Word Meaning, Summary, Important Questions,Of Chapter 4 A Thing of Beauty | Class 12

Chapter 4 A Thing of Beauty

Hindi Meaning Of Difficult Words | A Thing of Beauty

S.No.WordMeaningsMeanings (in hindi)Synonyms
1Bower A shady place under the treeकुटीpavilion, canopy
2MorrowThe following dayसवेराdaybreak, morn
3Wreathingsurround, encircleघेरनाzone, limit
4Despondencedepressedनिराशाgloom, dejection
5Brinkedgeकिनाराstrand, brim, confines
6Boon blessingवरदानbonus, godsend
7Rillsa small streamएक छोटी सी धाराarroyo, beck, bourne
8Brake a process to slow downब्रेकdeclerate, slow
9Grandeurhigh rank or socially importantशानmagnificence, state, scintillation
10Mightyenormousविशालgiant, spacious, gigantic
11Immortalnever dyingअमर undying, deathless




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About The Poet | John Keats | A Thing of Beauty

English romantic poet John Keats was born on October 31, 1795 in London. His first volume of poems was published in 1817. His poems, dealing with mythical and legendary themes of ancient, medieval and Renaissance times, are rich in imagery and phrasing. He died at a young age of twenty five in 1821.

Short Summary Of A Thing of Beauty In English

In this poem, the poet tells about how nature and its wonders mesmerize us and how they take away all the sorrow that surrounds us from time to time. A beautiful thing is a source of eternal joy, its  attractiveness  grows with a passage of time and its impact never fades away. It is as cool and pleasant as a quiet lover or like one sleeps a sound sleep with sweet dreams. It ensures good health and tranquility. It provides the one who possess, an ever existing peace and solace.

The earth minus the beautiful things is despondent, spiteful place thriving in callous insensitive dearth and is rough towards humans. Each day in life one encounters sadness along with unhealthy spite and darkness. In spite of this, a thing of beauty may eradicate these gloomy clouds which burden our soul. Hence, the poet says that we, human beings, create an ornate bond every day made up of all lovely things we see. This bond keeps us bound to the despondent earth, otherwise we would have lost all hope.

Then the poet reiterates few beautiful things that we see on earth. As beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder-everyone of us can find something beautiful in anything. The example given by the poet are of the sun, the moon, trees, flowers, stream, musk-rose blooms, architectural tombs, even fairytales or stories of heroic legends. The ‘simple sheep’ are human beings – the poet sympathizes with the human beings and their innocence. Keats

sees the beauty in innocent human looking out for solace in nature and mother nature in its own way develops a shady abode of relief and consolation. The clause, Lily of the Valley’ is quite well known and incites image of a subtle unique white flower holding up its head amongst a setting of thorns and tips and everything contrary in nature to delicateness, are daffodils cited as an example by the poet.

The poet also sees beauty in death of martyrs and legends. The mighty dead’ are the warriors who died for a cause. In order to honor them magnificent and tall sepulchers are erected. One may see beauty in that as well. When we look around there are numerous beautiful things which are immortal and are created by gods above for pitiable human beings so that they are able to cope up with the harshness of life.

Important Previous Year Questions From A Thing of Beauty

SAI (2 marks)

  1. What does Keats consider an endless fountain of immortal drink and why does he call its drink immortal? (AI 2013)
  2. How does a thing of beauty provide shelter and comfort? (AI 2013)
  3. How is a thing of beauty a joy forever? (Delhi 2012)
  4. What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings? (AI 2012)
  5. Describe any three things of beauty mentioned in the poem, ‘A Thing of Beauty! (AI 2012)
  6. Why and how is grandeur associated with the mighty dead? (Delhi 2011)
  7. What is the message of the poem, ‘A Thing of Beauty’? (AI 2011)

SA II (3 marks)

  1. In the hot season, how do man and beast get comfort? (Delhi 2017)
  2. What does a thing of beauty do for us? (Delhi 2015)
  3. What makes human beings love life in spite of all the troubles they face? (Delhi 2015)
  4. Mention any four things of beauty that add joy to our life. (AI 2015)
  5. Mention any two things which cause pain and suffering. (AI 2015)
  6. Which objects of nature does Keats mention as sources of joy in his poem, ‘A Thing of Beauty? (AI 2015)
  7. Life is full of sorrows. What brings joy in it? (Foreign 2015)
  8. How do we get joy from life which is otherwise full of sorrows? (Foreign 2015)

SA III (4 marks)

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

  1. And such too is the grandeur of the dooms We have imagined for the mighty dead; All lovely tales that we have heard or read; An endless fountain of immortal drink, Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.

(a) Which two things of beauty are mentioned in these lines?

(b) Why are the lovely tales’ called an endless fountain?

(c) Where is this fountain situated?

(d) Explain: ‘grandeur of the dooms’ (2020)

17….. and clear rills

That for themselves a cooling covert make Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake, Rich with the sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;…..

(a) Identify the poem and the poet.

(b) What is the role of the clear rills?

(c) How has the mid forest brake become rich?

(d) Name the figure of speech in ‘cooling covert.

  1. ‘It’s loveliness increases, it will never

Pass into nothingness; but will keep

A bower quiet for us, and a sleep

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

(a) Whose loveliness will keep on increasing?

(b) Identify the phrase which says that ‘it’ is immortal.

(c) What is a ‘bower’?

(d) Why do we need sweet dreams, health and quiet breathing in our lives? (Delhi 2016)

  1. And such too is the grandeur of the dooms We have imagined for the mighty dead; All lovely tales that we have heard or read; An endless fountain of immortal drink …….

(a) Who are the mighty dead’?

(b) What have we done for them?

(c) What metaphor has been used for ‘lovely tales’?

(d) How is the grandeur of the dooms related to the theme of the poem? (Foreign 2016)

  1. And such too is the grandeur of the dooms We have imagined for the mighty dead; All lovely tales that we have heard or read; An endless fountain of immortal drink, Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.

(a) Name the poem.

(b) Who are the ‘ here? mighty dead’ referred to

(c) What is the endless fountain of immortal drink?

(d) What does the word, ‘ brink’ mean? (Delhi 2015 C)

  1. Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth Of Nobel natures, of the gloomy days, Of all the unhealthy and Q’s darkened ways Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all, Some shape of beauty moves away the pall From our dark spirits.

(a) Name the poem.

(b) Give one cause of human suffering.

(c) What moves away the pall from our lives.

(d) What does the word ‘ gloomy’ mean? (AI 2015 C)

  1. All lovely tales that we have heard or read; An endless fountain of immortal drink. Pouring onto us from the heaven’s brink.

(a) Name the poem and the poet.

(b) What is the thing of beauty mentioned in these lines?

(c) What image does the poet use in these lines? (Delhi 2014)

  1. Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth

Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,

Of all the unhealthy and oer darkened ways

Made for our searching: yes in spite of all, Some shape of beauty moves away the pall

From our dark spirits.

(a) Name the poem and the poet.

(b) Why are we ‘despondent’?

(c) What removes ‘the pall from our dark spirits’?

  1. Some shape of beauty moves away the pall from our dark spirits.

(a) How does beauty help us when we are burdened with grief?

(b) Explain: “Some shape of beauty”.

(c) Identify the figure of speech used in the above lines.

  1. A flowery band to bind us to the Earth,

Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth

Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,

Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways

Made for our searching:

(a) What are we doing every day?

(b) Which evil things do we possess and suffer from?

(c) What are the circumstances that contribute towards making humans unhappy and disillusioned with life? (Delhi 2013)

  1. Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing

A flowery band to bind us to the earth,

Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth

Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,

Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways

Made for our searching:

(a) What are the flowery bands that bind us to the earth?

(b) What message do the above lines, convey? (Delhi 2013)

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Answer Of A Thing of Beauty
​ For The Above Questions

  1. It is nature’s beauty, which Keats considers an endless fountain of immortal drink. According to him, the drink is immortal because of the joy and delight it provides, it never passes into nothingness; the joy is forever and its loveliness ever-increasing.
  2. A thing of beauty is present in the nature and brings us eternal joy whenever we need it. It keeps a quiet bower for us to take shelter in and comforts us so as to provide us a sound sleep full of sweet dreams, health and quiet breathing. A thing of beauty present in the nature comforts us also by removing the gloom and misery from our lives.
  3. A thing of beauty is a joy forever because its loveliness increases and lasts long. It never passes into nothingness and moves away the pall from our dark spirits.
  4. In spite of troubles and sufferings, human beings love life because one is able to derive pleasure from the nature as well as one’s surroundings. The things of beauty, which nature provides take away all the gloom and fills one with hope.
  5. Everything in nature is a thing of beauty and a source of pleasure. Some of them are the sun, the moon, old and young trees, daffodil flowers, small streams with clear water, etc.
  6. The mighty dead were powerful persons during their own times. The tales of their achievements have been read and heard. Their lives and deeds look extraordinary and inspirational. Thus, grandeur of the mighty dead is a thing of beauty.
  7. The poem A Thing of Beauty’ gives the message that the things of beauty, which nature provides, never lose their charm. They never move into nothingness. They make a long lasting impression. The things of beauty present in the nature relieve us of worldly worries, thus bringing us eternal joy.
  8. In the hot season, man and beast get comfort by taking shelter under the shade of the trees, or being one with absorbing nature and the coolness it provides. The things of beauty, which nature offers are simple. However, they have a calming effect on every living being.
  9. A thing of beauty uplifts one’s mood and provides eternal joy. It makes life worth living in spite of despondence, gloomy days, etc. because its loveliness keeps on increasing and never fades away.
  10. Human beings love life in spite of all the troubles they face because they are surrounded by the things of beauty in nature. They remove the gloomy pall from our dark spirits. Nature makes us rise above the spite of our despondence and allows us to become attuned to the beauty of nature.
  11. The sun, clear rills, the mid forest brake and the grandeur of the doom are four of the innumerable things of beauty that add joy to our life.
  12. Despondence and lack of noble nature are two of the many things, which cause pain and suffering.
  13. The objects of nature, which are a sources of joy are the sun, the moon, trees-young and old, daffodils, sheep, forests, clear rills, the mid forest brake, musk rose, etc. 14. Life is full of sorrows. However, the beautiful things given by God give us immense joy. They bring peace and calmness to the mind. One can remove one’s sorrows by admiring sights of nature.
  14. Refer to answer 14.
  15. (a) Mighty warriors and their stories of sacrifices.

(b) Lovely tales are called an endless fountain because stories never die, they evolve and get decorated with time and generations.

(c) The fountain is in heaven’s brink.

(d) Grandeur of doom means the melancholic beauty in tragic stories of heroism.

  1. (a) The name of the poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty’ and the poet is John Keats.

(b) The clear rills along with the bushes and trees make a cool and safe place for the animals, such as a simple sheep, to hide from the heat of the weather.

(c) The mid forest brake became rich with the intoxicating fragrance of the rose bloom, which  fills the air.

(d) Alliteration

  1. (a) The loveliness of a thing of beauty will keep on increasing.

(b) ‘Never pass into nothingness.

(c) A pleasant, shady place under a tree is called bower.

(d) We need sweet dreams, health and quiet breathing in our lives to bear the problems of life, to remove the gloom and to uplift the mood.

  1. (a) The ‘mighty dead’ are all the great men.

(b) We have heard and read lovely heroic tales about their grandeur.

(c) The metaphor used for Lovely tales’ is an endless fountain of immortal drink.

(d) The grandeur of the dooms is everlasting beauty; one can find beauty even in death.

  1. (a) The name of the poem is A Thing of Beauty!

(b) Here, the mighty dead’ refers to the great people of the world, the people we respect and/or our ancestors as well.

(c) The endless fountain of immortal drink is all the wonderful tales told to us when we were children and all the great books read by us.

(d) The word ‘brink’ means the extreme edge at the top.

  1. (a) The name of the poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty’.

(b) One of the many causes of human sufferings is lack of noble nature.

(c) Anything, which we consider beautiful moves away the pall from our lives.

(d) The word gloomy means depressed or sad.

  1. (a) The given lines are from the poem ‘A Thing of Beauty’ by John Keats.

(b) The things of beauty mentioned in the given lines are the lovely tales heard or read.

(c) In these lines, the poet uses the image of ‘an endless fountain of immortal drink’ to describe the beautiful bounty of the Earth.

  1. (a) The lines have been taken from the poem ‘A Thing of Beauty’ by John Keats.

(b) We are despondent because of the unhealthy and over-darkened ways of humans and that the world lacks noble people.

(c) According to the poet, even if the world is not worth living because of the innumerable reasons that ultimately result in gloom and depression, the zeal to live a happy and content life can be derived from the sight of the beautiful bounties of nature around us. These beautiful things remove the pall from our dark spirits.

  1. (a) Beauty or a thing of beauty removes all sad thoughts, has a soothing effect on our senses and lifts our spirits.

(b) ‘Some shape of beauty’ means anything that is beautiful in the world.

(c) Personification and metaphor.

  1. (a) Every day we renew our bond with nature and it is the beauty of nature that keeps us attached to this earth.

(b) We suffer from lack of goodness in human nature and possess unhealthy and our darkened methods of being human.

(c) The trials and tribulations of life that test our bearing   make us despondent in life.

  1. (a) The flowery band that binds us to the earth are new memories we make and hopes we form every morning when we wake up. These too are few of the many beautiful things, which keeps us grounded and make us happy during our time of grief.

(b) The above lines convey that even if the world is full of gloomy days, despondency and lacks people of noble nature, the things of beauty that we are surrounded with bring us hope and joy.

For more chapters word meanings click on the links given below.

Prose

Chapter 1 The Last Lesson 
Chapter 2 Lost Spring 
Chapter 3 Deep Water 
Chapter 4 The Rattrap 
Chapter 5 Indigo 
Chapter 6 Poets and Pancakes 
Chapter 7 The Interview 
Chapter 8 Going Places

Poem

Chapter 1 My Mother at Sixty-six 
Chapter 2 An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum 
Chapter 3 Keeping Quiet 
Chapter 4 A Thing of Beauty 
Chapter 5 A Roadside Stand 
Chapter 6 Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers

Vistas

Chapter 1 Third Level  
Chapter 2 The Tiger King 
Chapter 3 The Enemy 
Chapter 4 Journey to the End of the Earth 
Chapter 5 Should Wizard Hit Mommy? 
Chapter 6 On the Face of It 
Chapter 7 Evans Tries an O-level 
Chapter 8 Memories of Childhood

Download Free pdf For NCERT English Solutions Class 12

Chapter 1 The Last Lesson 
Chapter 2 Lost Spring 
Chapter 3 Deep Water 
Chapter 4 The Rattrap 
Chapter 5 Indigo 
Chapter 6 Poets and Pancakes 
Chapter 7 The Interview 
Chapter 8 Going Places

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