Question

In Ode on a Grecian Urn, what contrast is most clearly emphasized in the lines “For ever warm and still to be enjoy’d, / For ever panting, and for ever young”?

• A. The contrast between eternal, idealized youth and the aging of real life
• B. The contrast between the urn's cold art and the warmth of human passion.
• C. The contrast between the silence of the urn and the loud music being played.
• D. The contrast between the artist's intentions and the viewer's interpretation.

Answer 1

Answer:

A. The contrast between eternal, idealized youth and the aging of real life

• In these lines from John Keats' Ode on a Grecian Urn — “For ever warm and still to be enjoy’d, / For ever panting, and for ever young” — the speaker is captivated by the timelessness of the figures depicted on the urn.

• They are frozen in a moment of youthful passion and vitality, never aging, never fading.

• This idealized state stands in sharp contrast to the transience of real life, where youth inevitably gives way to age, and joy is often fleeting.

• The repetition of “For ever” emphasizes the eternity of the urn’s scene, highlighting the contrast between the unchanging perfection of art and the mortal, changing nature of human experience.