John Keats (1795-1821) was a British Romantic poet. Although trained to be a surgeon, Keats decided to devote himself wholly to poetry. Keats’ secret, his power to sway and delight the readers, lies primarily in his gift for perceiving the world and living his moods and aspirations in terms of language.

1. A Thing Of Beauty-John Keats
DR. ANSHU RAJ PUROHIT
Associate Professor
Department of English
Choose the correct answers
1. According to the poet, a thing of beauty is _________.
a. joy forever
b. a pain forever
c. a suffering forever
d. neglected
[Answer: (a) a joy forever]
2. Beautiful things never “pass in to nothingness ” means that
they _________.
a. never increases
b. create unpleasantness between friends
c. never fade away
d. always bring unhappiness
[Answer: (c) never fade away]
3. “Will keep a bower quiet for us” means _________.
a. will give us peace and calm
b. will stop unpleasant sound

2. c. make our beds fit to sleep
d. reduces noise
[Answer: (a) Will give us peace and calm]
4. Of all the unhealthy means
a. pain
b. neglect
c. suffering
d. ill-health
[Answer: (c) suffering]
5. The sun, moon, trees, old and young are the things that .
a. depress us
b. remove the pall of gloom from our lives
c. makes us laugh
d. gives us oxygen
[Answer: (b) remove the pall of gloom from our lives]
Answer the following
1. How is a thing of beauty joy forever?
Answer: A thing of beauty is a joy forever because it is a source of endless joy
and its eternal beauty never fades away.
2. Why do we suffer?

3. Answer: Over attachments to the earthly things are like a trap which bind us to
the materialistic things and keep us away from eternal happiness. So we suffer.
Figure of Speech
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant letters or similar sounds at
the beginning words in a set or series of words.
* wild wind
* curious clock
* splendid scholar
* memorable moments
* creepy crawlies
Imagery is the way that a writer helps reader visualize or see in their minds
what is being described. These images often suggest emotions. Images appeal to
one or more of the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell.
For example
* It was dark and cloudy in the woods.
* The boys were screaming and shouting in the playground.
* The mountain was spewing and spitting the smoke.
* The sauce was sweet and sour.
Poem Comprehension and Poetic Devices.
1. A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness;
(a) What is a joy forever?
Answer: A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

4. (b) What are its qualities?
Answer: Its loveliness increases and it never fades away.
2. Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to. bind us to the earth,
(a) What are we wreathing everyday?
Answer: We are wreathing a flowering band everyday.
(b) Why do we wreath a flowery band?
Answer: We wreathe it to bind us to the earth.
3. An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink
(a) What is the immortal drink?
Answer: All the beautiful things are like nectar which is immortal.
(b) From where does the immortal drink pour?
Answer: It pours on us from heaven.
(c) Identify the figure of speech.
Answer: Metaphor : Immortal drink.
4. Full of sweet dreams and health, and quiet breathing
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
Pick out the rhyming words.
Answer: Breathing - Wreathing are the rhyming words.
5. 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.
What is the rhyming scheme of these lines.

5. Answer: The rhyming scheme is ‘a a b b’.
6. A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
What is the literary device used here?
Answer: ‘Imagery’ is used here as the poet makes us to visualize that a flowery
band binding us to the earth.
7. For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
Which are the words alliterated here?
Answer: simple - sheep - such are the alliterated words.
8. A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Identify the figure of speech in the above line:
Answer: Metaphor : bower quiet
The calmness of a bower is compared to the calming effect of a beautiful thing.
9. That for themselves a cooling covert make
Identify the figure of speech in the above line:
Answer: Alliteration : That - themselves; cooling - c overt.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Short Questions and Answers.
1. What is a bower?
Answer: A bower is a pleasant shady place under trees or climbing plants.
2. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.
Answer: The Sun, the moon, shady trees, daffodil flowers, streams of water,
dense green forest are things of beauty mentioned here.
3. What does the flowing streams do to us?
Answer: The flowing streams of water cool and refresh us in the hot summer.

6. 4. How are the beautiful things?
Answer: They are like a fountain of immortality bestowed upon us by God.
5. What is a‘rill’?
Answer: A rill is a small clear stream.
Paragraph Questions with Answers.
1. What is the central idea of the poem ‘A thing of beauty’?
Answer: Beauty is a heavenly tonic or drink. It is an endless fountain of nectar.
This beauty comes in different forms like a tale, a poem, a play, a lovely object
of nature or the heavenly bodies. It soothes our spirits and gives us good health,
sound sleep and mental peace. It removes sadness from our lives and gives an
everlasting joy. So beauty is a gift of God to all of us.
2. Do the things of beauty make a lasting impression on us?
Answer: 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.