John Keats

Who was John Keats?

He was the youngest of the major Romantic poets

What was his destiny

To be the first to die at the early age of 25.

Who helped him develop his talent?

Leigh Hunt

What was his job when he was orphaned at the age of 15?

Surgeon apprentice

What did he do after his first collection of poems was published

Travelled to Lake District and Scotland and came back to London to find his brother dying of tuberculosis, the same disease he died for in 1821.

What is said about his poetic achievements?

That not even Milton nor Shakespeare could compare with his talent when they were at his age

What are the qualities of Keats poetry?

• the slow and reflective rhythm of his verse

• drawing in all the senses to create a full experience

• rich and refined language

• clever use of imagery

What feel do his poems have?

They have a sensuous feel that reveal his delight at observing the world around him

He longed for beauty but what did he say in his letter?

He understood that life was full of contradictions: love-death, dreams-responsibilities

What did Keats strongly believe about art?

He believed that art could make all sorrow and pain ‘evaporate’ because all art is connected to beauty, the contemplation of which is central in his poetry.

What is the negative capability?

The capacity of the artist to not judge or explain the mysteries of life, but rather to explore them

What does the negative capability imply?

The denial of the real self, full of rationality, to taking on a self that is capable of facing and accepting mysteries and of simply trusting his visions of beauty.