John Keats 1819John Keats 1819 painted by his friend Joseph Severnpainted by his friend Joseph Severn

1795 - 18211795 - 1821

• A man in his mid-twenties

• wearing a dark coat

• sitting on a hill

• one leg resting over another

• his head slightly tilted as if listening

• behind him a little hill

• A silent landscape

John Keats John Keats dyingdying

by Joseph by Joseph SevernSevern

English protestant cimitery in English protestant cimitery in Rome, Keats ‘s and Severn’s tombRome, Keats ‘s and Severn’s tomb

““Here lies one whose name was writ in water”Here lies one whose name was writ in water”

After a life of tragedies Keats turned to poetry,After a life of tragedies Keats turned to poetry,

Imbued with a sense of melancholy, death and Imbued with a sense of melancholy, death and

Mortality.Mortality.

It was conceived as:It was conceived as: the only means to defeat and overcome death.the only means to defeat and overcome death.

Poetry should spring naturally from his inner soulPoetry should spring naturally from his inner soul it didn’t have to contain a message or convey a it didn’t have to contain a message or convey a

philosophical theory but only to reproduce what philosophical theory but only to reproduce what his own imagination suggested to him…and his own imagination suggested to him…and Beauty struck his imaginationBeauty struck his imagination

A. Archer (1819), The Temporary Elgin Room in the British Museum : A. Archer (1819), The Temporary Elgin Room in the British Museum : Lord Elgin transported these Parthenon marbles into England and sold Lord Elgin transported these Parthenon marbles into England and sold them to the British Museum (1803 - 1813)them to the British Museum (1803 - 1813)

Elgin marbles Elgin marbles

ELGIN MARBLESELGIN MARBLES

““Every time he [Keats] went with Severn to the Every time he [Keats] went with Severn to the Sculpture Galleries, or to Picture Exhibitions, he Sculpture Galleries, or to Picture Exhibitions, he learned something or gained some suggestive learned something or gained some suggestive hint...He went again and again to see the Elgin hint...He went again and again to see the Elgin marbles, and would sit for an hour or more at a marbles, and would sit for an hour or more at a time beside them rapt in revery. ..with eyes time beside them rapt in revery. ..with eyes shining so brightly and face so lit up by some shining so brightly and face so lit up by some visionary rapture…”visionary rapture…”

(Sharp’s biography of Keats)(Sharp’s biography of Keats)

SOSIBIOS VASE 50B.C. (Louvre)

main themes:main themes: His experience committed him to search for His experience committed him to search for

something unchangeable to balance the something unchangeable to balance the transience of life. transience of life.

Real perfection doesn’t lie in life itself, which is Real perfection doesn’t lie in life itself, which is subject to the passing of time, but in the subject to the passing of time, but in the immortality of art. The eternity of art can be the immortality of art. The eternity of art can be the illusion for the poet, but he can’t avoid suffering illusion for the poet, but he can’t avoid suffering for the laws of lifefor the laws of life

Beautiful things will never die but will keep Beautiful things will never die but will keep demonstrating their beauty for all time.demonstrating their beauty for all time.

Tthe contemplation of Beauty is the only Tthe contemplation of Beauty is the only consolation in a life of sorrow and sadnessconsolation in a life of sorrow and sadness

“ “ A thing of Beauty is a joy for ever”A thing of Beauty is a joy for ever”

He was the forerunnerHe was the forerunner

of the of the

Aesthetic MovementAesthetic Movement

“ “ Art for Art’s sake”Art for Art’s sake”Oscar WildeOscar Wilde

First known copy transcribedFirst known copy transcribed by Keats in 1820by Keats in 1820

Type of poem: Type of poem: lyric poemlyric poem Type of lyric poem: Type of lyric poem: odeode

the "Romantic meditative ode."the "Romantic meditative ode."

It is a complex meditation on the It is a complex meditation on the relationship between relationship between

ART and LIFEART and LIFEthe atmosphere is full of feelings and

emotions.

Keats's ode seeks to find a "classical Keats's ode seeks to find a "classical balance" between two extremes :balance" between two extremes :

1.1. the symmetrical structure of the symmetrical structure of classical literatureclassical literature 2.2. the asymmetry of the asymmetry of Romantic poetryRomantic poetry. . The use of the ABAB structure in the beginning The use of the ABAB structure in the beginning

lines of each stanza represents a clear lines of each stanza represents a clear example of structure found in classical example of structure found in classical literatureliterature

the remaining six lines appear to break with the the remaining six lines appear to break with the traditional poetic styles of Greek and Roman traditional poetic styles of Greek and Roman odesodes

The first four lines of each stanza roughly The first four lines of each stanza roughly define the subject of the stanza, and the last six define the subject of the stanza, and the last six explicate or develop it.explicate or develop it.

This Ode isThis Ode is

1.1. composed of five composed of five stanzasstanzas of ten lines of ten lines eacheach

2. divided in 3 parts: the first three stanzas describing one

side of the urn stanza 4 describing the other side of the

urn the conclusion

Imagination makes the vase live again

The narrator The narrator addresses the urn by addresses the urn by saying:saying:

Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness! Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness!

Thou foster-child of silence and slow timeThou foster-child of silence and slow time

1.1. because it is created from stonebecause it is created from stone and It is silent but and It is silent but it can communicate it can communicate

better than wordsbetter than words

2. As stone, time has little effect on it and it is such a 2. As stone, time has little effect on it and it is such a slow process that it can be seen as an eternal piece slow process that it can be seen as an eternal piece of artof art

TimeTime

MotionMotion

The Urn is out of time, to underline this concept he uses 3 abstract words:Quietness Silence Slow Time

Sylvan historian,Sylvan historian, who canst thus express who canst thus express A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:  

personification:personification: bridebride foster –childfoster –child sylvan historiansylvan historian

The urn is capable of producing a story out of the time of its creation

• because a border of leaves because a border of leaves encircles the vaseencircles the vase

• because the scene carved on the urn because the scene carved on the urn is set in woods.is set in woods.

Engraving by PiranesiDeities

Mortals

Gods

Maidens

Pursuit

Struggle

Escape

Pipe

Timbrels

Ecstasy

What can you see on the urn?

It is introduced the valley of Arcadia, a pastoral ideal

world where gods and men live together

What leaf-fring’d legend haunts about thy shape Of deities or mortals, or of both, In Tempe or the dales of Arcady? What men or gods are these? What maidens loth? What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy? 

the world of Love is introduced

the world of music

The key- word is ECSTASY .Through the world of sensations represented by nature, love and music we reach the realm of imagination; it is beyond any rational state, it is a higher form of thoughtArt can communicate this sense of sublime

What is taking place in the urn?What is taking place in the urn?

There is a pursuit and aThere is a pursuit and a

strong sexual elemenstrong sexual elementt

The The unfulfilled desireunfulfilled desire

What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy? 

What leaf-fring’d legend haunts about thy shape Of deities or mortals, or of both, In Tempe or the dales of Arcady? What men or gods are these? What maidens loth? What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy? 

through questions

How is the description of the Urn made?

The description is based on contrasts: deities/ mortals, man / gods, pursuit / escape …the silence and quietness of the first part and the excitement of the second one

A link with the second stanzaA link with the second stanza

"The The unfulfilled desireunfulfilled desire prepares for the impossibility of fulfilment of stanza 2

( .. unravish'd bride , loth, struggle to escape ) Music and musicians are symbols of poetry

and poets The melody accompanying the pursuit is

intensified in the second stanza Although we cannot literally hear their music,

by using our imaginations, we can imagine and thus hear it even better.

the poet looks at another picture on the urn, this time of a young man playing a pipe, lying with his lover beneath a tree

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard

Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on; Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;

Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd, Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd,

Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone: Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:

sensual conveys an idea of physical pleasure

opposed to spiritual one caused by unheard

melodies. The senses are more limited than

creative imagination.

the poet asks the pipers to play not for the sensual ear but for the spirit

The poet says that “unheard” melodies are sweeter than mortal melodies because they are unaffected by time.

The Urn, with the power of art, can go beyond the senses and lead us to a deeper level of perception.

Beauty imagined is far superior to beauty perceived Expectation is better than fulfilment.

There is a There is a stasisstasis that prohibits the characters that prohibits the characters

on the urn from ever being fulfilledon the urn from ever being fulfilled

Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave 

Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare; Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare; 

Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss, Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss,

Though winning near the goal – yet, do not grieve; Though winning near the goal – yet, do not grieve;

She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,

For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair! For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!

Represents the songs out of the time

Represents the eternal desire they represent the clash between reality and the ideal

Art is the only thing that can hold a moment of happiness, fix it and make it eternal

Third stanza: the narrator begins by speaking to a tree:The poet envies the immortality of the lute players and trees because they shall never cease playing their songs, nor be bare.

Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu; Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu; And, happy melodist, unwearied, And, happy melodist, unwearied, For everFor ever piping songs piping songs for everfor ever new;  new; More happy love! more happy, happy love! More happy love! more happy, happy love! For everFor ever warm and still to be enjoy’d,  warm and still to be enjoy’d, For everFor ever panting, and panting, and for everfor ever young;  young; 

FOR EVER

immutability makes the anticipation of pleasure sweeter and more lasting than the consummated pleasure itself.

More happy love! more happy, happy love!For ever warm and still to be enjoyed,For ever panting and for ever young;All breathing human passion far above,That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloyed,A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.

the eternal value of the urn , a joy for ever

There is a difference between human physical love

and the love anticipated and wished on the urn

Human passions are negative while love experienced through art gives only pleasure.

A paradoxA paradox

the human figures carved into the side of thethe human figures carved into the side of the

urn are :urn are : free from timefree from time but simultaneously frozen in time. but simultaneously frozen in time. They do not have to confront aging and death They do not have to confront aging and death

(their love is “for ever young”)(their love is “for ever young”) but they can not have experience (the youth but they can not have experience (the youth

can never kiss the maiden; the figures in the can never kiss the maiden; the figures in the procession can never return to their homes).procession can never return to their homes).

In order to overcome this paradox of life andIn order to overcome this paradox of life and death, the poem shifts to a new scene with a death, the poem shifts to a new scene with a

new new atmosphereatmosphere .. The fourth stanza opens with the sacrifice of a The fourth stanza opens with the sacrifice of a virgin cow, an image that appeared in the Elgin virgin cow, an image that appeared in the Elgin

Marbles, Marbles, suggesting suffering and sadness.suggesting suffering and sadness.

• a cow• an altaran altar

• A child playing the flute

At the backgroundAt the background

• Greek buildingsGreek buildings

• carved statuescarved statues

• the statue of Hermesthe statue of Hermes

Raphael's "The Sacrifice at Lystra

Who are these coming to the sacrifice? Who are these coming to the sacrifice? To what green altar, O mysterious priest, To what green altar, O mysterious priest,

Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies, Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies, And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?

Claude Lorrain’s sacrifice to ApolloClaude Lorrain’s sacrifice to Apollo

What little town by river or sea shore, What little town by river or sea shore, Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel, Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel, Is emptied of its folk, this pious morn? Is emptied of its folk, this pious morn?

And, little town, thy streets for evermore And, little town, thy streets for evermore Will silent be; and not a soul to tell Will silent be; and not a soul to tell

Why thou art desolate, can e'er return.Why thou art desolate, can e'er return.

They suggest an image of sadness.

Claude Lorrain: a view of Delfi with procession

•some scene are only imagined as emptied towns…., it stresses the fact that the urn is able to stimulate imagination and communicate feelings• The questions are unanswered because there is no one who can ever know the true answers

The final stanza :The final stanza :the urn is a piece of the urn is a piece of inanimate objectinanimate object

O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede Of marble men and maidens overwrought, With forest branches and the trodden weed; Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought As doth eternity: Cold pastoral!

Impassive and indifferent

In front of it we are unable to think, we feel confused

a rural environment

BORGHESE VASE ( Louvre ) : Dioniso and Arianna

When old age shall this generation waste,Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woeThan ours, a friend to man, to whom thou sayst,"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," -that is allYe know on earth, and all ye need to know

• Art with its beauty will always offer consolation

• it helps him to face the sorrow of living, accept the difficulties of life

•it reminds men of the possibility of escaping from their earthly reality into the eternal world of imagination

key-point of Keats ’s conception of key-point of Keats ’s conception of beautybeauty

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," -that is allYe know on earth, and all ye need to know

True and beauty coexist in art, True and beauty coexist in art, they are the same thing ,they are the same thing ,nothing else can survive and nothing else can survive and preserve human passions.preserve human passions.

Possible interpretationPossible interpretation

a work of art can give serenity, inner peace connected with the revelation of truth, so contemplation of beauty leads to truth.

truth is the essential goal of knowledge as beauty is the essential goal of art, they both tend to the same result

only through the beauty, revealed through an intense spiritual experience, we can come to know truth. Both truth and beauty are immortal

More…More… Imagination is both beauty and truth, since the Imagination is both beauty and truth, since the

inner meaning of the world can reveal itself inner meaning of the world can reveal itself only through a moment of ecstasy. only through a moment of ecstasy.

The Urn symbolises art and beauty, providing The Urn symbolises art and beauty, providing an escape from time, change and decay into an escape from time, change and decay into eternity.eternity.

The role of art is not to describe specific but The role of art is not to describe specific but universal characters, which falls under the universal characters, which falls under the term "Truth".term "Truth".

There is no knowledge through reason and There is no knowledge through reason and logiclogic

NEGATIVE CAPABILITYNEGATIVE CAPABILITY The poet is not concerned with a moral judgement, he The poet is not concerned with a moral judgement, he

must have the ability to escape from and negate his own must have the ability to escape from and negate his own personality, and thus open himself fully to the complex personality, and thus open himself fully to the complex reality around him .reality around him .

The poet is passive, accepting things as they are, not The poet is passive, accepting things as they are, not trying to change or explain them .trying to change or explain them .

The poet is not searching the ideal behind the real.The poet is not searching the ideal behind the real. He is submissive to sensations, not like Wordsworth He is submissive to sensations, not like Wordsworth

and Coleridge.and Coleridge. the poet disappears from the work, the work itself the poet disappears from the work, the work itself

chronicles an experience in such a way that the reader chronicles an experience in such a way that the reader recognizes and responds to the experience without recognizes and responds to the experience without requiring the explanation of the poet. requiring the explanation of the poet.

Physical versus Spiritual BeautyPhysical versus Spiritual BeautyPhysical beauty is caught in all its forms Physical beauty is caught in all its forms

through the senses, not only sight and through the senses, not only sight and hearing, but touch toohearing, but touch too

“ “ A thing of Beauty is a joy for ever”,A thing of Beauty is a joy for ever”, physical beauty is a stimulus to create a physical beauty is a stimulus to create a spiritual beauty: poetry, love, friendship.spiritual beauty: poetry, love, friendship.

Physical beautyPhysical beauty is limited in time, it decays is limited in time, it decays and diesand dies

Spiritual beautySpiritual beauty is eternal. is eternal. The beauty the poet has created lives on, The beauty the poet has created lives on,

poetry is the only way to defeat deathpoetry is the only way to defeat death