John Keats - Themes - Art

Respect for art in rewards + limitations.
Concentrates on permanence and steadiness in art opposed to life in Grecian Urn.

“She cannot fade, though thy has not thy bliss

For ever wilt thy love, and she be fair”.

Important Quote, beauty fades but is always permanent through art.
Keats says how art can ‘tease us of thought’.
Art ‘friend to man’. Represents alternate world we create in our minds, e.g. Keats world.
Keats conveys this in quote:

“Already with thee! Tender is the night,

and haply the Queen-Moon is on her throne

clustered by her starry fays;

But there is no light”

However, limitations in art. Art gives Keats escapism, but doesn’t alleviate suffering.

“For ever pointing, and forever young -

All breathing passion far above,

That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloyed

A burning forehead, and a parching tongue”

Art in which Keats escapes is temporary. Comes back to reality in Nightingale. Vision of paradise fades.

“Was it a vision, or a waking dream?

Fled is that music: Do I wake or sleep?”

Ability to create world of art impressive as he feels it to be vivid reality in poetry.
Accomplishes this through descriptive language, sensual imagery + immediacy.
Vivid imagination not develop solitarily. Heart, mind + imagination stimulated from nature. Desire to escape came from modern reality.
Addiction to permanence depicted with chase of girl. Virginity is a sacrifice, is permanence.

Uses paradox to convey dynamic action.