- Introduction
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- Task
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John Keats was born in 1795 in London, the oldest of four children. His father died when he was only eight years old from falling off a horse; his mother died when he was fourteen from tuberculosis. When he turned fifteen, he became interested in literature and started reading. Sadly, his guardian at the time pulled him out of school so that he could study with the pharmacist/surgeon in town. Keats studied pharmacy and medicine until he was twenty-one and then gave it up to write poetry.
When he first began writing poetry, it did not have much meaning and did not get good reviews from people. He spent some time with his mentor Charles Cowden Clarke reading with him. Through his encouragement, Keats continued writing. He soon met Leigh Hunt who was an editor of a popular journal titled the Examiner. He started publishing Keats’ works which had mixed reviews from readers and critics.
In 1818, Keats went on a walking tour through England and Scotland. He came back home in order to take care of his brother, Tom, who was suffering from tuberculosis. During this time he met and fell in love with Fanny Brawne. They were never married, however, because of Keats’ interest in writing. Late in 1819, Keats also contracted tuberculosis. His health deteriorated rapidly, but he continued to write as long as he could. Oddly enough, some of his very best work was written during this time. In 1821, Keats’ doctor suggested that he go somewhere with a warmer climate for the winter. He sailed to Rome and died there six months later. By his request, his headstone does not bear his name.
Read through John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” and “To Autumn.” Take notes about the details in the poems as you read. There will be study questions for you to answer in the Task section.
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