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Ode to Grecian Urn
By John KeatsBy John Keats
Instructor: Ms. Doris L.W. Instructor: Ms. Doris L.W. ChangChang
Our Group MembersOur Group Members
Alice: Introduction, Paraphrase & Conclusion
Sandy: Vocabulary, Symbolism, Metaphor & Diction
Sally: Speaker, Listener & Situation Structure & About the Ode
Penny: ImageryAllen: Irony & Conflicts
General IdeaGeneral Idea
It is a lyric poem based on the ironies of
The changes in reality and the motionless art that lasts foreverIt is contradictory to see the stillness of the urn with the beautiful art lively as the reality
The information was adapted from http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6
Our Main ThemeOur Main Theme
The conflicts of eternal and the motionless ideal life
The conflicts of a short and changeable reality life among us
The Structure of This The Structure of This PoemPoem
Five Stanzas:I. Overall description of the urnII. Several features of the urn’s worldIII. The compliments on the eternity in
the urn’s world (Love & passion, eternal spring)
IV. Another different sight of the sacrifice & desolate town
V. the significance that the urn tells people
Literary TermsLiterary Terms
OdeLyric PoetryConnotationParadoxMeter See the adapted information at the Glossary
section of An Introduction to Literature, 12th edition, Barnet, Sylvan, printed in 2001.
About the OdeAbout the Ode
Started in Greek time, by PindarThe triad: Strophe, Antistrophe
& EpodeEnglish Contemporary Version,
developed by Andrew Cowley, follwed Roman Types
The Roman Poet, Horace
The Structure of OdesThe Structure of Odes
StropheStrophe, a term in versification which properly means a turn, as from one foot to another, or from one side of a chorus to the other
AntistropheAntistrophe, the portion of an ode which is sung by the chorus in its returning in response the strophe,
The Structure of OdesThe Structure of Odes
Epode:Epode: It is of the nature of a reply, and balances the effect of the strophe
Adapted from http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/
melani/cs6/ode.html, http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antistrophe, http://www.onelook.com/?w=Strophe&ls=a http://www.onelook.com/?w=Epode&ls=a,
About the Ode 2About the Ode 2
The description of an outer natural scene;
· An extended meditation, which the scene begin to develop, focusing on a private problem or a universal situation or both;
About the Ode 2About the Ode 2
The occurrence of an insight or vision, a resolution or decision, returns back to the first scene as described, but with a new perspective created
About John KeatsAbout John Keats
1795-1821 Original Study:
apothecary Poems first
published: 1817 Most of works
written: after moving to Keats House
Adapted from, http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/keats.html
The Art of This Poem--The Art of This Poem--ImageryImagery
Urn ---Is set in wood. Is unchanged and lives in silence and slow time. The life carved on urn is ideal and permanent. Conflicts between real life and ideal life carved on urn. And conflicts of cold pastoral.
The Art of the Poem--The Art of the Poem--ImageryImagery
b. Sacrifice---is hold in the green altar.
the heifer is leading to sacrifice.
c. Town---peaceful little town. is desolate and emptied. Conflicts of joy and
pain/life and death.
Speaker, Listener and Speaker, Listener and SituationSituation
The Speaker --- listener A person talking to an object (the
urn) & showing his admirations for it.
The soliloquy that the speaker expressed his emotions, questions, and interpretations to the urn’s world.
The Art of the Poem—The Art of the Poem—Ironic Contrast Ironic Contrast
The First stanza:
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme (line 3-4)
The fairy tales are the stories that people could hear all the time in the real word; however, how a “sylvan historian” who is the figure carved on the quiet, motionless and silent urn could tell tales?
The Art of the Poem—The Art of the Poem—Ironic ContrastIronic Contrast
What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?(line8-10)
In line 8-10 of the first stanza, the speaker is involved in rapid and exciting activities shown on the urn. Paradoxically, such a passion is convincingly portrayed on cold, motionless stone instead of a person or thing existing in the reality.
The Art of the Poem—The Art of the Poem—Ironic ContrastIronic Contrast
The second stanza:Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss.
(line17)This is ironic because in reality, people who fall
in love agree that “kissing” is a kind of significance showing stable relationship and affection among each other.
She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair! (line 19-20)
The Art of the Poem—The Art of the Poem—Ironic ContrastIronic Contrast
As far as the picture on the urn is concerned, the time there is frozen and still which enables “love” becoming permanent ironic contrast “flesh and blood” staying sound. Nevertheless, in real world, every one dies one day and no one can avoid death.
The third stanza:All breathing human passion far above,
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy’d, A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.( line 28-30)
The Art of the Poem—The Art of the Poem—Ironic ContrastIronic Contrast
At the beginning of this stanza, the speaker illustrates the pictures of his ideal world (p666, line 21-27). Later on, in the last three lines, “All breathing human passion far above, ------“ is irony. The breathing humans’ passion towards love, music, love seems to be very far away and unfulfillable. He doubts whether his ideal world exists or not.
The Art of the Poem—The Art of the Poem—Ironic ContrastIronic Contrast
The fourth stanza: And this town, thy street for evermore
Will silent be; and not a soul to tell Why thou art desolate can e’er return. (line 38-40)
The Art of the Poem—The Art of the Poem—Ironic ContrastIronic Contrast
The speaker points out three ideal locations for peaceful citadel-by river, sea shore and mountain. Then, he describes the town as emptied, silent and desolated which appears strong contrast of normal people’s perspectives because such these words: silence, desolation and emptiness are not equal to joy and happiness of the ideal word.
Others Comments Others Comments About Keats’ OdesAbout Keats’ Odes
The experience is an intense awareness of both the joy and pain, the happiness and the sorrow of human life. It is not only a feeling, but becomes a thought to satisfy their desire for happiness in a world where joy and pain are tied together.
It is adapted from the website of http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu./english/melani/cs6, written by Wright Thomas and Stuart Gerry Brown
The ResourcesThe Resources
An Introduction to Literature, 12th edition. Sylvan Barnet, William Cain, William Burto and Mortan Berman. Printed in the United States, 2001.
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antistrophe, http://www.onelook.com/?w=Strophe&ls=ahttp://www.onelook.com/?w=Epode&ls=a,
Other Relevant LinksOther Relevant Links
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/rom.htmlhttp://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/keats.html#odeshttp://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu.tw/english/melani/cs6/ode.htmlhttp://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/read_lyr.htmlhttp://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/keats.html