Ode on a Grecian Urn

OdeonaGrecianUrn OdeonaGrecianUrnisapoembyJohnKeatswrittenin1819andfirstpublishedinJanuary1820.ItwasoneofKeat's"FiveGreatOdesof1819"whichalsoincludedOdeonIndolence,OdeonMelancholy,OdetoaNightingale,andOdetoAutumn.ItsinspirationispartlyconsideredtobeavisitbyKeatstotheexhibitionoftheElginMarblesandpartlyrelatedtoKeats'sexperiencewiththeaesthetictheoriesofBenjaminHaydon,Keats'sfriendandpainter,andhiscollectionofGrecianprints. Thelyricpoemisdividedintofivestanzas,eachwithtenlines,andreflectsupontheimagesonanancientGrecianurnwithimagesofAncientGreekstowhomthenarratoraddresseshisdiscourse.Thepoemtransitionsfromascenedepictingalovereternallypursuingabelovedwithoutfulfillmenttoascenethatdescribesavillageinwhichitspeopleventuredofftoperformasacrifice.Thefinallinesofthepoemdeclarethat"Beautyistruth,truthbeauty,"-thatisall/Yeknowonearth,andallyeneedtoknow",alinewhichhasprovokedcriticalconsideration.Structure Theodeisanancientformoriginallywrittenformusicalaccompaniment.Ingeneral,theodeoftheRomanticgenreisapoemof30to200linesthatmeditatesprogressivelyuponordirectlyaddressesasingleobjectorcondition.OdetoaGrecianUrnfollowsastrictstructuralpatternwitheachstanzacontaining10lineswithtensyllables.ThecomplexrhymeschemeofthepoemshowsahighlevelofcomplexitycommonamongodesofKeats’time.LineGroupings ThefirstfourlinesofeverystanzahaveastructureofABAB Theremaining6linesoftheFirstandLaststanzafollowapatternofCDEDCE TheThirdandFourthstanzasendwithastructureofCDECDE TheSecondstanzaendsCDECED ThefirstfourlinesofeachstanzaareaShakespearianbasedquatrainandthelastsixlinesareaMiltonicbasedsestet. Theword"ode"itselfisofGreekorigin,meaning"sung."TheformbyKeats'stimehadundergoneenoughtransformationthatitreallyrepresentedamannerratherthanasetmethodforwritingacertaintypeoflyricpoetry. Keats’odesseektofinda"Classicalbalance"betweentwoextremes,andinthestructureofOdeonaGrecianUrn,theseextremesarethesymmetricalstructureofClassicalLiteratureandtheasymmetryofRomanticPoetry.TheuseoftheABABstructureinthebeginninglinesofeachstanzarepresentsaclearexampleoftheheroiccoupletsofClassicliterature,andtheremainingsixlinesappeartobreakfreeofthetraditionalpoeticstylesofGreekandRomanodes. InthefirstandlaststanzaofOdetoaGrecianUrnthepoetaddressestheurnitselffromanoutwardperspective,allowingthenarratortospeakdirectlytotheobjectandtothereaderatonce.Inthemiddlethreestanzas,thepoemfocusesontheindividualspaintedontheurnandtherelationshipbetweentheindividualandart.Thenarratorsilencestheurnbydescribingitasthe"brideofquietness",whichallowshimtospeakforitusinghisownimpressions.Thenarratoraddressestheurnbysaying: Thoustillunravishedbrideofquietness! Thoufoster-childofsilenceandslowtime becauseitisbornfromstoneandmadebythehandofanartistwhodoesnotcommunicatethroughwords.Asstone,itisabletoslowtimeandbecomeaneternalpieceofartwork.Aseternal,theurniscapableofproducingastorythatisoutsideoftime,andthat"sylvanhistorian"expresses: sylvan:pertainingtoorlivinginthewoods;hence,asylvanhistorianrecordsscenesinthewoods. Aflow'rytalemoresweetlythanourrhyme: Whatleaf-fringedlegendhauntsaboutthyshape Ofdeitiesormortals,orofboth, InTempeorthedalesofArcady? Whatmenorgodsarethese?Whatmaidensloth? Whatmadpursuit?Whatstruggletoescape? Whatpipesandtimbrels?Whatwildecstasy? Tempe:abeautifulvalleyinGreece,itwassacredtoApollo,thegodofpoetryandmusic. Arcady:theliteraryformofArcadia,inthecentralPeloponnesus.Zeuswasbornthere,inoneaccount.Thewordconnotesaplaceofruralpeaceandsimplicitybecauseoftheancientreputationofitsinhaitantsasinnocentandpeaceful. timbrels:ancienttambourines 你委身“寂静”的、完美的处子， 　受过了“沉默”和“悠久”的抚育， 呵，田园的史家，你竟能铺叙 　一个如花的故事，比诗还瑰丽： 在你的形体上，岂非缭绕着 　古老的传说，以绿叶为其边缘； 讲着人，或神，敦陂或阿卡狄？ 　呵，是怎样的人，或神！在舞乐前 多热烈的追求！少女怎样地逃躲！ 　怎样的风笛和鼓谣！怎样的狂喜！ Thequestionsaretooambiguoustocreateadefinitescene,butelementsofitarerevealed.Thereisapursuitandastrongsexualelement. Themelodyaccompanyingthepursuitisintensifiedinthesecondstanza: Heardmelodiesaresweet,butthoseunheard Aresweeter;therefore,yesoftpipes,playon; Nottothesensualear,but,moreendeared, Pipetothespiritdittiesofnotone: sensualear:earofthesenses,i.e.,whichhear. 听见的乐声虽好，但若听不见 　却更美；所以，吹吧，柔情的风笛； 不是奏给耳朵听，而是更甜， 　它给灵魂奏出无声的乐曲； Thereisahintofaparadoxinwhichindulgingcausessomeonetoonlywantmoreandasoundlessmusicisdesiredbythesoul.Thereisalsoastasisthatprohibitsthecharactersontheurnfromeverbeingfulfilled: Fairyouth,beneaththetrees,thoucanstnotleave Thysong,norevercanthosetreesbebare; BoldLover,never,nevercanstthoukiss, Thoughwinningnearthegoal-yet,donotgrieve; Shecannotfade,thoughthouhastnotthybliss, Foreverwiltthoulove,andshebefair! 树下的美少年呵，你无法中断 你的歌，那树木也落不了叶子； 卤莽的恋人，你永远、永远吻不上， 虽然够接近了－－但不必心酸； 她不会老，虽然你不能如愿以偿， 你将永远爱下去，她也永远秀丽！ Inthethirdstanza,thenarratorbeginsbyspeakingtoatree,whichwilleverholditsleavesandwillnot“bidtheSpringadieu.”Theparadoxoflifeversuslifelessnessextendsbeyondtheloverandthefairladyandtakesamoretemporalshapeasthreeofthetenlinesbeginwiththeword“forever.”J.W.MynsCarrdescribesthisphenomenonin“TheArtisticSpiritofModernPoetry” Menandwomenperfectintheflesh,withtheirfeetonperfectflowers,moveacrosshisfancyasintwilight.Thepoethasreachedtotheirperfection,andreturnsladenwithrichmemoriesofthesenses,but,beingofhistime,hecouldnotcastofthesomberuncertaincloudthathidthesun. Ah,happy,happyboughs!thatcannotshed   Yourleaves,noreverbidtheSpringadieu;And,happymelodist,unwearied,   Foreverpipingsongsforevernew;Morehappylove!morehappy,happylove! 呵，幸福的树木！你的枝叶 　不会剥落，从不曾离开春天； 幸福的吹笛人也不会停歇， 　他的歌曲永远是那么新鲜； Theunheardsongneveragesandthepipesareabletoplayforever,whichleadstothelovers,nature,andallinvolvedtobe: Morehappylove!morehappy,happylove!   Foreverwarmandstilltobeenjoy’d, Foreverpantingandforeveryoung;Allbreathinghumanpassionfarabove, Thatleavesahearthigh-sorrowfulandcloyed,Aburningforehead,andaparchingtongue. 呵，更为幸福的、幸福的爱！永远热烈，正等待情人宴飨， 永远热情地心跳，永远年轻；幸福的是这一切超凡的情态： 它不会使心灵餍足和悲伤，没有炽热的头脑，焦渴的嘴唇。 Anewparadoxarisesintheselinesbecause,accordingtoHaroldBloom,"Amouththathasnomoistureandnobreathmaybeabletosummonbreathlessmouths,butitcanaseasilybecalleddeath-in-lifeaslife-in-death". Inordertoovercomethismergedlifeanddeathparadox,thepoemshiftstoanewscenewithanewperspective.Thefourthstanzaopenswiththesacrificeofavirgincow,animagethatappearedintheElginMarbles,andDouglasBushsuggeststhatKeatscouldbedrawingthisimagefromthe"lowingheifer"inthemarbles,fromClaud'sSacrificetoApollo,orRaphael'scartoon"TheSacrificeatLystra",whichwasalsoondisplayattheBritishGaleryinthespringof1819. Whoarethesecomingtothesacrifice?Towhatgreenaltar,Omysteriouspriest, Lead'stthouthatheiferlowingattheskies,Andallhersilkenflankswithgarlandsdrest? Whatlittletownbyriverorsea-shore,Ormountain-builtwithpeacefulcitadel, Isemptiedofitsfolk,thispiousmorn?And,littletown,thystreetsforevermore Willsilentbe;andnotasoultotellWhythouartdesolate,cane'erreturn. 这些人是谁呵，都去赶祭祀？这作牺牲的小牛，对天鸣叫， 你要牵它到哪儿，神秘的祭司？花环缀满着它光滑的身腰。 是从哪个傍河傍海的小镇，或哪个静静的堡寨山村， 来了这些人，在这敬神的清早？呵，小镇，你的街道永远恬静； 再也不可能回来一个灵魂告诉人你何以是这么寂寥。 Allthatexistsinthesceneisaprocessionofindividuals,andthenarratorconjecturesontherest.Thealterandtownexistarepartofaworldoutsideofart,andthepoemchallengesthelimitationsofartthroughdescribingtheirpossibleexistence.Thequestionsareunansweredbecausethereisnoonewhocaneverknowthetrueanswersasthelocationsarenotreal. Withthefinalstanza,accordingtoBloom,"Keatsbegins...byremindinghimselfthatitisonlytheartificeofeternitybeforehim"whenhesays: OAtticshape!Fairattitude!withbredeOfmarblemenandmaidensoverwrought, Withforestbranchesandthetroddenweed;Thou,silentform,dostteaseusoutofthought Attic:Grecian.AtticaisinthecentralpartofGreecewhereAthenswaslocated. brede:embroidery. overwrought:coveredwith. 哦，希腊的形状！唯美的观照！上面缀有石雕的男人和女人， 还有林木，和践踏过的青草；沉默的形体呵，你象是“永恒” Thereisalimitwithintheaudiencetocomprehendtheeternalscene,butthesilenturnisstillabletospeak.Thestoryittellsisbothcoldandpassionate,anditisabletohelpmankind: Asdotheternity:Coldpastoral!Whenoldageshallthisgenerationwaste, Thoushaltremain,inmidstofotherwoeThanours,afriendtoman,towhomthousayst, "Beautyistruth,truthbeauty,"-thatisallYeknowonearth,andallyeneedtoknow. coldpastoral:pastoralstoryinmarble. pastoral:(1)pertainingtoshepherds;henceitconnotessimple,peacefulcountrylifeandthequalitiesassociatedwithsuchalife,e.g.,naturalnessandinnocence.(2)akindofpoemwhichpraisesthevirtuesofcountryliving(simplicity,innocence,etc.). 使人超越思想：呵，冰冷的牧歌！等暮年使这一世代都凋落， 只有你如旧；在另外的一些忧伤中，你会抚慰后人说：  “美即是真，真即是美，”这就包括你们所知道、和该知道的一切。Themes Althoughthepoemdoesnotincludethesubjectiveinvolvementofthepoet,theurnwithinthepoemrequiresahumanobserver,asWalterJacksonBateputsit:"theveryoriginoftheurnpresupposedthehopethatitwouldberescuedintofullexistencebysomelater'greetingoftheSpirit."ThepoemcapturesaspectsofKeats'sideaof"NegativeCapability",asthereaderdoesnotknowwhothefiguresareontheurn,whattheyaredoing,orwheretheyaregoing.Instead,thespeakerrevelsinthismystery,ashedoesinthefinalcouplet,whichdoesnotmakeimmediate,ascertainablesensebutcontinuestohavepoeticsignificancenonetheless.Theodeultimatelydealswiththecomplexityofart'srelationshipwithreallife. Throughoutthepoem,otherparadoxesemergeasthenarratorcompareshisworldwiththatoftheAncientGreciansontheurn.Intheopeningline,hereferstotheurnasa“brideofquietness”,whichcausesCleanthBrookstoarguethatKeatscontraststheurnwiththestructureoftheode,whichwasoriginallyintendedtobesung.Likewise,hepointstoanotherparadoxthatariseswhenthenarratorfindsimmortalityonthesideofanurnmeanttocarrytheashesofthedead. InherstudyofOdeonaGrecianUrn,LiliaMelanilistsfiveparadoxesthatleadtotheendinglinesontruthandbeauty: thediscrepancybetweentheurnwithitsfrozenimagesandthedynamiclifeportrayedontheurn thehumanandchangeableversustheimmortalandpermanent, participationversusobservation lifeversusart CriticssuchasSoniaSikkaconcludethatthenarrator,representativeofKeats,iscriticizingtheUrnashesaysthatallitwilleverneedtoknowisthatbeautyistruthandtruthbeauty.Thisreadingofthetextsuggestslevelsofbothjealousyanddisdainasthenarratoradmiresthesimplicityoftheworlddepictedbytheurnbutfindsitincapableofprovidingdeepermeaning.