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Ch 11A Thing of Beauty — Class 12 English (Core), concept-first.

John Keats (1795-1821) was one of the leading poets of the English Romantic movement, alongside Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron and Shelley. Although he trained to be a surgeon, he chose to devote himself wholly to poetry, and though he died of tuberculosis at only twenty-five, he left behind verse of extraordinary richne…

21

Q&A

1

Concept

40m

Section weightage

Section C · Literature Textbooks (Flamingo & Vistas) · across all 19 lessons

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Key concepts

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Aesthetic Perennial Joy

Think of a line of poetry, a piece of music, or a sunset that still moves you no matter how many times you return to it.

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Chapter contents

The NCERT structure, section by section. Open a section to see its questions, then read the concept-first solution.

About the Poet and the Poem

John Keats (1795-1821) was one of the leading poets of the English Romantic movement, alongside Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron and Shelley.

1.1

Central Idea and Summary

The central idea of the poem is that beauty is a permanent, healing source of joy. A beautiful thing gives us happiness that never wears out; its loveliness actually increases over time and never pass…

1.2

Stanza-wise Explanation

This explanation moves through the passage part by part, restating each section's meaning in plain words. None of the original lines are reproduced.

1.3

Poetic Devices

The central metaphor of the poem presents beauty as an endless fountain of immortal drink -- a divine, inexhaustible source that pours into the human soul from the heavens above.

1.4

Theme and Message

'A Thing of Beauty' is a compact statement of Keats's whole philosophy of beauty, and its themes all flow from the single conviction announced in its opening line.

Summary

- Central idea: Beauty is a permanent, self-renewing source of joy that never fades. Every beautiful object -- from the sun, moon, trees and flowers to the simple sheep in a pasture -- becomes part of…

Think it out

+Think it outi8 questions
  1. Q1List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.Free
  2. Q2List the things that cause suffering and pain.Free
  3. Q3What does the line, ‘Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to earth’ suggest to you?Free
  4. Q4What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings?Preview
  5. Q5Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead’?Preview
  6. Q6Do we experience things of beauty only for short moments or do they make a lasting impression on us?Preview
  7. Q7What image does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth?Preview
  8. Q8Notice the consistency in rhyme scheme and line length. Also notice the balance in each sentence of the poem, as in, Of noble natures, of th…Preview

Additional Practice

Extra exam-style practice questions written by us on this lesson — beyond the NCERT textbook's own exercises — for more CBSE board-exam preparation.

+Additional Practicei13 questions
  1. Q1Why does the poet say that a thing of beauty is a joy for ever? (Answer in 30–40 words.)Free
  2. Q2How does a thing of beauty help us even when we are sad, gloomy or depressed? (Answer in 30–40 words.)Free
  3. Q3What is the 'pall' that beauty removes from our dark spirits, and how does it do so? (Answer in 30–40 words.)Free
  4. Q4List some of the beautiful things of nature that the poet mentions in the passage. (Answer in 30–40 words.)Preview
  5. Q5Who are the 'mighty dead', and how are they a source of beauty and joy? (Answer in 30–40 words.)Preview
  6. Q6What does the poet mean by 'an endless fountain of immortal drink' pouring into us from heaven? (Answer in 30–40 words.)Preview
  7. Q7What is the 'flowery band' that binds us to the earth, according to the poet? (Answer in 30–40 words.)Preview
  8. Q8What is the central idea of 'A Thing of Beauty'? (Answer in 120–150 words.)Preview
  9. Q9Discuss how beauty is presented in the poem as a source of eternal joy and healing for the human spirit. (Answer in 120–150 words.)Preview
  10. Q10Comment on the imagery and poetic devices used in the extract 'A Thing of Beauty'. (Answer in 120–150 words.)Preview
  11. Q11How does Keats connect beauty in nature with beauty in art and the lovely tales of the past? (Answer in 120–150 words.)Preview
  12. Q12Discuss the theme and message of the poem 'A Thing of Beauty'. (Answer in 120–150 words.)Preview
  13. Q13Attempt a critical appreciation of the extract 'A Thing of Beauty' from Keats's 'Endymion'. (Answer in 120–150 words.)Preview