John Keats Lakeitha Johnson Chelsea Hudson Danielle Walker Tyler Smith Brock MacDonald

Biographical Information John was a member of one of the most influential poetry groups of his time with Shelly, Byron, Keats, Hunt and Reynolds. His poetry group worked on more than just poetry. They worked on cultural reform and changes to society. Grecian poets were some of his biggest inspirations. Drawing the inspiration for his poems “ I stood tip-toe” and “Sleep and Poetry” from Homer.

Biographical Information Keats work took him all over Europe traveling to Scotland and Rome. Some of his best work was completed in the last two years of his life Endymion: A Poetic Romance (1818) Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems (1820) Keats succumbed to the same disease as his mother. He died from tuberculosis on February 23, 1821.

Early Life Keats was taught, in the dissenting tradition, reformist and even republican ideas. He started as a surgeon’s apprentice, and then a dresser for one of the most well know surgeons of the time Even though he was in medicine he always knew that poetry was his vocation in life Keats poetry group openly condemned authoritarian and oppressive government and questioned religion

Significance of Keats’ Poetry Some of his poetry was very political in his early days (commented on contemporary events.) Had a lot of negative criticism because of his political stance. Concerned with both the imagination and reality. The odes allowed the poet to reflect on his life and how he viewed the world around him.

Consensus of Best Poem The poem Ode to a Nightingale was written around the time his brother had passed away His feeling of depression was shown along with the envy he felt towards the nightingale He wanted to feel the happiness the nightingale was expressing, but somehow he kept getting the feeling of darkness and being alone when he tried to be happy the feeling of empathy is expressed throughout the poem. You can tell that the bond between Keats and his brother was unbreakable

Summary of the Poems

Ode to a Nightingale In this poem Keats goes through plenty of emotional stages. He hears the nightingale in the woods, who sings of such a happy tone. He mentions in the text that he wasn’t angry with the nightingale happiness, but of his singing. He has a numb feeling from some poison. Keats explained the immorality of the nightingale but the death of him. The nightingale was always happy and he wanted to experience a walk in his shoes.

On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer Keats travels to beautiful places such as heaven, but has never heard anything as beautiful as Homer’s work. Keats heard Chapman speak and felt like he was in a new planet and learned a lot. After he learned, he looked out to the ocean and stared out with wild guesses about nature. – MY TOOTH HURTS 

When I Have Fears that I May Cease to Be Keats is afraid that he will one day not be able to write his thoughts. His brain is like a storehouse for grain, of letters and words. When he views the world, he sees symbols from literature all around. He is afraid that when he dies no one will remember his words and poems

Ode On a Grecian Urn I Compare and contrast living in different areas of Greece II and III will forever be beautiful and speak to the heart. IV and V Though people die it will live on forever bringing peace to the soul