Essay Example on Ode on a Grecian Urn: Capturing Life in Its Fullest

Introduction

Ode on a Grecian Urn is a complex and mysterious poem written by John Keats, who was an Influential English poet in 1819. The poem consists of a simple set up with the undefined speaker. The poem includes fascinating scenes that mystify and excite the speaker.

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The poem seems to have captured life in its fullest with the speaker's shift responses that occur in different moods. Urn appears to provoke a lot of questions, even more than it provides answers. Ode on a Grecian Urn is a great poem that has a poetic structure such as symbol and metaphor, speaker and situation, and themes.

Symbol and Metaphor

Certain symbols are incorporated in Ode on a Grecian Urn poem with different symbolism based on where they are incorporated within the film. For instance, music is one of the symbols that represent human creativity and activity. The music symbol occurs throughout the poem. The music symbol is gestured inline ten and occupies a major position in stanza two and three. Music is presented as a paradox in urn since urn is an inanimate object, silent; hence the music in this context cannot be heard.

The speaker takes music symbol as a representation of potential art, playing a central role in creating a meaningful world. For instance, in stanza two, the piper is frozen in a state on not playing and playing, which represents the art perfection idea and also the impossibility aspect of failure to attain perfection. In this context, the music playing has nothing to do with playing the music well or badly, but the fact that the music is locked in a great way evoking strong feelings towards the speaker. A good example is the piper's song, which locked in eternity, evoking the speaker's strong feelings.

Music symbol has been used throughout the poem making the speaker to be vexed by mortality thoughts making the musician for functioning as a stand-in for the speaker. In this context, both piper and musician act as poem creators whereby the speaker is creating the poem while piper is creating music. The symbol of music in Ode on a Grecian Urn begins in the first line of the poem creating contrast based on the presence of silence that continues throughout the poem.

Urn is unable to answer some of the questions posed by the speaker since normally, music is known as the organized pattern of sound that is transmitted through the airwaves. Since Urn is a state of unable to answer questions, it remains quiet at its odds based on the function of music. The metaphor in this poem is displayed inline-three, where Urn is compared to the sylvan historian. Sylvan historian is also defined as a person who tells stories concerning forest life (Line 3). Other metaphors that are used include "unravish'd bride of quietness" from stanza 1 line 1, and in line 2, the metaphor is "foster-child of silence and slow time." These metaphors give description urn main features such as eternity, peace, and quietness.

Speaker and Situation

The speaker in Ode on a Grecian Urn poem observes ancient Greek civilization through the relic aspect, which is depicted in two urns painted scenes from Greek life. The situation in this poem creates a rustic beauty setting by depicting lovers and musicians, for instance, within the first scene. The speaker attempts to be identified with the characters since he feels they represent timeless perfection, which can only be captured in art.

The speaker appreciates the situation of existence depicted in the poem even though, in the end, it foliage a heart high-troubled situation. The admiration is as a result of urn beauty and eternity. Happiness among young lovers is also depicted in the poem. The speaker gives an introduction of natural imagery in stanza 1(lines 3-5). The speaker portrays a natural world that is depicted in the vitality of nature itself.

Themes

Ode on a Grecian Urn poem consists of several themes that give the poem meaning. The eternal and the temporal is one of the major themes displayed by Keats in this poem. The theme shows the pain and the pleasure of art. The beautiful procession in stanza four is enabled through the artistic skills making people not return to town. The images created in the poem create a reminder of the real people who died and have inspired images in the remote past. In this context, artwork towards fixing things and making them eternal, reminding the audience that they have to live in an inevitable world that is decaying.

Another theme is energy transfixed, where the poet understands that urn's imagery consists of full energy on how it is depicted in erotic pursuit and dance. Urns remain in a calm manner by transcending the excitement of its surface images as they are conveyed in the poem. Balance is also a theme displayed in the poem based on the principle of the images on Urn. The theme of balance is described through frozen time and .coexistence of excitement

Mythological Analysis

Ode on a Grecian Urn poem has various scenes that are related to mythology and ancient Greek culture. The images that are painted represent Greek artifacts, and they are studied carefully by the speaker. The paintings are reflected in the scenes showing the Greek culture through displaying human experiences. Keats has created Greek urn and decorated it in his mind consisting of three scenes. The characters include maidens, men, and gods. Male figures are depicted as playing instruments. The maidens in the poem are most likely the classical mythology's nymphs. Keats loves classical mythology, maybe through reading stories.

Keats develops the mythological aspect in the II and III stanzas, where he confines himself into scene suggestions through questions.

Summary

The Keats poem "Ode on Grecian urn' opens in a way that is threefold apostrophe fulfilling the requirements of the genre of poetry when compared to all other odes. The poem's faithfulness displays it to some questions, whether it addresses them or not (Hofmann 251-284). Dialogue is used for responsive communication through dramatic monologue. It has its origin from the cult hymn with the divine goddess or a god-like authority. In this context, the goddess is trusted to be capable of hearing and understanding some things as well as fulfilling any requests.

The god is described in many ways that may not listen, care, or be in a position to help. The poem is given the turn to create authority in this context (Hofmann 251-284). The poem consists of philosophical terms to bring out the aesthetic autonomy. The religious belief in this poem is viewed as poetic faith. The poem consists of a poetic structure with great themes that give the audience meaning and understanding.

The speaker's observation in Ode on a Grecian is mainly based on a relic of ancient Greek civilization. The poem consists of different scenes that depict lovers and musicians, creating a rustic beauty setting (John et al. 1-22). The poet has identified himself with the characters to capture the true perfectionism of art. The speaker in the poem is displayed admiring the state of existence due to Urn beauty and eternity. Ode on a Grecian is such a great poem that consists of great themes and scenery to the readers.

Works Cited

John, et al. "Ode on a Grecian Urn." (2003). https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.php/4522312/mod_resource/content/1/ODE%20ON%20A%20GRECIAN%20URN%20-%20NOTES.pdf

Hofmann, Klaus. "Keats's Ode to a Grecian Urn." Studies in Romanticism 45.2 (2006): 251-284. https://ctlsites.uga.edu/eberle/wp-content/uploads/sites/78/2016/01/Hofmann-Ode-to-a-Grecian-Urn.pdf