This was a really helpful summary of the poem! The context was especially helpful :) I'm going to sound like a huge nerd about the next bit: I want to say that the fact that Keats is writing near the time of his death, I think that the Imagery of the cow is really important because it shows that even though in reality the cow is probably dead from the sacrifice, she gets to live on in the urn so in a way her story, spirit and existence isn't *gone* it is just expressed in a different form? The title is really interesting as well because normally with Odes you would title it either "Ode to a..." when dedicating an ode to a specific object or sometimes "Ode on..." when writing an ode about a specific emotion or feeling. So, the title "Ode on a Grecian Urn" Is incredibly specific and it creates this idea of that he could be looking at all of these Urns in awe as he tells the stories about them in this Ode. I have more to say but I don't know how to phrase it very well and also I don't want to dump my whole thought process in your comments hehe!
Ma'm I have a question. I don't whether it's a questionable question or not ? Why there is 'On' in Ode on a Grecian and why not 'to' as there is 'to' in Ode to Melancholy
I have a theory to help answer this If you are still looking for an answer. I think saying "on" instead of "to" shows that the images are physically ON the Urn itself and not a memory or something that isn't physical. It personifies the whole poem by giving it this physical entity if that makes sense. Alternatively it could have been done in a sense of admiration. Keats admired the Urns and wanted to replicate this sense of capturing these moments in a tangible sense, so he attempts to mimic the feeling of sealing a moment in time with his poetry.
There isn't a whole lot of Greek mythology from what I can see and unpick but one thing that is helpful to know maybe is the part about the sacrificial cow. They used to sacrifice animals to specific God's to try and appease them or get them on their side in simple terms. The bigger the animal = the better the sacrifice and it shows that the person who commissioned this Urn was probably wealthy being able to spare a cow. Also it seems like its been taken through the town so it could be a moment from a larger festival such as the Athenesteria (which would take place in Spring so it would make sense why there are so many mentions of spring time) Or it could have been someone just casually sacrificing a cow (lol) I think the ambiguity shows that every image and moment is captured and immortalised through this art medium
Rhyme schemes are poetic techniques and are used for all sorts of reasons. Yes it sounds nice when a poem rhymes completely but that can sometimes be its surface value. For this instance I think it characterises the different images that are captured by the Urns and how different their lives would have been if that makes sense. The inconsistent rhyme could also reflect the inconsistency of life in general because we all know that Romantics hate the establishment and what not. Another thing to keep in mind is that this was written a long time ago and English dialects and pronunciations have changed so there are instances where things would have rhymed back then but don't in then 21st century. Anyways, sorry to nerd on you here, but I hope this is helpful!
It helps me a lot!!! Thank you!! Your explanation is easy to understand.
This was a really helpful summary of the poem! The context was especially helpful :)
I'm going to sound like a huge nerd about the next bit:
I want to say that the fact that Keats is writing near the time of his death, I think that the Imagery of the cow is really important because it shows that even though in reality the cow is probably dead from the sacrifice, she gets to live on in the urn so in a way her story, spirit and existence isn't *gone* it is just expressed in a different form?
The title is really interesting as well because normally with Odes you would title it either "Ode to a..." when dedicating an ode to a specific object or sometimes "Ode on..." when writing an ode about a specific emotion or feeling. So, the title "Ode on a Grecian Urn" Is incredibly specific and it creates this idea of that he could be looking at all of these Urns in awe as he tells the stories about them in this Ode.
I have more to say but I don't know how to phrase it very well and also I don't want to dump my whole thought process in your comments hehe!
Please make more of these!!!
The language he used was above me, so you putting it in layman's terms was very helpful.
Thank you so much
Ma'am , please upload more videos on Romantic Poets .It is very helpfull. Ma'am ,please make one on 'Tintern Abbey ' by Wordsworth .
Thank you❤🌹
Ma'm I have a question.
I don't whether it's a questionable question or not ?
Why there is 'On' in Ode on a Grecian and why not 'to' as there is 'to' in Ode to Melancholy
I have a theory to help answer this If you are still looking for an answer.
I think saying "on" instead of "to" shows that the images are physically ON the Urn itself and not a memory or something that isn't physical. It personifies the whole poem by giving it this physical entity if that makes sense.
Alternatively it could have been done in a sense of admiration. Keats admired the Urns and wanted to replicate this sense of capturing these moments in a tangible sense, so he attempts to mimic the feeling of sealing a moment in time with his poetry.
I love this video
Love this video
Nice ma'am
What are greek mythology in this poem ??
There isn't a whole lot of Greek mythology from what I can see and unpick but one thing that is helpful to know maybe is the part about the sacrificial cow.
They used to sacrifice animals to specific God's to try and appease them or get them on their side in simple terms. The bigger the animal = the better the sacrifice and it shows that the person who commissioned this Urn was probably wealthy being able to spare a cow.
Also it seems like its been taken through the town so it could be a moment from a larger festival such as the Athenesteria (which would take place in Spring so it would make sense why there are so many mentions of spring time)
Or it could have been someone just casually sacrificing a cow (lol)
I think the ambiguity shows that every image and moment is captured and immortalised through this art medium
the first stanza is missing.
First and last, as well.
There are only 3 images not 5
Yeah agree the concept of the whole point is missing as the part where the tree and the young love etc have been missed out
Poets should either make their poems rhyme; or not. When they try to do both the poems lose their flow.
Rhyme schemes are poetic techniques and are used for all sorts of reasons. Yes it sounds nice when a poem rhymes completely but that can sometimes be its surface value. For this instance I think it characterises the different images that are captured by the Urns and how different their lives would have been if that makes sense. The inconsistent rhyme could also reflect the inconsistency of life in general because we all know that Romantics hate the establishment and what not.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this was written a long time ago and English dialects and pronunciations have changed so there are instances where things would have rhymed back then but don't in then 21st century.
Anyways, sorry to nerd on you here, but I hope this is helpful!