A Thing of Beauty
John Keats
A Thing of Beautiful (www.hikha.in)
IMPORTANT STANZAS FOR
COMPREHENSION
1. 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
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet
breathing.
Questions:
i) Name the poem and the poet of these lines.
Ans: The name of the poem of these lines is ‘A Thing of Beauty’
and the poet is John Keats.
ii) How is a thing of beauty a joy for ever?
Ans: A thing of beauty is the source of constant joy. Its beauty
goes on increasing. It will never pass into nothingness.
iii) What do you understand
by a ‘bower’?
Ans: A bower is a pleasant place in the shade under a tree. It
protects persons/animals from the hot rays of the sun.
iv) What kind of sleep does it provide?
Ans: It provides us a sound sleep, full of sweet dreams, health
and peaceful breathing.
v) Find out the words from these lines which
means:
(a) Of
no value (b) A shady Place (c) still
Ans: (a) Nothingness means of no value
(b) Bower
means a shady place
(c) Quiet
means still (silent)
2. Therefore, on every
morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon.
Questions:
i) Why are we despondent?
Ans: We possess the evil qualities of malice and disappointment.
We suffer from the lack of A Thing of Beauty noble qualities. That is why we
feel despondent.
ii) What are we doing every day?
Ans: We are weaving a flowery wreath to bind us to the beauties of
the earth.
iii) What removes the pall from our dark
spirits?
Ans: Some beautiful shapes or a thing of beauty removes the pall
of sadness from our hearts or spirits.
iv) Describe the bad and evil things that we
possess in us?
Ans: We suffer from disappointment, lack of noble qualities and
unhealthy and evil ways. These are the bad and evil things that we possess in
us.
v) ‘In spite of all’ explain.
Ans: It means In spite of all these evil things mentioned in the
poem.
vi) What are the flowery bonds that bind us to
the earth?
Ans: The beautiful things of the earth
fascinate man. The sun, the moon, hills and streams, plants and flowers weave
flowery bonds. These beautiful things weave wreath and bind us the earth.
vii) Find out the words which means: (a) Malice
(b) Gloomy (c) Covering
Ans: (a) Spite means malice.
(b) Sad means
gloomy.
(c) Pall means
covering.
3. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear
rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
‘Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake,
Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose
blooms;
Questions:
i) What removes the pall from our dark spirits?
Ans: Some beautiful shape or a thing of beauty removes the pall of
sadness from our hearts or spirits.
ii) What sprouts a shady boon for sheep and
how?
Ans: Old and young trees sprout to make a green covering. It
proves a blessing for simple sheep as it serves them as a shelter.
iii) How do ‘daffodils’ and
‘rills’ enrich the environment
Or
Describe the role of daffodils and clear rills enriching the
environment.
Ans: Daffodils bloom among the green surroundings. The small
streams or rills with clear water make a cooling shelter for themselves against
hot season. So, both of them have a great role in enriching the environment.
iv) What makes the
mid-forest brake rich?
Ans: The mid forest brake is made rich by the blooming of
beautiful musk-roses.
v) Find out the word which means: (a) Appearing
new trees (b) Small streams (c) Shelter of thickets
Ans: (a) Sprouting means Appearing new trees.
(b) Rills
means small streams.
(c) Covert
means shelter of thickets.
4.And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink
Questions:
i) Explain: ‘the grandeur of the dooms’.
Ans: The magnificence that we imagine for our mighty dead
forefathers on the dooms day.
ii) What is the thing of beauty mentioned in
these lines’?
Ans: The lovely tales of mighty men are mentioned in these lines.
iii) What is the lovelier than all the lovely
tales we have heard or read?
Ans: The beauty of daffodils, rills and musk roses is more
enchanting than all the lovely tales we have heard or read.
iv) What image does the
poet use in these lines?
Ans: The poet uses the image of ‘an endless fountain of immortal
drink’ to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth. The earth has bestowed us
with sun, moon, flowers, rivers, greenery etc.
v) What is the effect of that immortal drink on
us?
Ans: The immortal drink that nature’s endless fountain pours into
our hearts in a source of immense joy for us.
vi) Find out the word which means:
(a) Magnificence
(b) Stories
(c)
That never dies.
(d) Corner
Ans: a) Grandeur means magnificence.
b) Tales means
stories.
c) Immortal means that never dies.
d) Brink means corner.
QUESTIONS FROM TEXTBOOK SOLVED
Q1. List the things of beauty mentioned in the
poem.
Ans: Every little or big thing of nature is a thing of beauty and
a source of pleasure. The sun, the moon, old and young trees, daffodils
flowers, small streams with clear water, mass of ferns and the blooming
musk-roses. . All of
them are things of beauty. They are a constant source of joy and pleasure.
Q2. List the things that cause suffering and
pain.
Ans: There are many things that cause us suffering and pain.
Malice and disappointment are “the biggest source of our suffering. Another one
is the lack of noble qualities. Our unhealthy and evil ways also give birth to
so many troubles and sufferings. They dampen our spirits. They act as a pall of
sadness on our lives.
Q3. What does the line,
‘Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to earth’ suggest to you?
Ans: Keats is a lover of beauty. He employs his senses to discover
beauty. The link of man with nature is eternal. The things of beauty are like
wreaths of beautiful flowers. We seem to weave a flowery band everyday. It
keeps us attached to the beauties of this earth.
Q4. What makes human beings
love life in spite of troubles and sufferings?
Ans: There are so many things in this world that bring troubles
and sufferings to human beings. They depress our spirits in our lives. However,
‘some shape of beauty brings love and happiness in our lives in spite of such
unpleasant things. A thing of beauty removes the pall of sadness and sufferings
from our lives for which people love life in spite of troubles and
sufferings. It makes human beings love
one another.
Q5. Why is ‘grandeur’
associated with the ‘mighty dead’?
Ans: The romantic poet mentioned in the poem that the ‘mighty
dead’ were the forefathers who were powerful and dominating in their own times.
They were able to achieve their target. The achievement made them ‘mighty’ and
great. Their works inspire us and dazzled our eyes. We wished that they would
be rewarded on the ‘Day of the judgement’. So, the poet says that ‘grandeur’ is
associated with the ‘mighty dead’.
Q6. Do we experience things of beauty only for
short moments or do they make a lasting impression on us?
Ans: 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.
Q7. What image does the poet use to describe
the beautiful bounty of the earth?
Ans: John Keats uses a very beautiful image to describe the
beautiful bounty of the earth. It is the endless fountain of immortal drink. It
pours constantly into our hearts from heaven. Thus, the beautiful bounty of the
earth is called “an endless fountain of immortal drink”.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS SOLVED
1) How is a thing of
beauty a joy forever?
Ans: According to John Keats a thing of beauty is a joy of
forever. It is a constant source of happiness and pleasure. Its loveliness
increases every moment. It will never pass into nothingness. In other words, a
thing of beauty is never devalued.
2) What are the things that cause miseries,
sorrows and sufferings to man?
Ans: Man himself is the root cause of all his sufferings. We
suffer from malice and distress because we lack human qualities that makes us
inhuman. Our life becomes gloomy. We cultivate unhealthy and evil ways. All
such things bring miseries, sorrows and sufferings to man.
3) What is the source of the ‘endless fountain’
and what is its effect?
Ans: A fountain of eternal joy’ and immortality pours into the
heart and soul of man. It flows right from the heavens brink and pours into the
human heart. It is like an immortal nectar. The immortal drink that nature’s
endless fountain pours into our hearts is a source of immense joy for us.
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