POEM - A THING OF BEAUTY
SUMMARY
The summary of the Poem “A Thing of Beauty” is given below. ‘A Thing of Beauty– is a poem taken
from the poem titled – “Endymion – a poetic romance’ written by the famous poet John Keats. The
poet says that a beautiful thing is a source of endless joy. It has eternal beauty which never fades
away. A beautiful thing is like a shady shelter that gives us a sleep Full of sweet dreams, good
health, and relaxation.
Our attachments to the Earthly things are like a flowery wreath. They are traps that bind us to
materialistic things and keep us away from eternal happiness. The Earth is full of hatred, greed, and
negativity. According to the poet, the gloom and sadness caused by this negativity fade away with
the positive vibes of the beautiful things that surround us.
The poet lists out some of the beautiful things that surround us. As the saying goes -“Beauty lies in
the eyes of the beholder. He says that the numerous creations of God like the Sun which gives us
energy, the moon’s beauty, the trees which give us shade are the natural beauties around us. The
various animals like the sheep that surround us make our world lively. The pretty flowers like
daffodils make the world green and lively. The flowing streams of water cool and refresh us in the hot
summer season. The forests which are full of the pretty musk rose flowers are a beautiful sight to the
eye. All these are the things of beauty. Also, the stories of the brave soldiers who laid their lives to
protect their people are beautiful and inspiring. These beautiful things are like a fountain of
immortality bestowed upon us by God. They inspire us to live on and maintain our faith in goodness.
Q1. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.
Ans: Everything of nature is a thing of beauty and a source of pleasure. Some of them
are: the sun, the moon, old and young trees, daffodil flowers, small streams with clear
water, mass of ferns and the blooming musk-roses. All of them are things of beauty.
They are a constant source of joy and pleasure.
Q2. List the things that cause suffering and pain.
Ans: There are many things that cause us suffering and pain. Malice and
disappointment are “the biggest source of our suffering. Another one is the lack of noble
qualities. Our unhealthy and evil ways also give birth to so many troubles and
sufferings. They dampen our spirits. They act as a pall of sadness on our lives.
Q3. What does the line, ‘Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to
earth’ suggest to you?
Ans: Keats is a lover of beauty. He employs his senses to discover beauty. The link of
man with nature is eternal. The things of beauty are like wreaths of beautiful flowers.
We seem to weave a flowery band everyday. It keeps us attached to the beauties of this
earth.
Q4. What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings?
Ans: There are many things that bring us troubles and sufferings. They dampen our
spirits. However, ‘some shape of beauty1 brings love and happiness in our lives in spite
of such unpleasant things. A thing of beauty removes the pall of sadness and sufferings.
It makes us love life.
Q5. Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead’?
Ans: The mighty dead were very powerful and dominating persons during their own
times. Their achievements made them ‘mighty’ and great. Their noble works dazzle our
eyes. We imagine that such mighty dead forefathers will attain more grandeur on the
doomsday. Hence ‘grandeur’ is associated with the ‘mighty dead’.
Q6. Do we experience things of beauty only for short moments or do they make a
lasting impression on us?
Ans: We feel happy by coming into contact with things of beauty. They make a lasting
impression on us. Keats makes it clear at the outset. A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It
is a constant source of joy and pleasure. Its beauty never declines or diminishes. Its
loveliness goes on increasing every moment. Its value remains undiminished. It never
passes into nothingness. It removes the pall of sadness that covers our dark spirits.
Q7, What image does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth?
Ans: John Keats uses a very beautiful image to describe the beautiful bounty of the
earth. It is the endless fountain of immortal drink. It pours constantly into our hearts from
heaven. Thus, the beautiful bounty of the earth is called “an endless fountain of
immortal drink.”
Literary devices:
rhyme scheme: aabbc (forever, never, keep, sleep, breathing)
Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series
(Sleep-Sweet)
Metaphor: bower Quiet (calmness of the bower is compared to the calming effect of a beautiful thing)
