Ode to Grecian Urn Instructor: Ms. Doris L.W. Chang

Our Group Members Alice: Introduction, Paraphrase & Conclusion Sandy: Vocabulary, Symbolism, Metaphor & Diction Sally: Speaker, Listener & Situation Structure & About the Ode Penny: Imagery Allen: Irony & Conflicts

General Idea  It is a lyric poem based on the ironies of The changes in reality and the motionless art that lasts forever It is contradictory to see the stillness of the urn with the beautiful art lively as the reality  The information was adapted from /cs6 /cs6

Our Main Theme  The conflicts of eternal and the motionless ideal life  The conflicts of a short and changeable reality life among us

The Paraphrase Version The Paraphrase Version

The Structure of This Poem  Five Stanzas: I. Overall description of the urn II. Several features of the urn’s world III. The compliments on the eternity in the urn’s world (Love & passion, eternal spring) IV. Another different sight of the sacrifice & desolate town V. the significance that the urn tells people

Literary Terms  Ode  Lyric Poetry  Connotation  Paradox  Meter  See the adapted information at the Glossary section of An Introduction to Literature, 12 th edition, Barnet, Sylvan, printed in 2001.

About the Ode  Started in Greek time, by Pindar  The triad: Strophe, Antistrophe & Epode  English Contemporary Version, developed by Andrew Cowley, follwed Roman Types  The Roman Poet, Horace

The Structure of Odes  Strophe  Strophe, a term in versification which properly means a turn, as from one foot to another, or from one side of a chorus to the other  Antistrophe  Antistrophe, the portion of an ode which is sung by the chorus in its returning in response the strophe,

The Structure of Odes  Epode:  Epode: It is of the nature of a reply, and balances the effect of the strophe  Adapted from  /cs6/ode.html, /cs6/ode.html   

About the Ode 2  · The description of an outer natural scene;  · An extended meditation, which the scene begin to develop, focusing on a private problem or a universal situation or both;

About the Ode 2  The occurrence of an insight or vision, a resolution or decision, returns back to the first scene as described, but with a new perspective created

About John Keats   Original Study: apothecary  Poems first published: 1817  Most of works written: after moving to Keats House  Adapted from, /exhibitions/keats.html /exhibitions/keats.html

Vocabulary

The Art of This Poem--Imagery  Urn ---Is set in wood. Is unchanged and lives in silence and slow time. The life carved on urn is ideal and permanent. Conflicts between real life and ideal life carved on urn. And conflicts of cold pastoral.

The Art of the Poem--Imagery The Art of the Poem--Imagery

The Art of the Poem--Imagery b. Sacrifice---is hold in the green altar. the heifer is leading to sacrifice. c. Town---peaceful little town. is desolate and emptied. Conflicts of joy and pain/life and death.

The Art of the Poem--Imagery The Art of the Poem--Imagery

Speaker, Listener and Situation  The Speaker --- listener A person talking to an object (the urn) & showing his admirations for it.  The soliloquy that the speaker expressed his emotions, questions, and interpretations to the urn’s world.

The Art of the Poem--Diction & Word Pattern The Art of the Poem--Diction & Word Pattern

The Art of This Poem—Symbolism & Metaphor The Art of This Poem—Symbolism & Metaphor

The Art of the Poem—Ironic Contrast  The First stanza:  Sylvan historian, who canst thus express A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme (line 3-4)  The fairy tales are the stories that people could hear all the time in the real word; however, how a “sylvan historian” who is the figure carved on the quiet, motionless and silent urn could tell tales?

The Art of the Poem—Ironic Contrast  What men or gods are these? What maidens loth? What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?(line8-10)  In line 8-10 of the first stanza, the speaker is involved in rapid and exciting activities shown on the urn. Paradoxically, such a passion is convincingly portrayed on cold, motionless stone instead of a person or thing existing in the reality.

The Art of the Poem—Ironic Contrast  The second stanza:  Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss. (line17)  This is ironic because in reality, people who fall in love agree that “kissing” is a kind of significance showing stable relationship and affection among each other.  She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair! (line 19-20)

The Art of the Poem—Ironic Contrast  As far as the picture on the urn is concerned, the time there is frozen and still which enables “love” becoming permanent ironic contrast “flesh and blood” staying sound. Nevertheless, in real world, every one dies one day and no one can avoid death.  The third stanza:  All breathing human passion far above, That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy’d, A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.( line 28-30)

The Art of the Poem—Ironic Contrast  At the beginning of this stanza, the speaker illustrates the pictures of his ideal world (p666, line 21-27). Later on, in the last three lines, “All breathing human passion far above, “ is irony. The breathing humans’ passion towards love, music, love seems to be very far away and unfulfillable. He doubts whether his ideal world exists or not.

The Art of the Poem—Ironic Contrast  The fourth stanza:  And this town, thy street for evermore Will silent be; and not a soul to tell Why thou art desolate can e’er return. (line 38-40)

The Art of the Poem—Ironic Contrast  The speaker points out three ideal locations for peaceful citadel-by river, sea shore and mountain. Then, he describes the town as emptied, silent and desolated which appears strong contrast of normal people’s perspectives because such these words: silence, desolation and emptiness are not equal to joy and happiness of the ideal word.

Others Comments About Keats’ Odes  The experience is an intense awareness of both the joy and pain, the happiness and the sorrow of human life. It is not only a feeling, but becomes a thought to satisfy their desire for happiness in a world where joy and pain are tied together.  It is adapted from the website of ni/cs6, written by Wright Thomas and Stuart Gerry Brown ni/cs6

Our Reflection

The Resources  An Introduction to Literature, 12th edition. Sylvan Barnet, William Cain, William Burto and Mortan Berman. Printed in the United States,   

Other Relevant Links ni/cs6/rom.html ni/cs6/keats.html#odes elani/cs6/ode.html ni/cs6/read_lyr.html

Thank You for Your Attention Hope to See You Next Time