John Keats, a poet during the Romantic Era, seemed very unconcerned with Christianity. This was shown throughout his works, as his beliefs, or lack thereof weighed heavily on his writing, through his letters alone, a strikingly original and personal objection toward organized religion as well as a subsequent rejection of Christian faith is shown.
It is important that we see Keats as what he was, and that is that he was never a professional writer. He supported himself with a small income that he earned as a surgeon for Guy's Hospital. He left at age 23 to devote himself to his poetry. Keats lives off his friend while writing. It is important that we see already, his lack of belonging to an organized system, such as work. This can be established early on and seen through his beliefs as well as his lifestyle.
Romanticism was a movement of the 18th and 19th centuries that marked a reaction in several different mediums, such as literature, art, religion and
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He believed in his eras thoughts completely. Though he claimed free will, he seemed to fall into the ideals of everyone of that era.
Christianity once had a huge influence on European society, but it started to decline significantly during the Age of Enlighten. Thinkers of this era argued that church philosophy, the imposition of strict moral codes, and the premise of blind faith, played into people's ignorance and superstition. The Romantics also, to an extent, agreed with this. They saw structured religion as denying the individual determination of the masses. They believed in Pantheism which sees nature as an organic force, governed by a Spiritual presence and the omnipresence of God. Keats poetry shows support of these views. He used sensory and aural imagery to share the beauty of the natural world. Examples of this can be seen in a few of his works such as, Bright Star, On the Sea, and Ode to a
The church’s robust grip on religious expression shattered as medieval society transitioned into a period known as the Reformation. Characterized by the rejection of common ideology, the Reformation sparked religious curiosity. Reformers such as John Calvin and Martin Luther offered interpretations of the Bible in direct opposition to the Catholic Church’s teachings, forcing Europeans to examine and formulate their own beliefs. This style of thinking was foreign to European society because up to this point in history Europeans were passive absorbers of Catholic Church ideology. Hence, it was natural that an era considered the Age of Enlightenment followed the period of rejection and questioning known as the Reformation. The Age of Enlightenment did not merely confine itself to religious expression, but spread throughout natural and social science. Thus, the Age of Enlightenment marked the beginning of academic and religious philosophy and allowed great minds to think free from restriction and condemnation of established institution. As the perception of natural
"John Keats." British Literature 1780-1830. Comp. Anne K. Mellor and Richard E. Matlak. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 1996. 1254-56. Print.
...agery artistically to creatively examine, whether death really is the end of all humanity or whether life was merely purgatorial, a period of time allocated on earth for the purpose of atoning for our sins just like the ‘purgatorial rails’ in this poem. Alternatively it can be argued that religion is not life affirming and only death reveals, the indoctrinatory nature of religious teachings. For example the ‘sculptured dead’ were ‘imprisoned in black’ connoting everlasting torment. It almost contradictorily argues that faith on one hand is a sufferance gladly taken by citizens so they may reap their rewards in the afterlife but on the other hand Keats is demonstrating how religion is restricted and there is really no life after death. This is interesting because it controversially subverts conventions of the time that he was writing in.
Keats, John. Life, Letters, and Literary Remains, of John Keats. Ed. Richard Monckton Milnes Houghton. Vol. 2. London: E. Moxon, 1848. Google Books. Web. 27 May 2014.
The musings of Keats and Charlotte Smith identify with the British Romantic movement. This movement emerged as the political and social movements of that time were shifting into a new phase. With revolutions occurring, Britain ushered in the Romantic era during the late seventeen hundreds, gaining momentum until the start of the twentieth century. Romanticism reevaluated traditional Medieval characteristics of chivalry, love, and adventure, while the poets of the time idealized visionary imagination. They believed these characteristics should be present in politics and literature alike. What is now proved was once only imagined. The Romanticists meant to guide the people into an age of philosophical change; for the better. Their idealized
To start with, Romanticism was the first writing movement of the nineteenth century. It originated at the close of the eighteenth century in Europe, but was popular from the 1800s to 1850s. This movement was a revolt against the political and social standards of the Age of Enlightenment and a reaction to the reasoning of nature through science. Romanticism’s characteristics came from philosophical sources and, because it is a reaction against reasoning, it focuses on intuition, nature, and human emotions. The philosophical background of this movement came from an author named Jean-Jacques Rousseau who emphasized the individual and the power of inspiration. Romanticism later then broke off into another two movements called Parnassian and Realism.
Keats’ poetry explores many issues and themes, accompanied by language and technique that clearly demonstrates the romantic era. His poems ‘Ode to a Nightingale’ and ‘Bright Star’ examine themes such as mortality and idealism of love. Mortality were common themes that were presented in these poems as Keats’ has used his imagination in order to touch each of the five senses. He also explores the idea that the nightingale’s song allows Keats to travel in a world of beauty. Keats draws from mythology and christianity to further develop these ideas. Keats’ wrote ‘Ode To A Nightingale’ as an immortal bird’s song that enabled him to escape reality and live only to admire the beauty of nature around him. ‘Bright Star’ also discusses the immortal as Keats shows a sense of yearning to be like a star in it’s steadfast abilities. The visual representation reveal these ideas as each image reflects Keats’ obsession with nature and how through this mindset he was able
Romanticism was an artistic and literary movement that began in the late 18th century Europe that stressed the individual’s expression of emotion and imagination, glorification of the past and nature, and departure from forms of classicism. The movement emerged as a reaction against the ideas
Imagery and symbolism merged to express his imagination, he became a unique poet in an evolving world where Romanticism was quickly expanding globally, not into a movement, but a way of thinking. Keats’ mother and brother, and eventually he too, passed away of tuberculosis. At the time of his brother 's passing, he developed ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci’. ‘La Belle’ expressed Keats’ intellect and creativity, although at the same time he himself expressed his angst and depression for the loss of his brother. His poem ‘Bright Star’ was written in a part of his life in which a woman had influenced Keats’ greatly, so much in fact that he was driven to write ‘Bright Star’ in appreciation and celebration of the love of his life. These poems reflect Keats’ intellect, originality, creativity, and his ability to merge the contextual aspects of his life and his imagination with the ideals and concepts of Romanticism to create powerful
This opposition shows Keats highlighting the delicate correspondence between happiness, death and melancholy having humanistic traits. In order to experience true sorrow, one must feel true joy to see the beauty of melancholy. However, Keats’s poem is not all dark imagery, for interwoven into this poem is an emerging possibility of resurrection and the chance at a new life. The speaker in this poem starts by strongly advising against the actions and as the poem continues urges a person to take different actions.
John Keats was one of the greatest poets of the Romantic Era. He wrote poetry of great sensual beauty and had a unique passion for details. In his lifetime he was not recognized with the senior poets. He didn’t receive the respect he deserved. He didn’t fit into the respected group because of his age, nor in the younger group because he was neither a lord nor in the upper class. He was in the middle class and at that time people were treated differently because of their social status.
John Keats is an early nineteenth century Romantic poet. In his poem “When I have Fears that I May Cease to Be,” Keats makes excellent use of a majority of poetry elements. This sonnet concentrates merely on his fear of death and his reasons for fearing it. Though Keats’ emphasizes his greatest fear of death, he offers his own resolution by asserting that love and fame lacks any importance. Keats uses articulate wording to exemplify his tone, while using images, figures of speech, symbols, and allegory to illustrate his fear of death. His use of rhythm, sounds, and patters also contribute to his concentration of fear and the effects on his life. As one of the most famous Romantic poets, John Keats utilizes the elements of poetry in “When I Have Fears that I May Cease to Be” to convey his fears and allow the reader to realize how much these fears affect him.
Romanticism is a movement in the arts and literature that originated in the late 18th century, emphasizing inspiration, subjectivity, and the primacy of the individual. People began to feel dubious, this new-found pessimistic view challenged individuals and the hope of the 18th century. People felt concerned for the metaphysical aspects of life, death, and eternity, this is how romanticism emerged. Romanticism was a revolt against the order of things, against strict laws and rules. The romantics were focused on imagination over reason and logic, they examined the inner human being and its mental potential.
In 1818, Keats’ confidence was destroyed by critics. For his verse in Adonais, Byron ridiculed the young poet stating that he was, “snuffed out by an article” (Greenblatt 1875). His poetry was seen as an” irresistible target” (1875), because of its promotion by a fellow radical writer. In fact, his work did not achieve notoriety until well after his
If you take glance at the 19th century you can see that there are many intellectual and political movements that take place. Romanticism played a huge role in the 19th and 20th centuries however, some may argue that Romanticism wasn’t as significant as it is said to be.