John Keats was born in Moorgate, London, England in October of 1795. He lived a tragic childhood, losing his father when he was eight and his mother while he was in his teens. There is no doubt that his difficult life shaped him and the topics he wrote about. Unfortunately, Keats only wrote professionally for about five years until his death in 1821 at the age 25. Although Keats’ career was extremely short-he only published a little over forty poems- he gave the world several great works that would have a lasting effect. His works are still widely read today. Some of his most popular works include his five odes of 1819 (“Ode to a Nightingale,” “Ode on Melancholy,” ”Ode to Psyche,” “Ode to Indolence,” and “Ode on a Grecian Urn”); “Bright Star, Would I Were Stedfast as Thou Art”; ”Endymion”; and “Hyperion,” among many others. So what made John Keats such a special and timeless writer?
John Keats is one of the best examples of a Romantic poet there is. His works and writing style are the embodiment of the Romantic period. His writings focused on trying to portray emotional aspects of the poem. His poems could be more surreal and would at times focus on nature and spiritual things. He would use symbolism to portray his ideas to his readers. Often his poems would focus on an individual struggle and would take the reader through a journey of the narrator’s emotions. He would paint a picture through his vivid imagery, symbolism, and, most of all, his rich and emotional writing style. He would deal with issues that everyone can relate to, like mortality. A perfect example of his romantic style of writing can be seen in all of his five odes of 1819, but most of all in what is probably his most famous poem, Ode to a Nightingale. This poem, written shortly before his death while his health was quickly deteriorating, was a very emotional poem that was rich with symbolism, references to nature, and spiritual references. Although John Keats’ had very short writing career, he had a very big impact on the Romantic period.
John Keats is one of the best examples of a Romantic poet there is. His works and writing style are the embodiment of the Romantic period. His writings focused on trying to portray emotional aspects of the poem. His poems could be more surreal and would at times focus on nature and spiritual things. He would use symbolism to portray his ideas to his readers. Often his poems would focus on an individual struggle and would take the reader through a journey of the narrator’s emotions. He would paint a picture through his vivid imagery, symbolism, and, most of all, his rich and emotional writing style. He would deal with issues that everyone can relate to, like mortality. A perfect example of his romantic style of writing can be seen in all of his five odes of 1819, but most of all in what is probably his most famous poem, Ode to a Nightingale. This poem, written shortly before his death while his health was quickly deteriorating, was a very emotional poem that was rich with symbolism, references to nature, and spiritual references. Although John Keats’ had very short writing career, he had a very big impact on the Romantic period.