‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’ by John Keats is an ode from the Romantic period based on the images found on a Grecian urn. And ode is often a lyrical verse that is written in dedication to someone or something. However the title suggests that the ode is ‘on’ rather than ‘to’ this highlights the images on the urn rather that the pottery itself. This is an important distinction made by Keats to represent the story telling capabilities of the images found on the urn, which makes his ode focused on the images imprinted on the urn.
Keats again relays his belief that the urn has the ability to tell stories more successfully than words can, in the line “who canst thus express a flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme”. In this line he is comparing the urns ability to relay a story to his as a poet; however “our rhyme” is very ambiguous as he could be referring to humanity, the romantics or even poets in general. He also highlights the appealing nature of the stories told, through the use of natural imagery in terms such as “flowery” and “sweetly”.
The essence of the ode is clear as Keats addresses the urn directly, stating that it is a “still unravish’d bride of quietness”. The word “unravishe’d” can be described as virginal and untainted throughout the years it has sustained the same image, not corrupted by the society around it. Another link to time is the word “still” in the sense that the urn has survived throughout all these years, and is a good way to introduce the spatial/temporal concept involved in the ode. Referring to the story depicted on the urn as still in terms of the spatial concept. The word “quietness” along with the use of “Silence” in the next line depicts the unique ability of the urn to tell a story without the use of words and therefor visual imagery is used instead. The importance of this personification of the urn links back to the idea that the urn has survived through history and with it has managed to “still” tell us a story through the use of images that words would not have survived for that long. In addition, a synesthetic “A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme” supports the idea that the images are telling a story with better expression than one that would be told by speech or “rhyme”.
The second half of the first stanza is a series of rhetorical questions; Keats utilizes this to open up the story to the reader. The change of pace draws the reader in with the Ode’s passion to tell the story, this can be compared to when we first find something of interest, we would make general assumptions and question the different angles the topic may be examined in. Keats points out generally the image on the urn stating the possible settings of the “Tempe or the dales of Arcady”, the characters in the image “What men or gods of these?” and what the scene may be representing, “What mad pursuit what struggle to escape?” The use of natural imagery is also present in this stanza, “leaf-fringed” “Tempe” and “wild”. Words that depict the Greek setting, the “leaf-fringed” imagery suggests the common pattern of leaves in the work of art in that era. The term “Wild” can further support the natural imagery but in another interpretation it can be seen as frenzy like emotion, suggesting things that are out of control. With this interpretation the other terms are easily linked with this depiction of negativity, such as “mad pursuit”, “struggle to escape”. This contrasts to the earlier remarks of a “flowery tale”, “of deities or mortals” in the “dales of Arcady?” These words contribute to give a sense of peace and tranquility as the dales of Arcady refers to the Olympians where Zeus was born.
In the second stanza, Keats explores the images on the urn and expands particularly on the “melodies” or sounds that the urn seems to display. “Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on”, here Keats is suggesting that the pipes that can be seen in the image is immortalized from the eternal essence of the image and thus sound itself is not. Hence the “unheard” sounds have a greater impact, “those unheard are sweeter” than “heard melodies” The fact that there is no actual sound coming from the urn opens up to one’s creativity and imagination, making this urn so special. “not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d, pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone” Here Keats is supporting the idea that the sound of music in this scene is created through the viewer’s imagination rather than the “sensual ear”.

In the rest of the second stanza, the “fair youth, beneath the trees” are unable to “leave thy song”, which recalls the concept of music. Keats also includes natural imagery giving the image a natural setting as shown in the line “nor ever can those tress be bare”, which highlights the urns ability to preserve the tree in its purest, healthiest and most complete form. Here Keats opens up to the idea again about the temporal concept that is captured in an image. If the image was to come to life, yet frozen in time, would cause a stir in emotions which is present through the use of the two lovers who “never, never canst thou kiss”, implying that they are depicted on the urn as frozen in the lead up to the kiss. Being stuck in the anticipation of kissing which is said to be their “goal”, Keats suggests that there is no reason to “grieve” as his lover “cannot fade”. This depicts that the beauty is kept at its peak on this urn and that she will not age as to stay beautiful for eternity. Another approach to this concept of fading is the literal existence of the lovers that even though they will never be physically together, the frozen anticipation of the kiss adds to the benefit that their love will never leave each other. In support of this concept the following line mentions to the male lover “forever wilt thou love”. This intense romantic experience gives insight as to why this ode was generated by Keats to a Grecian Urn. The romantic concepts involved can be a link comparison to his love life.
In the last stanza, it can be seen as a way of Keats summing up the power of the urn, and its ability to “tease us out of thought” even though it is inanimate and “silent form”. By saying this, Keats could be implying how even though the object is just a still image, it can be revived to life and explored thought the use of imagination and creativity. Thus can be his inspiration for writing an ode for the urn.
Keats then finishes the ode by saying “beauty is truth, truth beauty” and that “that is all ye know on earth and all ye need to know”. This concept of truth ties in with the romantics’ idea that scientific evidence or proof is not needed to find truth. This could be an interpretation as to what Keats is trying to express in the last line. Another is the image on the urn itself surviving through history and teaching mankind a lesson, which is often the purpose of discovering our history, to learn from them.