Shelley and Keats Portraits, Landscapes, Manuscripts, Poetry

Shelley, about age 11

University College (Shelleys College at Oxford)

Shelley and Faith Shelley sought the Divine in nature Shelley sought the Divine in nature Expelled from Oxford for distributing pamphlet on necessity of atheism Expelled from Oxford for distributing pamphlet on necessity of atheism Hstudied other religions, worshipped the intellect as the Divine capability in individual men, and saw in nature and in each act of human emotion an expression of the sublimity he sought. Hstudied other religions, worshipped the intellect as the Divine capability in individual men, and saw in nature and in each act of human emotion an expression of the sublimity he sought.

Intellectual Beauty His "Hymn to Intellectual Beauty" showcases this search for divinity in the "Spirit of BEAUTY" (p. 397). His "Hymn to Intellectual Beauty" showcases this search for divinity in the "Spirit of BEAUTY" (p. 397). He recollects his days as a boy listening for ghosts and seeking terrors as a preliminary seeking for what he desires, and talks about his devotion to "Awful LOVELINESS" (398) as a source of inspiration He recollects his days as a boy listening for ghosts and seeking terrors as a preliminary seeking for what he desires, and talks about his devotion to "Awful LOVELINESS" (398) as a source of inspiration

Shelley, as painted by Keats friend Severn

Poetry as a way of changing the world West Wind celebrates the emotional sensibility of poets that is the hallmark of Romantic artistry West Wind celebrates the emotional sensibility of poets that is the hallmark of Romantic artistry Calls on the wild West Wind to drive out the dry leaves of poetic tradition and renew, reshape, reincarnate the poetic spirit in him Calls on the wild West Wind to drive out the dry leaves of poetic tradition and renew, reshape, reincarnate the poetic spirit in him P. 401 is important part P. 401 is important part Drive my dead thoughts over the universe, Like witherd leaves, to quicken a new birth; Like witherd leaves, to quicken a new birth; And, by the incantation of this verse, Scatter, as from an unextinguishd hearth Scatter, as from an unextinguishd hearth Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind! Be through my lips to unawakend earth Be through my lips to unawakend earth The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind? (p. 401)

Shelley the Reviser

Skylark Hail to thee, blithe Spirit! Bird thou never wert, That from Heaven, or near it, Pourest thy full heart In profuse strains of unpremeditated art....

Ozymandias and the ruins that inspired it Major concern of later Romantics is Mutability--the inevitability of change, the knowledge that nothing can be constant, the eroding of belief that anything man- made (whether physical or cultural) can be eternal, and the very human need to believe in something immortal anyway. Major concern of later Romantics is Mutability--the inevitability of change, the knowledge that nothing can be constant, the eroding of belief that anything man- made (whether physical or cultural) can be eternal, and the very human need to believe in something immortal anyway. The Byron quote on p. 3 of your book is a very concise summation of this feeling. The Byron quote on p. 3 of your book is a very concise summation of this feeling.

Shelleys Grave in the Protestant Cemetery in Rome

Shelleys Memorial at Univ.-- (tucked into a niche next to the college laundry); or How do we honor an embarrassing graduate?

Keats, c. 1816

Manuscript of Chapmans Homer

Sonnets Shelley and Keats the last great masters of the sonnet Shelley and Keats the last great masters of the sonnet Made it a stunning vehicle of personal expression Made it a stunning vehicle of personal expression The impulse to identify I with the poet is very strongbut remember these were revised many times! The impulse to identify I with the poet is very strongbut remember these were revised many times!

Brief Career Headnote on Keats ( ) is excellent Headnote on Keats ( ) is excellent Writing career of just under four years Writing career of just under four years Most of the great odes were written in a spurt between April and September 1819 Most of the great odes were written in a spurt between April and September 1819

Whats a Grecian Urn?

Elgin Marbles

Ode to a Grecian Urn (in brother Georges handwriting )

Grecian Urn Defiant challenge to mutability in a celebration of the art that preserves human culture and emotion--"Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard / Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on" (440) Defiant challenge to mutability in a celebration of the art that preserves human culture and emotion--"Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard / Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on" (440) One of the most perplexing statements of Romantic aesthetic criticism ever written: "Beauty is truth, truth beauty;--that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know" (441). One of the most perplexing statements of Romantic aesthetic criticism ever written: "Beauty is truth, truth beauty;--that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know" (441).

Ode to Autumn

Romantic melancholy In To Autumn there is a deepening sense that Keats had accepted mutability as a dominant force---- "she dwells with Beauty--Beauty that must die" (442) In To Autumn there is a deepening sense that Keats had accepted mutability as a dominant force---- "she dwells with Beauty--Beauty that must die" (442) The beautiful ubi sunt passage that makes up the last stanza of To Autumn. The beautiful ubi sunt passage that makes up the last stanza of To Autumn.

Keats and Fanny Brawne

Keats Literary Criticism the poet's negative capability--the ability to live "in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact & reason" (445). the poet's negative capability--the ability to live "in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact & reason" (445). Phas to be able to take himself out of the poem, to refuse the temptation to impose his personality on it to gain closure, to "remain content with half knowledge" (445). Phas to be able to take himself out of the poem, to refuse the temptation to impose his personality on it to gain closure, to "remain content with half knowledge" (445). Keats contrasts this with Wordsworth's "egotistical sublime," the need for the poet to put his own experience at the center of everything. Keats contrasts this with Wordsworth's "egotistical sublime," the need for the poet to put his own experience at the center of everything.

The poet is able to project himself into various personalities and situations; this is what Keats described as the camelion [chameleon] poet; The poet is able to project himself into various personalities and situations; this is what Keats described as the camelion [chameleon] poet; The ability to do so is what Keats was experimenting with in This living hand. The ability to do so is what Keats was experimenting with in This living hand. Keats' letter to Percy Shelley is both a masterpiece of appreciation and also a carefully nuanced statement of the differences between the two poets. Keats tells Shelley to "load every rift of your subject with ore" (448)--an exhortation for Shelley to focus his genius and artistry. Keats' letter to Percy Shelley is both a masterpiece of appreciation and also a carefully nuanced statement of the differences between the two poets. Keats tells Shelley to "load every rift of your subject with ore" (448)--an exhortation for Shelley to focus his genius and artistry.

Severns Last Sketch

Keats-Shelley House (Rome) & his death mask

Keats Tomb in the Protestant Cemetery, Rome (every time I have been there, cats have been around his grave)