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Ode to Grecian Urn

by John Keats

1. What is an Urn?

Ans: An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal.

2. How does Keats address the Grecian Urn?

Ans: Keats addresses the Grecian urn as “Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness, / Thou foster-child of silence and slow time, / Sylvan historian”.

3. How is the urn unravished?

Ans: The urn is unravished in the sense that time has failed to cause any harm to the urn.

4. Identify the figure of speech in "Beauty is Truth, Truth beauty"?

Ans: The figure of speech identified in "Beauty is Truth, Truth beauty" is a chiasmus.

5. What is compared to life in 'Ode to Grecian Urn'?

Ans: Art is compared to life in 'Ode to Grecian Urn'.

6. What is the Noun-form of the word 'Grecian'?

Ans: The Noun-form of the word 'Grecian' is “Greece”.

7. Why is the Grecian urn called 'Cold Pastoral'?

Ans: The Grecian urn is called 'Cold Pastoral' because the images of peaceful towns, young lovers, and bright, green trees depicted on the urn are both pastoral and eternal.

8. What does John Keats address as “Cold Pastoral”?

Ans: John Keats addresses the Grecian urn as “Cold Pastoral”.

9. Why is the 'urn' called foster child of silence?

Ans: The 'urn' is called foster child of silence and slow time because after the death of its actual father (the artist) it has become an orphan and has been adopted by silence and slow passing time.

10. Whose foster-child is the Grecian Urn?

Ans: Grecian Urn is the foster-child of silence and slow time.

11. 'Beauty is truth, truth beauty',- in which poem does it occur?

Ans: 'Beauty is truth, truth beauty' occurs in the poem 'Ode on a Grecian Urn'.

12. Why does the bold lover fail to kiss his beloved?

Ans: The bold lover fails to kiss his beloved because time has come to a standstill making it impossible for the lover to proceed towards his beloved.

13. "Heard melodies ... sweeter." - In which poem do you find the lines?

Ans: We find the lines, "Heard melodies ... sweeter." in the poem “Ode to Grecian Urn”.

'Ode to Grecian Urn' by John Keats; Brief-answer Questions