Summary
Explanation
Questions and answers
A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases,
A thing of beauty gives us happiness and this happiness always remains with us. It is eternal. Its beauty never fades away. Our liking for it increases with passage of time.
it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us,
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pass into nothingness | Die, Fade away |
| Bower | A shady place under the tree |
| Quiet | Calm |
| Poetic Poetic | |
| Bower quiet | Metaphor ((calmness of the bower is compared to the calming effect of a beautiful thing)) |
The poet says that the beauty of a beautiful thing never fades away. It will keep us happy. It is same as a shade of a tree which gives us shelter and relief during a sunny and hot day.
and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet
breathing.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Quiet breathing | Being calm |
| Poetic Poetic | |
| and health and quiet breathing | Repetition |
Here the poet says that beauty gives us a good sleep. The sleep is full of sweet dreams. It gives us health and keeps us calm.
[Here sleep also means absence of worries.]
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Morrow | Tomorrow |
| Every morrow | Everyday |
| Wreathing | Cover, Encircle |
| Poetic Poetic | |
| are we wreathing | Alliteration |
| a flowery band to bind us | Alliteration |
Therefore every day we are putting a circle of flowers to bind us with the earth. Here earth means nature.
Poet wants to say that every day we are living with nature and beautiful things. Our love and liking binds us with beautiful things. Flowery band represents our love. Earth represents nature and the thing of beauty. Since we remain in touch, our bonding becomes stronger and we get the reason to live further.
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures,
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Spite | Desire to hurt, Envy, Hate |
| Despondence | Hopelessness |
| Dearth | Shortage |
| Noble | Good people |
In this world, people have the wrong intention of hurting others. The world is full of jealousy and hate. There is hopelessness in the world. Some people do not possess human qualities. There is shortage of good people in the world.
of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching:
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Gloomy | Sad, Troublesome |
| o’er | Other |
| Darkened | Bad, Sad |
There are some sad and troublesome days in everyone’s life. These may be because one is not keeping good health. We could also be sad because our way of leading life is not correct. Many times we may not be aware of the reason to be unhappy. We may need to search for such reasons.
yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pall | A cloud of darkness, Negative feeling |
| Spirits | Feelings, Emotions |
| Dark Spirits | Unpleasant emotions, Sadness |
| Poetic Devices | |
| some shape of beauty | Alliteration |
In spite of all such bad and troublesome feelings, something beautiful will remove the negative feelings and unpleasant emotions.
Poet wants to say that many times we will have troublesome experiences. Everything may appear full of sadness. Even in such circumstances the thing of beauty (somebody or something we love) will remove all the bad emotions from our hearts. It will fill our hearts with happiness.
Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sprouting | Grow quickly |
| Boon | Blessing |
| Poetic Poetic | |
| Such the sun, the moon | Repetition |
| Such the sun, the moon | Alliteration |
| sprouting a shady boon | Alliteration |
The Sun which gives us light and warmth is a thing of beauty. The moon which gives us feeling of comfort is a thing of beauty. The old and young (new) trees which bless us with shade are things of beauty.
Poet wants to say that we can derive comfort from almost all natural things. So all these are things of beauty.
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Daffodil | Type of flower |
| Rill | Stream of water |
| Covert | Plants, Greenery |
| Poetic Poetic | |
| sprouting a shady boon | Alliteration |
| That for themselves | Alliteration |
| a cooling covert | Alliteration |
The sheep for its simplicity and a flower like daffodil is a thing of beauty. Plant that make this world green are things of beauty. The streams of clear water are things of beauty. These streams make their own way. Many plants and greenery grows along as it flows.
Here the phrase ‘simple sheep’ represents innocent human beings leading a simple life. It is a metaphor. It feels so good to live with simple people. Hence they are also things of beauty.
‘Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake,
Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ‘Gainst | Against |
| Brake | Area with thick greenery |
| Sprinkling | Scattered, Spread |
| Musk-rose | Type of flower |
During hot season, a thick group of plants in the middle of forest is a thing of beauty. A forest where several musk-rose plants are blooming is very pleasing. Thus that is also a thing of beauty.
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Grandeur Glory | Magnificence |
| Dooms | Death, Destruction |
| Poetic Poetic | |
| Mighty dead | Oxymoron |
Stories of powerful and brave soldiers who died in wars to protect their countries are very inspiring. Glory of those soldiers are things of beauty.
‘Mighty dead’ also refers to people who had done some good work for development of society and human beings. Their work is of very high order. They inspires us.
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 |
|---|---|
| Immortal | That cannot die |
| Brink | Edge |
| Poetic Poetic | |
| Endless fountain | Hyperbole |
Every story that we have read or heard is a thing of beauty. A thing of beauty is like a drink that can make us happy. It is just like an immortal drink (amrit) coming to us directly from heaven.
Poet wants to say that all the beautiful things have been bestowed upon (given by) us by almighty God.
Question & Answers of the lesson
COMONG SOON
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