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John Keats

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John Keats was a central figure in the second generation of Romantic poets. This group of writers included famous names like Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Keats is celebrated for a poetic style that was heavily loaded with sensualities. This means his writing often focused on intense physical sensations and deep emotions. He frequently used natural imagery to emphasize these extreme feelings. His work is most notable for his series of odes, which are complex lyrical poems.

Portrait of Keats - HH
Portrait of Keats - HH

Today, his poems and letters are among the most popular and analyzed works in English literature.

Keats's journey toward poetry involved a significant shift from a medical career. After completing a five-year apprenticeship with an apothecary named Thomas Hammond, he registered as a medical student at Guy's Hospital in 1815. He showed a distinct aptitude for medicine and was accepted as a dresser. A dresser is a role where a student assists surgeons during operations. This position brought a heavy workload and much greater responsibility.

The John Keats Statue in London
The John Keats Statue in London

While his family expected him to pursue medicine for financial security, Keats felt a growing ambivalence. He eventually faced a stark choice between his medical training and his literary ambitions.

In 1816, Keats made the definitive decision to become a poet rather than a surgeon. This choice caused great fury for his legal guardian, Richard Abbey. The transition was difficult because Keats had spent a great deal of money on his medical training. He also struggled with significant debt and financial hardship throughout his adult life. It appears he was unaware of certain large bequests left to him in wills. His mother had left a legacy of £8,000 to be divided among her children. He also had an £800 bequest from his grandfather, John Jennings, which he likely never applied for.

Keatslifemask
Keatslifemask

Keats's literary career began with the publication of his sonnet "O Solitude" in Leigh Hunt's magazine, *The Examiner*, in May 1816. Shortly after, he published his first volume of verse, titled *Poems*. This first book was a critical failure and received little interest from the public. His original publishers, Charles and James Ollier, even felt ashamed of the work. However, Keats found new support with the publishers Taylor and Hessey. This firm was enthusiastic about his talent and provided him with an advance for a new volume.

J Keats House
J Keats House

Through these new connections, Keats entered influential literary circles in London.

Through his publishers, Keats met Richard Woodhouse, an Eton-educated lawyer. Woodhouse was deeply impressed by Keats's genius and became a close friend. He worked to document Keats's work, creating an archive known as "Keatsiana." This archive remains a primary source for understanding the poet's life and work. Woodhouse also acted as a promoter, fighting for Keats's reputation in the literary world. He was even one of the few people to accompany Keats on his final trip to Rome.

Fannybrawne
Fannybrawne

Keats's life was marked by early personal loss and hardship. He was born in London on October 31, 1795. His father, Thomas Keats, died in 1804 following a fall from a horse. His mother, Frances, died of tuberculosis in 1810 when John was only fourteen. These events left the Keats children in the custody of their grandmother, Alice Jennings. Despite these challenges, Keats developed a deep interest in classics and history while attending school in Enfield. This education provided the foundation for his later mastery of complex verse forms like the sonnet.

Though he died young, Keats's influence on the art world was profound. He died of tuberculosis in February 1821 at the age of 25.

John Keats Tombstone in Rome 01
John Keats Tombstone in Rome 01

While his work was indifferently received during his lifetime, his fame grew rapidly after his death. By the end of the 19th century, he was firmly placed in the canon of English literature. His medievalist poems, such as "La Belle Dame Sans Merci," heavily influenced the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. This movement included artists and poets like Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Morris. His philosophy that "Beauty is truth, truth beauty" continues to resonate in literary studies today.

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🖼️ Images & Media (9)
File:Keatslifemask.jpg
Keatslifemask.jpg
File:J Keats House.jpg
J Keats House.jpg
File:Fannybrawne.jpg
Fannybrawne.jpg
File:Keats-Shelley House.jpg
Keats-Shelley House.jpg
File:John Keats Tombstone in Rome 01.jpg
John Keats Tombstone in Rome 01.jpg
File:9069 - Roma - Cimitero acattolico - Lapide a John Keats (1795-1821) - Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto, 31-March-2008.jpg
9069 - Roma - Cimitero acattolico -...
File:Portrait of Keats - HH.jpg
Portrait of Keats - HH.jpg
File:The John Keats Statue in London.jpg
The John Keats Statue in London.jpg
File:John Keats - On death - Breestraat 113, Leiden.JPG
John Keats - On death - Breestraat 113, Leiden.JPG
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