Class 12 English — Chapter 11: A Thing of Beauty

What you'll learn

• ▸The Enduring Nature of Beauty
• ▸The Soothing and Restorative Power of Beauty
• ▸Beauty as an Antidote to Despair
• ▸The 'Flowery Band' Metaphor
• ▸Sources of Beauty in Nature
• ▸Beauty in Human Imagination and Legends
• ▸The 'Endless Fountain' Metaphor
• ▸Poet's Context: John Keats and Romanticism

Chapter Summary

--- PAGE 1 --- 3 A Thing of Beauty 12074CH12 _About the poet_ **John Keats** (1795-1821) was a British Romantic poet. Although trained to be a surgeon, Keats decided to devote himself wholly to poetry. Keats' secret, his power to sway and delight the readers, lies primarily in his gift for perceiving the world and living his moods and aspirations in terms of language. The following is an excerpt from his poem '_Endymion; A Poetic Romance_'. The poem is based on a Greek legend, in which Endymion, a beautiful young shepherd and poet who lived on Mount Latmos, had a vision of Cynthia, the Moon Goddess. The enchanted youth resolved to seek her out and so wandered away through the forest and down under the sea. _Before you read_ _What pleasure does a beautiful thing give us? Are beautiful things worth_ _treasuring?_ 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 he…

Practice Questions from this Chapter

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1. Explain why sunsets are beautiful. Get Solution →
2. Describe the life of John Keats. Get Solution →
3. List examples of lasting beauty. Get Solution →
4. Who is the author of the poem 'A Thing of Beauty'? Get Solution →
5. What profession was John Keats originally trained for before dedicating himself to poetry? Get Solution →
6. The poem 'A Thing of Beauty' is an excerpt from which of Keats' longer poems? Get Solution →
7. According to the poem, what happens to the loveliness of a beautiful thing? Get Solution →
8. In the poem, what are 'rills'? Get Solution →

Did you know?

• 💡 John Keats, a celebrated poet, first trained to be a surgeon.
• 💡 The Moon slowly drifts away from Earth at 3.8 centimeters per year.
• 💡 Some flowers glow under ultraviolet light, invisible to human eyes.
• 💡 The scent of roses can reduce stress and improve mood.
• 💡 Ancient tales and myths often inspired enduring artworks and legends.

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