"Ode on a Grecian Urn" : Literary devices
"Ode on a Grecian Urn" is a notable literary work by John Keats. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of "Ode on a Grecian Urn".
Literary devices
Literary Terms
- Ode → The poem is a type of ode, which means it is a serious, thoughtful poem about a deep subject.
Figures of Speech:
- Imagery: Words that create pictures in the reader’s mind. Example: “A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme.” This line helps us imagine a beautifully decorated urn with stories painted on it.
- Personification: Giving human qualities to non-human things. Example: “Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness.” The urn is called a bride, giving it a human-like presence and emotion.
- Paradox: A statement that seems confusing but reveals a deeper truth. Example: “Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter.” It sounds strange, but it means imagination can be more powerful than reality.
- Symbolism/Symbols: Using objects or images to represent bigger ideas.
- The Urn: Symbol of Eternal art and frozen time
- The Lovers: Symbol of Eternal but unfulfilled love
- The Piper (Musician): Symbol of Unheard music and imagination
- The Trees: Symbol of Eternal Spring
- The Sacrificial Scene: Symbol of Ritual, mystery, and frozen action
- The Silent Town: Symbol of Absence and Mystery.
- Sylvan Historian: Symbolizes the urn as a silent storyteller or historian of the past.