Explain the use of Hellenism and pictorial imagery in John Keats "To Grecian Urn".

Hellenism is a deep appreciation of Greek art. Keats loved this stuff. On Grecian Urn Keats studies the engravings in the urn. This sets Keats off on a mythical voyage full of everything Ancient Greece. There is a garlanded horse, a mysterious priest, and a green alter.  

The Hellenism in Ode On a Grecian Urn stems much further than many seem to appreciate. Keats clearly does more than deeply appreciate this artifact, but rather, he and his poem become it, the persona a character, directly addressing the marble-men and then going the extra mile the name of the poem is literally Ode ON a Grecian Urn. I think at one point or another, we're all missing the big picture. Keats might not be the one to have sculpted this fine piece of art and engraved the characters on it, but he does somethng else, something more. He not only brings it to life, but through this urn that has inspired him, he looks to inspire a thousand and one more poets, artists, sculpters, potters and all mediators who stand in the gap to know that "Beauty is Truth, and truth beauty". Keats' poem therefore uses a grain of hellenism to feed a crowd of thousands, and uses his words to create the marble characters. For all we know, Keats went into a pottery class to make an urn, figured it wasnt working out for him and turned to the one form of arts he was and is still Chief at, the manipulation, progression and liberation of the mind through his diction and the power of his words, which really made this urn. Hope it helped :)