John Keats

Born 31 October 1795

London, England

Died 23 February 1821

Rome, Papal States

Resting Place Protestant Cemetery

Rome, Italy

Occupation Poet

Alma mater King's College,

London, England
John Clarke's school,
London, England

Literary period Romantic

Genre Romantic poetry

Spouse Never married

Introduction

John Keats was an English Romantic poet of the second generation, alongside Lord
Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. He is best known for his odes, including "Ode to a Grecian
Urn," "Ode to a Nightingale," and his long-form poem Endymion. His usage of sensual
imagery and statements such as “beauty is truth and truth is beauty” made him a precursor
of aestheticism.

Childhood and early life

John Keats was born on October 31, 1795, in London, England. He was the eldest of
four siblings, with two brothers, and a sister, Tragically, Keats' father, died when John was
only eight years old, leaving the family in financial difficulties. His mother remarried, but she
also passed away when John was just 14, leaving the care of the children to their
grandmother.

Education

John Keats attended Clarke's School, where he learned the basics of reading,
writing, and arithmetic. It was during his time at this school that Keats first developed an
interest in literature and poetry. He studied at Guy's Hospital in London to become a
licensed apothecary. During his medical training, Keats showed exceptional literary talent,
and his passion for poetry and literature remained undiminished.
Personal life

Keats experienced significant loss at a young age. His father died when he was only
eight years old, and his mother passed away when he was 14. These early tragedies had a
profound impact on him and contributed to a sense of melancholy that often surfaces in his
poetry. He met and fell in love with a woman named Fanny Brawne. Their relationship was
tragically short, but she would have a remarkable impact on his work.

Death

John Keats' death occurred on February 23, 1821, in Rome, Papal States. His
untimely passing was a result of tuberculosis, a disease that had plagued his family, having
already claimed the lives of his mother and younger brother. In 1819, he started showing
symptoms of the disease. Despite his deteriorating health, Keats remained committed to his
poetry and continued to write during this difficult period.

Notable works

1. Sleep and Poetry

2. Isabella
3. Ode to Psyche
4. Ode to a Nightingale
5. To autumn
6. Hyperion