The marbles have immense beauty and grandeur but they used to be part of the frieze on the parthenon in athens.
The elgin marbles inspired keats to write.
For those of you who don t know the elgin marbles that inspired keats to write the poem above are a set of friezes and sculptures from the parthenon which lord elgin the british ambassador at constantinople at the turn of the 18 19th century removed from the acropolis of athens and brought to england.
On seeing the elgin marbles john keats.
My spirit is too weak.
He was inspired to write the poem after reading two articles by english artist and writer benjamin haydon.
John keats 1795 1821 wrote lyric poems such as ode to a nightingale and ode on a grecian urn that are notable for their vivid imagery and philosophical aspirations.
Investigating themes in on seeing the elgin marbles.
Explain how the poem conveys the idea that art can both move with its beauty and disturb by its tendency to remind us of our own mortality.
Elgin and his marbles.
Soon after his visit to the british museum john keats wrote the poem on seeing the elgin marbles to share his experiences.
Examples of great beauty and art also caused keats to ponder mortality as in on seeing the elgin marbles 1817.
The classic collection of marble sculptures from parthenon at the british museum commonly known as the elgin marbles has been a vexed source of doubt appreciation enthusiasm disapproval and.
What is keats saying about the worth of human artistry.
Elgin marbles collection of ancient greek sculptures and architectural details in the british museum london where they are now called the parthenon sculptures.
Although he died at the age of twenty five keats had perhaps the most remarkable career of any english poet.
The objects were removed from the parthenon at athens and from other ancient buildings and shipped to england by arrangement of thomas.
From the observer s perspective keats experienced an overwhelming sense of his own mortality and appreciation for the classical artwork.
Through his awareness of other writings in this field and his first hand acquaintance with the elgin marbles keats perceived the idealism and representation of greek virtues in classical greek art and his poem draws upon these insights.
On seeing the elgin marbles by john keats about this poet john keats was born in london on 31 october 1795 the eldest of thomas and frances jennings keats s four children.
As a writer keats hoped he would live long enough to achieve his poetic dream of becoming as great as shakespeare or john milton.
Now the sculptures are in fragments and in london no longer a living part of religion but exhibits in a museum.
