Ode on a Grecian Urn

Ode on a Grecian Urn Keats

The Keats poem Ode on a Grecian Urn, describes an individual interpretation of an historical piece of art, in this case in the interpretation of Keats and specifically in reaction to an Urn which has a pastoral scene including many traditional Grecian themes. The work also demonstrates several universals regarding art and the art of man and how it can and should to some degree transcends time and place through symbolism and imagery. The work is reflective of the piece itself, its images and the emotion that can easily be elicited within the viewer of any piece of art. The poem, a piece of art itself reflects the idea that within art, at least art that is capable of eliciting emotion that there are three specific themes regarding the human experience of art; first that art can freeze time

Blackstone 312), second that art reflects eternal human emotion and lastly that both these elements can work together to bring the viewer to a place of emotion that is relatable. Hence the Urn and the ode describing it represent universal emotional themes that are forever reachable by the viewer. "Will Keats's poem attain the speechlessness of the true language of art? Or will it remain in opposition to the urn, unable to transcend 'art's mortal enemy?'" (Hofmann 251) This work will analyze Ode on an Urn according to these three themes utilizing the text of the work to demonstrate what the poem says about art and the human experience.

Art Can Freeze Time

Keats repeats the theme of time in this work over and over, expressing that the content of the art, in this case the images on the Urn is eternally youthful frozen in a moment of time, just before the pinnacle of action, the "bride" remains unkissed "THOU still unravish'd bride of quietness,/

Thou foster-child of Silence and slow Time," the pipes are eternally playing a gay tune, reflective of the event depicted but eternally silent, "ye soft pipes, play on, " "And, happy melodist, unwearied,/

For ever piping songs for ever new." The youth under the tree remains in a continued state of just about to reach his goal of ravishing the fair beauty, who will remain forever young. "Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave 15/

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

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

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

Not only will the lovers be forever fair and youthful but they will always be in a state of bliss, that is associated with being in love. The boughs of the tree, presumably where the youth hides and plays his flute will always be fresh and green. "Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed/

Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu; and, happy melodist, unwearied,/

For ever piping songs for ever new;" Events frozen in time are the main theme of Keats interpretation.

Eternal Human Emotion

Keats expresses that the individuals in the work are forever frozen in the time in which they were depicted but he also stresses that human emotion is also eternal. The idea that even in Greek culture any character depicted or viewer would understand the pull of growing old, or at the least not knowing about such a concept as a result of being youthful. "Thou, silent form! dost tease us out of thought as doth eternity: Cold Pastoral! / When old age shall this generation waste,/

Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe" to some degree this text is also indicative of eternal human emotion in the fact that it represents the idea that life will persist amidst chaos, the old adage, life is what happens when you are making other plans. Again Keats repeats the theme that the characters depicted in on the urn are exempt from the universal emotion of the passing of time to old age. They are in fact as blissful as youth eternally. The eternal nature of emotion depicted by Keats is also reflected in the following text of the poem; "Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss, Though winning near the goal -- ..." As the youth is in a constant state of seeking, eternally about to experience the joy of a first kiss.

Relatable Human Emotion

Though Keats means for the symbols to be expressed as unknown through the expression of curiosity about who these individuals might be: "What leaf-fringed 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?" This device makes the images even more approachable, as the individual viewer can then imagine the depictions as anyone or anything, even when the material is ancient. The modern viewer might not know what god is depicted in the eternal art but he or she can apply any modern character, perhaps even an individual he or she knows. It is this universal and approachable theme that often drives the buying of a gift for a certain individual. When a person is walking through a shop or gallery and sees something that just reminds them of a loved one. They might not even know why, but they nonetheless feel compelled to obtain the item for that person. This is a universal and approachable situation depicted by the initial aspects of mystery associated with the characters and scenes described by Keats as populating the Urn. Another point of the text that makes it more approachable is again the idea that any individual can remember the moment of bliss before an expected event, such as an embrace or a first kiss, "More happy love! more happy, happy love!/

For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd,/

For ever panting, and for ever young; All breathing human passion far above,/

That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd, / burning forehead, and a parching tongue." The characters provide the viewer with a depiction of a universal feeling of excitement, associated with passion. We all have had moments where passion envelopes us and makes us almost oblivious to the rest of the world, again the characters have this eternally while individuals need to be reminded of it, through art in this case. Finally the work describes in the final lines a universal and approachable human emotion, or epiphany that the beauty of the earth and the simple expressions of it are those that carry the greatest truth, in short a flowery way to say, stop and smell the roses. "Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st, 'Beauty is truth, truth beauty, -- that is all/