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Question: Ode on a Grecian Urn!?
Im trying to develop an outline for my in-class essay!. Its on Keats poem and Frankenstein!.
The prompt is this:
Compair and Contrast these concepts (truth and beauty) as they are treated in the two pieces of literature!. Do Shelly and Keats have the same attitude about beauty and truth, or do their ideas differ!?
My very BASIC outline:
Intro
1!. Frankenstein Truth
-backed with examples (this is no problem for me)
2!. Keats Truth (part i need help with because i was not in class the day she explained the poem!!!)-examples and explanation of poem if not too much!.
3!.compair ideas (i've got an idea, others couldn't hurt either)
4!. contrast ideas (same as above)
Conclusion!.
I've got a basic idea, i just need help developing the areas specified above!. If anybody could help me before Tuesday it would be GREATLY appreciated!.
Many Thanks in advance!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Well, I hope that you realize that this isn't an easy question--Keats' poem has generated a lot of debate over the past 190 years or so!.
I've given it some thought this morning!.
The short interpretation of the ode is that the people portrayed on the urn are immortal, even if they aren't really alive--their lives are frozen at moments of joy, and so they're better off than us!. I haven't read Frankenstein in a long while but I can see a parallel here in the idea that immortality arises out of death!.
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty" is one of the biggest cans of worms in the English literary tradition!. My own take on it is that beauty is usually seen to be transient and fleeing (this idea is all though the poem--leaves fall, people grow old, etc) and truth is eternal!. The urn makes this fleeing beauty eternal by freezing it!.
Hope this helps!. Fell free to ask any follow-ups--this is an interesting subject to think about!.Www@QuestionHome@Com