ODE TO A GRECIAN URN - KEATS

Stanza 1 – The sight of the beautiful Grecian Urn sets the poet’s mind at work. He imagines it as a bride wedded to the spirit of silence, and as a child adopted by the silently, slow moving time, the urn has beautiful pictures carved on its surface. It has been speechless through the ages, only using its pictures to express its meaning and message. It has not been spoilt by the ravages of time. The pictures on the surface of the urn depict the pastoral life of Greece in a better way than is ever possible in poetry. The scenes depicted on the urn are decorated with ornamental leaf work borders. The poet sees various figures carved on the urn and wants to know whether they are of God’s, or men, or both, belonging to the Valley of Temp (Greece) or Arcadia (mountain district of Greece), places associated with ancient Greek pastoral poetry. On another side of the urn the poet sees various figure of men or gods. There are also figures of shy and unwilling maidens, madly pursued by their young lovers, trying heard to free themselves form their impatient embrace. On still another side of the urn there are pictures of merry singers, playing on their musical instruments. The faces of the people indicate that they are enjoying the utmost pleasure and happiness in their woodland revelry. The poet wants to know the real significance of these woodland scenes.

Stanza 2 – Keats says that the music heard by our ears is pleasing no doubt, but the music played by the figures in stone is much more pleasing and delightful, because it appeals to our imagination and soul. It is more lasting and permanent, and it has infinite variety and charm. Every person listening to it in his imagination is impressed by it in its own way. Art has been given permanence to the musicians and the lover though very near to his beloved will never be able to catch hold of her and kiss her. Yet the lover should not be sorrowful because he and his beloved have been made eternal by art.