Ode on a Grecian Urn MCQs & Summary

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman | Last updated: February 11, 2025

Summary:

“Ode on a Grecian Urn” is one of John Keats’ most famous odes, written in 1819. The poem explores the relationship between art and life, focusing on an ancient Grecian urn that tells a silent yet eternal story through its images. Keats marvels at the figures on the urn—lovers, musicians, and pastoral scenes—who are forever frozen in time, untouched by decay or sorrow. The poem contrasts the permanence of art with the fleeting nature of human existence. It concludes with the famous philosophical statement: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,” emphasizing that art captures an idealized reality that remains unchanged across generations.

MCQs:

1. Who wrote Ode on a Grecian Urn?

A) William Wordsworth
B) John Keats
C) Lord Byron
D) Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Answer: B) John Keats

2. In which year was Ode on a Grecian Urn written?

A) 1817
B) 1818
C) 1819
D) 1821
Answer: C) 1819

3. When was the poem published?

A) 1818
B) 1820
C) 1822
D) 1825
Answer: B) 1820

4. What is the central theme of the poem?

A) The power of political revolution
B) The relationship between art and life
C) The struggles of romantic love
D) The fleeting nature of war
Answer: B) The relationship between art and life

5. What does the Grecian urn symbolize?

A) The fragility of nature
B) Eternal beauty and timeless art
C) The destruction of civilizations
D) The rapid progress of technology
Answer: B) Eternal beauty and timeless art

6. What famous line concludes the poem?

A) “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”
B) “Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!”
C) “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”
D) “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.”
Answer: C) “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”

7. What type of poem is Ode on a Grecian Urn?

A) Sonnet
B) Ballad
C) Lyric
D) Ode
Answer: D) Ode

8. What scene is NOT depicted on the urn?

A) Lovers frozen in time
B) Musicians playing forever
C) A priest leading a sacrifice
D) A battle between soldiers
Answer: D) A battle between soldiers

9. How does Keats contrast art and reality in the poem?

A) By showing that real life is more perfect than art
B) By suggesting that art captures eternal beauty, unlike human life
C) By arguing that art is meaningless compared to real experiences
D) By proving that nature is the only true form of art
Answer: B) By suggesting that art captures eternal beauty, unlike human life

10. What does Keats mean by “unheard melodies are sweeter”?

A) Music is not important in poetry
B) Imagination is more powerful than reality
C) Silence is more enjoyable than sound
D) The poet dislikes music
Answer: B) Imagination is more powerful than reality

MCQs & Summary of Some Famous Poems of John Keats

1. Ode to a Nightingale MCQs & Summary
2. Ode on a Grecian Urn MCQs & Summary
3. Ode to Autumn MCQs & Summary
4. Ode on Melancholy MCQs &  Summary
5. Ode to Psyche MCQs & Summary
6. Ode on Indolence MCQs & Summary
7. La Belle Dame sans Merci MCQs & Summary
8. Bright Star, would I were steadfast as thou art MCQs & Summary
9. When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be MCQs & Summary
10. The Eve of St. Agnes MCQs & Summary
11. Lamia by John Keats MCQs & Summary
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