Theme of the Poem

The idea that beauty is eternal and has a timeless lifelong attraction is the central theme of the poem
“A Thing of Beauty” from the Class 12 English Flamingo textbook. The poem talks about how beauty
endures and may be found in both created and natural things. The speaker makes the claim that
beauty has a transcendent aspect and that it can make people feel happy and amazed. The poem
also explores the idea that while beauty may be transient and brief, those who have encountered it
are changed forever. The poem also mentions the notion that beauty has the power to unite people
and foster a sense of harmony and oneness.

A Thing of Beauty Poem Background

Based on Greek mythology about a shepherd named Endymion, his quest for his love Diana and how
in his quest, he falls in love with an Earthly maiden, who later turns out to be Diana herself.

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.

POEM

A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness, but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

Word Meaning : Bower: A shady place under the tree

Explanation of the poem passage above: The poet says that beauty stays forever. It never fades
away. Rather, it increases with the passing time. The perception of the poet regarding beauty is that
it never goes off with the passing time, rather it beautifies more and more. For the poet, beauty is
like a beautiful shady tree under whose shade all the creatures can sleep peacefully and enjoy good
health.

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)

POEM :

Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing

A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

Word Meaning :
Morrow: The following day
Wreathing: surround, encircle
Despondence: depressed
Gloomy: sad

Explanation of the poem passage above: The poet says that every day, it is the beauty which fills us
with the spirit to live. It is the beauty which builds the desire in us to live though there are sad
moments and cruel people around us. So here the poet wants to say that without beauty the earth
will be full of cruel people, sad and gloomy moments. It is the beauty which is created by god which
helps us to remove the sadness from our hearts.

Literary devices:

Anaphora: Use of same word in two consecutive lines (of noble natures- Of all the unhealthy)

Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series (‘b’ in Band
Bind, ‘n’ in Noble nature, ‘s’ in some shape).

Metaphor: wreathing a flowery band (the beautiful things of our life bind us to the earth)

Imagery: creating a sensory effect of beautiful things lined up in a string ( A flowery band to bind us)

inversion: normal order of words is reversed ( Are we wreathing a flowery band)

POEM :
Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
‘Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake

Word Meaning :
Boon: blessing
Rills: a small stream
Brake: a process to slow down

Explanation of the poem passage above: Here the poet describes the beautiful things which are
present on earth. These are the sun, moon, trees, flowers (daffodils) and the rivers. Poet says that all
these things are like a blessing bestowed on all the creatures by earth. He further describes that the
trees provide us with their shade, flowers with their beauty and rivers with their coolness during the
hot summers. All of these are the beauties of nature which are like a boon for us.

Literary devices:

Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series (‘s’ in
Sprouting Shady, Simple sheep, ‘c’ in cooling covert)

Imagery: Trees giving shade (sprouting shady boon), growing process of daffodils (daffodils with the
green world they live in), Clean river streams (Clear rills)

Antithesis: opposite words placed together (old and young)

POEM :

Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;

And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink

Word Meaning :
Grandeur: high rank or socially important
Mighty: enormous
Immortal: never dying
Brink: edge

Explanation of the poem passage above: The poet further carries on with the description of the
more beautiful things present on earth. such as the beautiful musk roses which have such a nice
fragrance. Then he describes the tales of the mighty warriors who laid their lives for their countries or
for humanity. He says that these beautiful things are the gifts from god for all of us. They are like a
nectar given by god to us and these are those beauties which are immortal and give us a reason to
live on this earth despite having so many sorrows in our life.

Literary devices:

Alliteration: Use of consonant sound at the start of two words which are close in series (‘h’ in have
heard)
Metaphor: Immortal drinks ( beautiful objects of nature are forever like a neverending portion of a
drink)

Rhyme: Rhyme scheme is used in every stanza of the poem (forever; never, keep; sleep, dead; read
etc.)

Imagery: Bushes full of musk roses (sprinkling of fair musk rose blooms), books describing valor of
fighters (grandeur-..mighty dead), god providing us with best things (pouring from the heaven’s
brink)

List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.

 The Sun

 The Moon

 Shady trees

 Beautiful daffodil flowers

 Streams of water

 Dense green bushes of forest ferns where fragrant musk roses grow

 Tales of heroic men who sacrifice their lives

List the things that cause suffering and pain.

 Desire to offend others

 Hopelessness

 Lack of noble men

 Bad health

 Unhappiness

 Gloom

 Darkness