Ode on a Grecian Urn
John Keats "Ode on a Grecian Urn" demonstrates many of the characteristics of a romantic piece of literature. The form of the poem is an Ode addressed to an inanimate object. In the Romantic period, an element of Romantic poetry was a lack of convention for time and space. Through Keats poetic form, he brings to life scenes painted on a 2000-year-old urn and the spirit of the artist who created it. Anther quality of Romanticism is movement and action. By describing the still life painted onto the urn as if it were living, Keats makes it as though he is watching the scenes play out to him as he spins the urn. He uses imagery to show the reader exactly what he is seeing throughout the poem. His use of the phrase: Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss, Though winning near the goal--yet, do not grieve; She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair! (Keats, II, 17-20) describes exactly what he can picture in his head as occurring were it a scene from real life. In this case, a man is trying to kiss his lover, and he is almost there, but both are frozen in time forever on this urn. He will never reach her to kiss her, but her beauty will neve
And, little town, thy streets for evermore The latter half of Stanza III brings to light the theme of emotion and passion, yet another major theme from the Romantic period. To what green altar, O mysterious priest, Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard What little town by river or sea shore, Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?
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Approximate Word count = 1084
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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