
A D V E N T U R E S I N
w i t h
P R O F E S S O R K A R L Y N B O N D
Paper Cut Illustration by Allison Palmer
John Keats — Ode on a Grecian Urn
So whispers the urn to the poet in one of literature’s most iconic expressions of Romanticism.
Imagine a symphony, novel, or painting having the power to embody or convey truth. Imagine truth itself being a form of beauty—maybe even beauty in its purest form.
And consider the implications of the second line quoted above—the final line of Keats’s “Ode.” Even if mortality didn’t interfere, would a determined quest for truth ever be complete? And is beauty any more limited than truth? If not, wouldn’t pursuit of truth and cultivation of beauty be enough to fill eternity? What if all things worth being or knowing or doing were pieces of Truth or Beauty—or both? If such were the case, what else would we need?
Ideas worth thinking about.
Welcome to Portico MLA.
Portico MLA is hosted by Dr. Karlyn Bond—a concert pianist and an educator, writer, and speaker on music, literature, and art.

What was happening musically in England during Jane Austen’s lifetime? Was Austen herself musical? What role does music play in her six completed novels? These questions are explored in nine video lecture-performances. Sign up for the newsletter to be notified when this course becomes available.
Course
TBA — Coming Soon
Unlimited access for six months from date of purchase.