Sublime Aesthetics in Modern English Poetry: A Path to Developing the Critical and Creative Skills of EFL Learners in Higher Education

الملخص

This research examines thematic discussion approach used for teaching John Keats’ Ode on a Grecian Urn while concentrating on the sublime aesthetic concept found in Romantic literature. The initial portion of the session supplies an introduction to sublime aesthetics, followed by historical background and the definition of respect-based group guidelines. Student learning of the poem started with solo reading, followed by group dialogues that focused on themes like beauty, truth, time, and personal meanings, until moving on to a school-wide analysis session. The assessment procedure used pre-test and post-test evaluations to measure both concept understanding of the sublime and students' analytical capabilities. The study demonstrated successful student learning outcomes because participants achieved an average test score increase from 55% in the pre-test to 80% during the post-test period while utilizing mutual discussion with reflective practices. Using this method, students gained superior comprehension of Keats’ work along with vital critical thinking abilities and emotional capacity, and advanced language skills that prepare them for academic success. The thematic study of sublime aesthetics served as an efficient educational approach because it combined literature with student reflections to create relevant content understanding and enabled students to master complex literary text analysis. The analysis points out that teaching sublime poetry in 21st-century classrooms goes beyond teaching language skills. This practice also develops creativity and reflective thinking and promotes an understanding of different cultures. This illustration strengthens the connection between the learner and their literary growth.