Ode on a Grecian Urn Analytical Report
- Submitted by: dtm111
- Views: 543
- Category: English
- Date Submitted: 01/30/2011 03:13 AM
- Pages: 2
- Report this Essay
Ode on a Grecian Urn
Ode on a Grecian Urn is written by a poet named John Keats which displays the power of admiration and art is superior to nature. The speaker is admiring a piece of Greek Grecian urn that has survived over many generations.
“Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness”, the use of techniques such as personification and metaphor explains the urn although ironically the word ‘quietness’ suggests it has very little meaning. Working through the first stanza, the speaker questions and describes what she is feeling, and then comes a series of rhetorical questions, “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?” Each rhetorical question slowly increases the pace of tension.
“Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter”. The use of paradox which gives us imagery of what it sounds like, an open interpretation. “Therefore, ye soft pipes, play on”. The speaker is continuing to capture the imagination. “Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave”, she is trapped under a tree, she doesn’t want to leave. “Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss”, a feeling of remorse and she can’t kiss her. Your leaves, nor ever bid the spring adieu”. Representing that the urn will always be spring, always fresh. Also representing that the urn will never be tired, “For ever piping songs for ever new”. “More happy love! More happy, happy love! The use of repetition exclaiming that she doesn’t have to face real life, always fresh, always young.
The use of contrast and irony towards the end of stanza three, “All breathing human passion far above, that leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy’d, a burning forehead, and a parching tongue”. Passion that cannot ever be fulfilled and will always be loved. Where in real life, love only lasts to the desire of ones self, and that love dies after a while. “O Attic shape!” A description of...
Ode on a Grecian Urn is written by a poet named John Keats which displays the power of admiration and art is superior to nature. The speaker is admiring a piece of Greek Grecian urn that has survived over many generations.
“Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness”, the use of techniques such as personification and metaphor explains the urn although ironically the word ‘quietness’ suggests it has very little meaning. Working through the first stanza, the speaker questions and describes what she is feeling, and then comes a series of rhetorical questions, “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?” Each rhetorical question slowly increases the pace of tension.
“Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter”. The use of paradox which gives us imagery of what it sounds like, an open interpretation. “Therefore, ye soft pipes, play on”. The speaker is continuing to capture the imagination. “Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave”, she is trapped under a tree, she doesn’t want to leave. “Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss”, a feeling of remorse and she can’t kiss her. Your leaves, nor ever bid the spring adieu”. Representing that the urn will always be spring, always fresh. Also representing that the urn will never be tired, “For ever piping songs for ever new”. “More happy love! More happy, happy love! The use of repetition exclaiming that she doesn’t have to face real life, always fresh, always young.
The use of contrast and irony towards the end of stanza three, “All breathing human passion far above, that leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy’d, a burning forehead, and a parching tongue”. Passion that cannot ever be fulfilled and will always be loved. Where in real life, love only lasts to the desire of ones self, and that love dies after a while. “O Attic shape!” A description of...