for =anny "rawne( His 6nancial condition was

#nsec#red( All tese appenin+s ad ind#ced in te poet a $ood of sorrow(

He co#ld not s#ppress it( Accordin+ to Do#+las "#s,

“All these things compelled eats to see$ a favourite relief in

abstract images.”

-t is a )richly meditative ode( as )rof Hereford calls it( Te central idea of tis poe$ is te contrast of te 5oy and bea#ty and per$anence of te

ni+tin+ale/s son+ wit te sorrows of #$an life and te transitoriness of

bea#ty and lo*e in tis world( Te ni+tin+ale/s son+ in te poe$ sy$boli7es

te bea#ty of nat#re and art(

-n te be+innin+, !eats see$s to be an i$$at#re yo#t wit a $elancolic

eart #r+in+ to 6nd a $eans of obli*ion and escape( Te poet/s $ood in te

two openin+ stan7as is one of 5oy and ecstasy wic al$ost ben#$bs is

senses(

/0y heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains,0y sense, as though of hemloc$ had drun$./

Tis $ood is d#e to te rapt#ro#s son+ of te ni+tin+ale( "#t, te poet also

feels an ac#te pain beca#se e is conscio#s of is $ortality and s#erin+(

"ein+ an escapist !eats wants to trow of te b#rden of self conscio#sness

and sinks +rad#ally into te world of i$a+ination( He desires for a beaker of

wine by drinkin+ wic e can for+et tis world of sorrows and $isfort#nes

and fade away into te forest were te ni+tin+ale is sin+in+ its 5oyo#s

son+( Te poet/s desire for wine does not $ean a desire for war$t and+aiety8 it is a desire for escape fro$ te world of realities(

That might drin$, and leave the world unseen, And with thee fade away into the forest dim.”

=inally, by te elp of te poetic i$a+ination, e $akes i$self able to .y in

te world of te ni+tin+ale( Ne1t, we 6nd te poet “half in love with

easeful death”( Te to#+t of is own deat $akes i$ contrast te

$ortality of #$an bein+s wit te i$$ortality of te ni+tin+ale(

Accordin+

to Cal*in,

“The poet contrasts the transitory of human life with the permanence of the song of the bird”(

Ha*in+ denied a feelin+ of en*y of te ni+tin+ale/s 5oy in te openin+stan7a, e is now in a $ood of en*yin+ te i$$ortality of te ni+tin+ale(

-nfact, no one can escape into te ideal world fore*er( -$a+inati*e $inds can



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a*e a $o$entary .i+t into te fancif#l world( "#t, #lti$ately one as toret#rn to te real world and $#st accept te reality( Fon !eats is noe1ception to tis( He $akes i$a+inati*e .i+ts into te ideal world b#taccepts te realities of life( He wants to escape fro$ te world of an1iety by*irt#e of is i$a+ination b#t e is f#lly aware of te fact tat4

The &ancy cannot cheat so well, As she is famed to do, deceiving elf”.

2Ode to a Nightingale’ is a i+ly ro$antic poe$( -ts ro$anticis$ is d#e

to (a) its ric sens#o#sness, (b) its e1pression of intense desire and deep

$elancoly, its sweet $#sic, and its fres and ori+inal prases( Tese

lines in te poe$ represent te p#re ro$anticis$4

“The same that oft-times hath

1harm(d magic casements, opening on the foam

2f perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.”

Te to#c of te s#pernat#ral, te $ystery, and abo*e all te

s#++esti*eness of tese lines a*e $ade te$ a test by wic p#rely

ro$antic poetry can be 5#d+ed and $eas#red(

Te poe$ is one of te 6nest e1a$ples of !eats/s pictorial 9#ality and is

ric sens#o#sness( :e a*e an ab#ndance of ric, concrete, and sens#o#s

i$a+ery( Te lines in wic te poet e1presses a passionate desire for so$e

)ro*encal wine or te red wine fro$ te fo#ntain of te M#ses a*e a ric

appeal(“2, for a draught of vintage, that hath been

1ool(d a long age in the deep-delved earth,

Tasting of &lora and the country green,

3ance, and 4rovencal song, and sun-burnt mirth'”

Ten tere is te $a+ni6cent pict#re of te $oon sinin+ in te sky and

s#rro#nded by stars, lookin+ like a 9#een s#rro#nded by er attendant

fairies(

“And haply the 5ueen-0oon is on her throne.

1luster(d around by all her starry &ays.”

Te ric feast of .owers tat awaits #s in te ne1t stan7a is one of te

o#tstandin+ bea#ties of te poe$( =lowers, soft incense, te fr#it trees, te

wite awtorn, te e+lantine, te fastfadin+ *iolets, te co$in+ $#skrose

f#ll of sweet 5#iceall tis is a deli+t for o#r senses(

IOde to a Ni+tin+aleI is written in tenline stan7as( Howe*er, #nlike $ost of

te oter poe$s, it is $etrically *ariable( Te 6rst se*en and last two lines of eac stan7a are written in ia$bic penta$eter8 te ei+t line of eac stan7a

is written in tri$eter, wit only tree accented syllables instead of 6*e( -t

also diers fro$ te oter odes in tat its ry$e sce$e is te sa$e in

e*ery stan7a


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To s#$ #p, !eats soars i+ wit is 0win+s of poesy0 into te world of ideas

and perfect appiness( "#t te ne1t $o$ent, conscio#sness $akes i$ land

on te +ro#nds of reality and e bids farewell to te ideal bird( At tis

$o$ent, !eats $#st also a*e been conscio#s tat te *ery bird, wic e

ad ideali7ed and i$$ortali7ed, e1isted in te real world, $ortal and

*#lnerable to can+e and s#erin+ like i$self(

DE T A NIGHTINGALE & DE N A GRECIAN

URN: C MPARIS N AND C NTRAST

Give a detailed comparison of 2de to a 6ightingale and 2de on a7recian 8rn. (PU – 2008)Compare and contrast any to odes of !eats t"at you "ave read.

(PU – 20#0)$it" close reference to any to poems discuss t"e ima%ery t"at!eats uses. (PU – 20#0 &up)2de to 6ightingale and 2de on a 7recian 8rn are poems a'out art.plain. (PU – 20## &up, 20#2)

Ode to Nightingale and Ode on a Grecian Urn are te 6nest e1a$ples of

pictorial 9#ality and sens#o#sness( As te te$e is concerned bot of te

poe$s are si$ilar( "ot poe$s describe a #ni*ersal te$e J $ortal and

i$$ortal, transience and per$anence( Ode on Grecian 3rn +i*es #s a *ery

i$portant $essa+e and tis $essa+e is !eats/ $essa+e wic is rec#rrent

$otif r#nnin+ tro#+o#t !eats/ poetry( Te $essa+e is tat *eauty is

truth-truth beauty ( On te oter and, te $essa+e wic we +et after

readin+ 2Ode to a Nightingale/ is tat #$an bein+ cannot r#n away fro$ te

proble$s of life and tey a*e to li*e wit te proble$s of life(

-n bot odes poet/s ad$iration is for te ideal world of art and nat#re( Tin+s

car*ed on te Grecian #rn are per$anent and free fro$ decay wereas

tin+s of life are e1posed to can+e and decay( Te brances of te tree on

te #rn will always re$ain +reen8 te lo*ers will en5oy teir present state8 te

$#sic will always re$ain en5oyable8 te lo*er will always a*e is belo*ed

before is eyes and te belo*ed will ne*er +row old( On te oter andeartly tin+s keep on can+in+( Eartly passions do not +i*e satisfaction

and co$fort to #$an bein+ rater tey lea*e a )heart high-sorrowful

and cloyed(( Tose wo no#ris tese passions +et notin+ b#t a 2burning

forehead /, and a 2 parching tongue/(

-f 2Ode on Grecian Urn’ sows )oet/s ad$iration and yearnin+ for te world of

art, 2Ode to a Nightingale’ sows te sa$e for te world of nat#re( Here once

$ore, te poet wants to escape in te world of ni+tin+ale wic does not

know pain and s#erin+( Te world of ni+tin+ale is free of fe*er and fret of

#$an world8 in tat world pain and +roan are totally absent8 tin+s do not+row old tere8 tere is notin+ like disease tere8 to#+t wic $akes

people sad and sorrowf#l is not present in tere8 fr#stration and

disappoint$ent are nowere in te world of nat#re8 and lo*e does not

can+e tere( And 5#st as in te Ode on a Grecian Urn !eats deepens te



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si+ni6cance of is poe$ by is contrasts between ideal bea#ty and act#al

life, so in te Ode to a Nightingale(

"ot of te odes are ric in te #se of sy$bol( Te central sy$bol of Ode to

Nightingale is Ni+tin+ale( On te oter and te $ain sy$bol of Ode on a

Grecian Urn is 3rn( Te Grecian 3rn is te sy$bol of i$$orality of art(Ni+tin+ale sy$boli7es appiness( As te poe$ pro+resses, te son+ of

Ni+tin+ale does not re$ain te son+ of a partic#lar bird it beco$es a

sy$bol of te eternal bea#ty for te poet( -t is in tis sense tat te poet

cries o#t4

“Thou wast not born for death, immortal bird.”

-n Ode on a Grecian Urn !eats calls te 3rn as )unravish(d bride of

quietness( and “foster child of silence and slow time.” Addressin+ te

3rn !eats says8

“Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought

As doth eternity.”

-n te poe$ Ode to a Nightingale, Ni+tin+ale is personi6ed( Te bird is a

sy$bol of appiness and perfection( Te Ni+tin+ale/s world is te ideal

world were te poet wises to +o to free i$self fro$ te pan+s and

s#erin+s of te world( "#t 5#st one word “forlorn” is eno#+ to call i$

back fro$ te world of Ni+tin+ale to te world of tose wo are s#erin+

fro$ palsy, +rowin+ pale, spectretin and ten dyin+( Te world of

Ni+tin+ale wit all its car$s cannot take away fro$ !eats/ eart is sense

of oneness wit is eartly fellow bein+s wo are s#erin+ fro$ “fever and

fret” of te world(

Sa$e is tr#e in te case of te 3rn( -n Ode on a Grecian Urn0/ te 3rn is

personi6ed( -t stands for bea#ty and per$anence( -t contrasts wit te

transitoriness of #$an life wic is f#ll of $isery( Te poet knows te *al#e

of te 3rn as a bea#tif#l piece of art b#t at te sa$e ti$e e reali7es tat

bea#ty is not te only tin+ of i$portance( Te 3rn to#+ i$$ortal is

speecless( -t lacks te war$t and *i+or of life(

!eats e1pands te ran+e of is sens#o#sness fro$ pict#res of pysical lo*e

to te pict#res of nat#ral bea#ties( -n Ode to a Nightingale te poet looks

for eternal bea#ty( Te bea#ty of te son+ of Ni+tin+ale is bea#tif#l fro$

ti$e i$$e$orial( -t deli+ts all people in all a+es e*erywere( Te 3rn itself

is a sy$bol of e*erlastin+ bea#ty( Te painter $ay die b#t te bea#ty of te

paintin+ is e*erlastin+( Te poet $ay die b#t poetry is #ndyin+(

-n all is poe$s, te poet is Greek in te$per and spirit( He is a representati*e

of Greek to#+t and c#lt#re in a sense in wic :ordswort, Selley,

Colerid+e are not( -n Ode to a Nightingale tere are references of Dryad,Hippocrene, "acc#s, ete wic re$ind #s of Greek $ytolo+y( Te 3rn

itself is fro$ Greek $ytolo+y( -t i$$ortali7es Greek 5oy, c#lt#re, reli+ion(

Te Grecian 3rn sows te poet as te tr#e representati*e of Greek, as te

3rn o#tli*es Greek c#lt#re( Te 3rn is te bea#ty( -t is as tr#e as te Greek

i$$ortality(



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"ot poe$s sow tat escape fro$ te real world is ne*er possible( -n Ode

to the Nightingale it is te word forlorn tat p#ts te clock black( -n te

2de on a 7recian 8rn it is te reali7ation of te deat like war$tless

and speecless silence of te 3rn tat brin+s !eats back into te world of

reality(

Te tone of Ode to Nightingale is patetic and it is $ore s#b5ecti*e tan

Ode on a Grecian Urn( Te tone is 5oyo#s and ob5ecti*e in Ode on a

Grecian Urn( Te o*erall tone of te poe$ is $elancolic in Ode to

Nightingale( Te poe$ is also *ery s#b5ecti*e, beca#se it draws reference

fro$ !eats/ own life( Te e1pressions fever and fret te spectre-thin

etc( clearly refer to te patetic deat of !eats/ broter( Te poe$ is written

i$$ediately after te deat of is broter( On te oter and !eats/ tone in

Ode to Grecian Urn is *ery 5oyf#l( Here e celebrates te bea#ty of te 3rn,te 5oyf#lness of te lo*ers and te e1cite$ent of te reli+io#s sacri6ce( He

#ses te word happy se*eral ti$es( More i$portantly, #nlike Ni+tin+ale,

it is not based on is personal loss( Te poe$ was written after one of is

*isits to te "ritis $#se#$(

!eats is called least ro$antic of all te ro$antic poets( He #ses all te

ele$ents of ro$antic poetry like i$a+ination, escape, lo*e of te past,

en5oy$ent of bea#ty, lo*e of pict#res9#e, sens#ality, spontaneo#s

e1pression of feelin+s, e1peri$ent wit for$ and te$e, s#b5ecti*ity,

depiction of nat#re, lo*e of e1otic, deat wis, si$plicity of lan+#a+e ande1pression( Yet we 6nd +reat care of a +reat classic poet in !eats/ poetry( His

balance is o#tstandin+( "ot odes carry all te 9#alities of classic art as well

as ro$antic art( -t is tis blend of ro$anticis$ and classicis$ wic $akes

!eats/s poetry of e*erlastin+ appeal( And tis blend is nowere so pro$inent

in !eats/ poetry as we 6nd te$ in is +reat odes( Tis is te reason tat

critics say tat !eats/ odes were eno#+ for is +reatness(

KEATS’ NEGATIVE CAPABILITY

Negative Capabilit was 6rst #sed by Fon !eats in %&%& to e1plain a

capacity tat ne+ates intellect#al p#rs#it of $ysterio#s answers( Te

concept of Ne+ati*e Capability is te ability to conte$plate te world wito#t

te desire to try and reconcile its contradictory aspects or #nderstand te$

tro#+ reason( !eats wants to 6nd bea#ty in wat is an #+ly world(

-n a letter to is broters, Geor+e and To$as !eats, on K% Dece$ber %&%',

!eats #sed te prase Negative Capabilit for te only ti$e(

“" at once it struc$ me what quality went to form a 0an of

Achievement, especially in 9iterature, and which

%ha$espeare possessed so enormously - mean 6egative 1apability,


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Keatshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespearehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Keats


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that is, when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries,

doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.”

:at does !eats $ean by 2Negative Capabilit’ L Act#ally e is #sin+ te

word 2negative/ not in a ne+ati*e sense, b#t to con*ey te idea tat a

person/s potential can be de6ned by wat e or se does not possess(

Accordin+ to !eats, poetry so#ld be te res#lt of a poet/s Ne+ati*e

Capability wic $eans to be capable of bein+ in #ncertainties, $ysteries or

do#bts and to be free of “any irritable reaching out after fact and

reason.” S#c a position p#t !eats at te forefront of te ;o$antic

$o*e$ent, and e*en at te c#sp of $odernis$(

Tro#+ te e1a$ple of Colerid+e, !eats i$self as e1plained te $eanin+

of is state$ent(

“1oleridge, for instance " being incapable of remaining content with half-$nowledge, " that with a great poet the sense of *eauty

overcomes every other consideration.”

Stepen Hebron co$$ents on te re$arks of !eats abo#t Colerid+e4

“ssential to literary achievement is a certain passivity, a

willingness to let what is mysterious or doubtful remain :ust that.

1oleridge would do well to brea$ o; from his relentless search for

$nowledge, and instead contemplate something beautiful and true

from the most secret part of mystery. The e


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or do#bt( Te $ost bea#tif#l e1perience we can a*e is te $ysterio#s( -n

order to create tr#e poetry, one ad to be able to re$ain in state of con.ict

wito#t 0irritabl' reacin+ after facts or reasons( Te poet so#ld not i$pose

i$self #pon te do#bts and #ncertainties wic $ake #p a con.ict( Tis

concept of Ne+ati*e Capability is closely related to !eats/ concept of bea#ty

and tr#t( Te inspirational power of bea#ty is $ore i$portant tan te

9#est for ob5ecti*e fact8 as e writes in is Ode on a Grecian Urn4

“)*eauty is truth, truth beauty=that is all


Ne+ati*e Capability is not 5#st denyin+ te need for correct answers, b#t

denyin+ #$anity/s ability to f#lly #nderstand any kind of peno$ena( -n

oter words, !eats says tat for so$e tin+s, tose correct answers $i+t

not be a*ailable( -n fact, tey $i+t not e1ist at all( !eats was seen as

re5ectin+ te Enli+ten$ent/s atte$pts to rationali7e nat#re, and by doin+so, e ended #p at te forefront of te ;o$antic Mo*e$ent(

!eats tinks tat a poet is s#cceeded if e is able to sare wit is readers

wat e as e1perienced( He so#ld inspire te reader to s#c an e1tent tat

te reader blindly starts followin+ te poet and for+ets is $iseries( -t is te

d#ty of te poet to re$o*e is e+o fro$ is work( He says,

“A poet is the most unpoetical of anything because he has no

identity.”

-n 2Ode to a Nightimgale’! we see tat !eats is i$self te *icti$ of “drowsy

numbness” b#t e co$es o#t of i$self to enter into te ecstasy of te

ni+tin+ale/s son+( He beco$es,

“Too happy in thine happiness.”

-n ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’! !eats is f#lly aware of te te$porariness of

#$an life( "#t e e*en takes 5oy in 2#neard $elodies/ beca#se4

“!eard melodies are sweet, but those unheard

Are sweeter.”

Te 6nest e1a$ple of !eats/ Ne+ati*e Capability is to be fo#nd in 2Ode to

A"t"mn’ ( Al$ost all te literary tradition olds tis season to be a sy$bol of

decay and decline( :ereas !eats sees it as a “season of mellow

fruitfulness”( Te cr#el fact of winter is not for+otten( ;ater it is placed in

wider perspecti*e and t#s loses its destr#cti*e eects( Tis is ow e

arri*es is concept of tr#t and bea#ty tro#+ te $edi#$ of Ne+ati*e

Capability(

Tis disc#ssion on !eats/s Ne+ati*e Capability can be concl#ded well wit te

re$arks of a critic, Allen So$er*ell4

“The e


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ESCAPISM F KEATS

C NTRAST BETWEEN REALITY AND

IMAGINATI N

C NTRAST BETWEEN ART AND REALITY

“eats( poetry puts man(s mind e on adelicate balance, below which it cannot descend# beyond where it

has no will to rise.” n the light of this statement, critically evaluate

eats(s odes. ?@BC

The sharp contrast between the desire for beauty and awareness of

pain ma$es eats( odes dramatic. 3iscuss. ?@DC

!ow does the dramatic spirit e


12/15


E1periencin+ te bitter realities of life, were*er e sees so$e bea#tif#l

pict#res weter depicted on an 23rn/ or ears te son+ of a 2Ni+tin+ale/, e

tries to .y to an ideal world of appiness, bea#ty, $#sic and i$a+ination

for+ettin+ is reality in te world( =or e1a$ple, a*in+ seen a bea#tif#l

Grecian 3rn in te "ritis M#se#$, e for+ets is position8 e*en e talks wit

te pict#res depicted on te 3rn8

“Ah, happy, happy boughs that cannot shed

+our leaves, nor ever bid the %pring adieu.”

A+ain, a*in+ eard te son+ of a ni+tin+ale, is senses be+in to loose in

e1cessi*e 5oy as if e as dr#nk e$lock( As a res#lt, e says,

“2ne minute past, and lathe-wards had sun$.”

o does $eats escape from realit& #hat is his medi"m or transport& !eats/

own words +i*e answer to tese 9#estions4

“6ot charioted by *acchus and his pards*ut on the viewless wings of poesy.”

!eats/ escape is fro$ is real life to an i$a+inati*e and ideal world( *"t h

is this escape& "eca#se, accordin+ to !eats, reality of #$an life is f#ll of

s#erin+, pain etc8 tis world is not a desirable place( 2Ode to a Nightingale’

is an e1cellent e1a$ple of !eats/ escapis$ in is poetry(

He as s#$$ed #p is indi*id#al as well as co$$on s#erin+s of life in te

followin+ lines of stan7a %% of te poe$ 2Ode to a Nightingale/4

“The weariness, the fever, and the fret """"""""""""""""""""..

Where palsy sha$es a few, sad, last gray hairsWhere youth grows pale and spectre-thin and dies#

Where but to thin$ is to be full of sorrow""""""""""""""""""""""

Where beauty can not $eep her lustrous eyes.”Here e considers tat life is f#ll of $isery, sorrow and disease, of tirin+

str#++le, of restlessness and pain8 tat old $en/s life is elpless and pitif#l,

tat e*en te yo#n+ are dyin+ of terrible disease8 tat bea#ty is sortli*ed8

tat one/s lo*e for anoter does not last lon+( Terefore, we see tat !eats is

so dis+#sted wit te real life tat e always tries to escape fro$ it( Tis is

te *iew of reality by !eats(

"#t !eats/ world of i$a+ination re$ains only a sort wile( -n is

i$a+ination, te $o$ents of p#re appiness do not last lon+8 e is to co$e

back to tis world a+ain( :en e tinks tat te 3rn and te son+ of te

ni+tin+ale will re$ain for a+es b#t e will not, rater e is 2 forlorn/, e

co$es back to reality( He says in te last stan7a of 2Ode to a Nightingale’ 4

“&orlorn' The very would is li$e a bell

To toll me bac$ from thee to my sole self”.

Te word )forlorn( re$inds i$ is position in )the weariness, the fever

and the fret(, like te alar$ clocks of o#r clocks tat t#rn #s fro$ o#r

drea$y sleep to te world of bitter reality( He calls is i$a+inati*e escape

)fancy(, )deceiving elf(. !eats is always tryin+ to escape to te world of

i$a+ination, te world of bea#ty and perfection, s#c as, te world of te



13/15


ni+tin+ale or te Grecian #rn( "#t tis escape is always obstr#cted by a

painf#l reali7ation of te bitter realities of life( Al$ost all te +reat odes of

!eats re*eal tis con.ict(

!eats/ odes re.ect is constraint *ision( Te poe$s sow is tryin+ to resol*e

te con.ict between appiness and $elancoly, .#1 and stasis, art and life,

life and deat wit a brilliant artistic force( Te Grecian 3rn as a piece of

Greek art, *ery $#c like te Ni+tin+ale, as a $on#$ental *al#e( -t is

i$$ortal beca#se it is a s#bstit#te for te $iserable world of reality( Te 3rn

will always +i*e tis $essa+e to $an, “*eauty is truth > truth beauty.”

!eats knows te li$itation of is i$a+inati*e escape to world of tin+s like

te 3rn or te Ni+tin+ale( He reali7es tat te speecless 3rn will re$ain

‘forlorn’ like te Ni+tin+ale( T#s e co$es back on te ard cr#st of eart

on wic e*ery $an li*es(

To concl#de, we can clai$ #nesitatin+ly tat !eats, after escapin+ into te

world of bea#ty and per$anence, 6nds i$self co$pelled to ret#rn to te

real world of i$per$anence and s#erin+( He deri*es te concl#sion tat

tr#e bea#ty consists not in an escape fro$ tis world b#t in an acceptance of

it( :e can s#$ #p tis disc#ssion wit te concise state$ent of a critic4

“eats( poetry puts man(s mind e on a

delicate balance, below which it cannot descend# beyond where it

has no will to rise.”

KEATS’ AS A R MANTIC/PURE P ET

KEATS AS A P ET F BEAUTY/NATURE

Te o*erwel$in+ passion and te$e of !eats/ poetry is bea#ty( He p#rs#es

and lo*es te principle of bea#ty in all te tin+s of Nat#re( Hence, a$on+ all

te ro$antic poets, e is te p#re poet( -t is beca#se e is neiter a teacer,

nor a preacer, nor a refor$er, nor a carrier of any $essa+e of

#$anitarianis$ or spirit#alis$( Middleton M#rry says,

“eats had the persistent capacity to see and to feel what life is.

That(s why, he equally loved both foul and fair, :oy and sorrow,

mean and noble ali$e.”

!eats is not only a p#re poet b#t a p#re ro$antic as well( As a ro$antic poet,

e was +reatly inspired by te Greek art and c#lt#re( He was also inspired by

te Eli7abetans, especially Spenser( !eats is a tr#e ro$antic poet and

$akes poetry an instr#$ent for te e1pression of is personal and e$otional

feelin+s( His poetry as no didacticis$ like :ordswort

neiter it as re*ol#tionist approac like Selley( ;iddley Scott says,

“eats feels the impression of beauty on his pulses and breathes it into poetry.”

!eats ro$antici7es bea#ty in *ario#s aspects of life( T#s, te p#rs#it of

bea#ty beco$es is lifelon+ creed( He reaces at te reality of tin+s

tro#+ te $edi#$ of bea#ty( -n tis conte1t, Co$pton ;ickett says,



14/15


“eats had no religion save the religion of beauty.”

As a p#re poet, te do$inant te$e of all !eats/ poe$s is bea#ty( 3nlike te

oter ro$antic poets of is a+e, e did not take notice of te social, political

and literary t#r$oil b#t de*oted i$self entirely to te worsip of bea#ty( He

i$self says,

“With a great poet, the sense of beauty overcomes every other

consideration.”

A p#re poet feels and e1presses is 5oy in bea#ty, b#t wen e feels tis 5oy,

e reali7es also a new aspect of bea#ty, wic is tr#t( -n tis identity of

bea#ty and tr#t, lies te ar$ony of #ni*erse( !eats reali7es tis ar$ony

wen e says8

“*eauty is truth, truth beauty - that(s all


o*e for nat#re is te cief caracteristic of all te ro$antic and p#re poets(

!eats also lo*es nat#re b#t e lo*es nat#re for te sake of nat#re( He does

not +i*e any teory or ideolo+y abo#t nat#re( He only ad$ires te bea#ty of

nat#re( "#t on te oter and, :ordswort spirit#ali7es nat#re, Colerid+e

6nds so$e s#pernat#ral ele$ents in nat#re, Selley intellect#ali7es nat#re

and "yron is interested in te *i+oro#s aspects of nat#re(

!eats was a p#re poet as e does not pro5ect any teory in is poetry( He

belie*es in Ne+ati*e Capability( Ne+ati*e Capability is te willin+ness to

e$brace #ncertainty, li*e wit $ystery, and $ake peace wit

a$bi+#ity( !eats wants to accept te e*ery aspect of world fro$

disappoint$ent and dis+#st to e1altation and serenity( So $ost of !eats/

poetry is de*oted to lo*e, patos, disappoint$ent in lo*e, and loss of bea#ty

and 5oy( :ere is ten bea#ty in lifeL Act#ally e reali7es te tr#t of life

after passin+ tro#+ is a+onies( )ain and s#erin+ cannot be di*orced fro$

5oy as tey to+eter $ake #p life 5#st like day and ni+t to+eter $ake #p

ti$e(

“Wordsworth and %helley both had theories but eats has none. We

cannot accuse eats of any withdrawal or refusal# he was merely

about his business and his business was that of a pure poet.”

A *ery si+ni6cant ele$ent wic one 6nds in !eats/ poetry, and in oter

ro$antics, is $ore or less a desire for escape( ;o$antic poetry presents te

world of drea$s and i$a+ination8 terefore, te ro$antic poets seek an

escape fro$ te ard realities of life in te world of i$a+ination( As !eats

says in ‘Ode to a Nighingale’+

“Away' Away' &or will Gy to thee,

*ot charioted by *acchus and his pards,

*ut on the viewless wings of poesy.”



15/15


!eats was e1tra ordinarily endowed wit te nati*e ability of feelin+ ac#tely

wit senses like Sakespeare and Milton( All is 6*e senses react 9#ickly to

te bea#ties of e1ternal world( T#s sense i$pression of tese bea#ties is

trans$itted into poetry by is i$a+ination( -n ‘Ode to A"t"mn’! e describes

te sens#o#s bea#ty of te season b#t is tone is of 5oy $i1ed wit

sole$nity of to#+t(

!eats poetry re*eals te sens#o#s aspect of is lo*e for bea#ty( His

e1pression of bea#ty is not only sens#o#s b#t also ro$antic( Te poe$

2Endy$ion/ be+in wit te #tterance of ro$antic poetry(

“A thing of beauty is a :oy forever,

ts loveliness increases, it will never pass into nothingness.”

!eats saw tat life was f#ll of pains, s#erin+s and $elancoly( E*en e

i$self was a prey to pain and disease( His poetry is colo#red wit$elancoly( -n ‘Ode to a Nighingale’! tere is poi+nant note of $elancoly

wen e says,

“Where but to thin$ is to be full of sorrow

And laden-eyed despairs#

Where beauty cannot $eep her lustrous eyes#

2r new love pine at them beyond tomorrow.”

Concl#din+ it, !eats possesses te 9#alities of a ro$antic and p#re poet wo

lo*es nat#re, wic is seen by i$ wit Greek te$per( He ne*er tinks abo#t

past and f#t#re and is only concern is te present ti$e8 te present

$o$ent of bea#ty and tr#t( -n is early poetry, one can percei*e i$ as an

escapist beca#se tere was 5oy and deli+t and o*ercar+ed i$a+ination

beca#se of ine1perience yo#t( "#t wit +rad#al de*elop$ent of to#+t and

e1perience, e co$es to te concl#sion tat sorrows and 5oys are always

to+eter8 rose cannot be taken wito#t its trones( One can clearly sees in

is Odes tat e is not an escapist b#t e is acceptin+ te realities of life(

Tennyson says,

“There is something of the innermost soul of poetry in almost

everything he wrote.”


Documents

Ode on a Grecian Urn Critical Analysis