How Does Keats Express His Aesthetic Vision in ‘Ode on a...

How does Keats express his aesthetic vision in ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’? John Keats once said regarding Lord Byron that â€Å"he (Byron) describes what he sees, I describe what I imagine†. Keats is a typically Romantic poet in the way in which he uses the fluid boundaries of imagination within his poem to formulate his aesthetic vision which is projected in ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’. Pope notes that the etymology of ‘aesthetics’ derives from the Greek meaning ‘things perceptible to the sense’ and ‘sensory impressions’; within the poem Keats uses evocative techniques to project the ‘refined sense of pleasure’ which he receives from observing the ancient piece. For Keats, the piece of art represents a timeless beauty which he longs to achieve†¦show more content†¦The repeated questions in the final lines of the first stanza build a mounting anticipation and also enhance the mystery as to the aesthetic beauty of the urn; there appear to be many unanswered questions regarding the st ories which are told within the art work and Keats is intrigued to unravel the secrets which it holds. The questions simultaneously increase the ambiguity of the urn and create Keats’ aesthetic vision of the object within the reader. Pope comments that the aesthetic is ‘an aversion to the ordinary and ugly’; Keats’ repeated questions enhance the reader’s belief that there is nothing simple or plain about the urn, with: â€Å"What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape† producing a vivid display of the feelings and the emotions of those figures who are immortalised within the urn. By using â€Å"struggle†, Keats acknowledges the desperation of the characters to be freed from the marble prison which they are cemented. The verb enhances the aesthetic vision of the art as Keats produces a new dimension to the object which begins to establish the tale of the â€Å"marble men† which he observes. The story of the â€Å"little town† is further developed by the â€Å"wild ecstasy† of the young couple suggesting a thrilling relationship between the lovers who are pictured, increasing the aesthetic vision of the urn as an element of a sexualShow MoreRelatedThree Texts That Describe Transcendence Is John Donne â€Å"Batter1508 Words   |  7 PagesThree texts that describe transcendence is John Donne â€Å"Batter My Heart† for its transcendence in the ways of perfection through religion. The knowledge-based transcendence of Shelley’s Hymn to Intellectual Beauty. And the sweet Keats idea of transcending past time through the arts. In this text, Donne character is a man who wants the Christian God to transform him. Donne narrator wants God to beat him till he’s worthy in the eyes of God figure, â€Å"You’re force to break blow burn and make me new.†(DonneRead MoreSimilarities and Dissimilarities Between Shelley and Keats6975 Words   |  28 PagesSimilarities and dissimilarities Though P. B. Shelley and John Keats were mutual friends, but they have possessed the diversified qualities in their creativity. These two are the great contributors of English Literature, though their lifecycle were very short. Their comparison are also little with each other, while each are very much similar in thoughts, imagination, creation and also their lifetime. 01)  Attitude towards the Nature P. B. Shelley: Whereas older Romantic poets looked at nature as