In the “Ode on a Grecian Urn”?

Question

1. Keats puts forth the argument that "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard/Are sweeter"  (lines 11-12), which leads to an interesting philosophical argument that potential is better than reality.  What do you think?  In what way is the potential -- the anticipation -- often better than it's reality?  

2. In Stanza 3, Keats is describing a scene on the urn where a flutist is playing a pipe under some trees, while a young man teasingly pursues a young maiden:

21   Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed

22       Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;

23   And, happy melodist, unwearied,

24       For ever piping songs for ever new;

25   More happy love! more happy, happy love!

26       For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd,

27           For ever panting, and for ever young;

28   All breathing human passion far above,

29       That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd,

30           A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.

Note the difference between the "happy love" captured for eternity on the urn and the real human passion, which "leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd,/A burning forehead, and a parching tongue."   In your own words, what do you think causes the difference?

3.  Read closely the last stanza.  Why is the urn a "friend to man"?  What does Keats mean by "Beauty is truth, truth beauty,--that is all/ Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know"?  Who is speaking?  To whom is the speaker speaking? Does Keats mean "true" as in "reality" or "the true facts," or does he mean "Truth" in another way?  What other way?

Answer 1

I think you already have it - truth as in reality.