Physical Value in Keats's Ode on a Greek Urn John Keats's poetry contains many references to physical things, from nightingales to things garnished with gold and silver, and a casual reader might be tempted to accept them at face value, as mere physical objects intended to evoke a sensual or emotional response; however, this is not the case. Keats, in the poem Ode Upon a Grecian Urn, turns the traditional understanding of physical objects on their head and uses them not as solid tangible items, but rather as metaphors and connections to abstract concepts, such as truth and eternity. the value of physical things as only corporeal for what feels is more substantial and lasting, the concepts indefinite and abstruse behind them. It would be helpful to gain a historical perspective on the poem. Ode Upon a Grecian Urn was written at the height of Keats's creative output, in May 1819; in this same month he wrote the Ode Upon a Nightingale and the Ode Upon Melancholy. It is worth noting that two of the subjects of these odes are physical things, because Keats is remembered primarily for his writings about physical and sensual things. Yet it betrays this attempt at classification; the Greek urn is more than just a piece of ancient pottery which Keats appreciates because it has somehow defeated time ("when old age this generation wastes / you will remain...", lines 46-47) and because it will never cease to represent youth and cheerfulness ("...which cannot lose / your leaves, nor ever bid farewell to spring", lines 21-22). Keats appreciates this urn for the message it conveys (directly or indirectly, a topic which will be examined later), ...... middle of the sheet ......- C - E. There is alliteration also in poetry; “silence and slowness,” “leaf-fringed legend,” “Ah, happy, happy branches,” and “Of exaggerated marble men and maidens” are examples. In conclusion, in the poem Ode Upon a Grecian Urn, the poet John Keats uses the language and object of his poem, an ancient Greek urn, to connect abstract actions and concepts to physical, real, and concrete things, in many different ways. Using iambic pentameter, a unique rhyme scheme, and some figurative language devices, Keats' creates a beautifully flowing, melodic poem that serves its purpose well. In truth, abstract images and notions are perfectly and subtly connected to the physical world around them. Works Cited Hunter, J. Paul 1999. The Norton Introduction to Poetry. New York, New York. Ode On a Grecian Urn, pages 323-324.