“John Keats: The Poet of Beauty and Imagination”

        “John Keats and the Spirit of Romantic Poetry”      

This blog task is assigned by Prof. Megha Ma'am, Department of English, MKBU,Bhavnagar. In This Blog task i mentioned the second generation romantic poets, Which is given below.

1 Romantic Age :

Introduction :

Romantic Age   (1798–1837)

The Romantic Age in English literature gave rise to some of the most influential poets in history, and among them the names of John Keats, Lord Byron, and Percy Bysshe Shelley shine brightly. Belonging to the second generation of Romantic poets, they carried forward the spirit of imagination, passion, and rebellion that defined the movement, yet each carved a distinct path through his verse.

Here is list of Romantic Poets :

First Generation Romantic Poets

• William Wordsworth (1770–1850)

• Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834)

• William Blake (1757–1827) – often considered a precursor to Romanticism

Second Generation Romantic Poets

• Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824)

• Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822)

• John Keats (1795–1821)

Other Influential Romantic Writers/Poets

• Robert Southey (1774–1843)

• Leigh Hunt (1784–1859)

• Walter Scott (1771–1832) – more famous for novels but also a Romantic poet.

Que 1) Write a critical essay on John Keats as a Romantic Poet .

1 . John Keats  :

John Keats (1795-1821)

The Romantic movement in English literature, which flourished at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century, emphasized imagination, beauty, emotions, and a deep love for nature. Among its greatest figures was John Keats (1795–1821), a poet whose short life produced some of the finest verses in the English language. Though he died at only twenty-five, Keats became one of the central voices of the second generation of Romantic poets, alongside Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley.

His Life

John Keats (1795–1821) was born in London, the son of a stable keeper. His childhood was marked by hardship—he lost both parents early, and financial struggles haunted much of his life. Though he trained as a surgeon-apothecary, his passion for poetry soon took over.

His life was deeply affected by illness. Keats contracted tuberculosis, the same disease that had taken his mother and brother. Seeking a warmer climate, he traveled to Italy in 1820, but his health rapidly declined. He died in Rome on 23 February 1821, at the age of just 25, and was buried in the Protestant Cemetery with the epitaph: “Here lies One Whose Name was writ in Water.”

John Keats as a Romantic Poet :

John Keats (1795–1821) is often described as the purest poet of the Romantic movement. Unlike some of his contemporaries, who engaged deeply with politics and philosophy, Keats devoted himself to the pursuit of beauty, imagination, and emotional truth—all of which lie at the heart of Romanticism.

1. Love of Beauty

Keats’s most famous line, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever,” expresses his belief that beauty is eternal and uplifting. For him, poetry was a means of preserving beauty against the decay of time.

2. Imagination and Sensuousness

Keats’s poetry is filled with vivid imagery that appeals to all the senses. In Ode to a Nightingale, he escapes reality through imagination, entering a world of music, nature, and timeless joy. His imagination allowed him to create worlds where art and nature blend in harmony.

3. Awareness of Transience

A central Romantic theme in Keats’s work is the fleeting nature of human life. In poems like Ode on a Grecian Urn, he contrasts human mortality with the permanence of art. This longing for immortality through beauty reflects the Romantic struggle with time and change.

4. Negative Capability

Keats introduced the idea of “Negative Capability,” the ability to accept mystery, uncertainty, and doubt without seeking logical explanations. This Romantic openness to the unknown enriched his poetry with depth and emotional complexity.

5. Nature and Romantic Idealism

Like Wordsworth and Shelley, Keats found inspiration in nature, but not as a moral guide—rather as a source of delight, richness, and truth. His To Autumn turns a simple season into a celebration of life, ripeness, and inevitable decline, balancing joy with melancholy.

Major Works of John Keats

Poetry Collections

Poems (1817) –

 His first volume, which included early works like I stood tip-toe and Sleep and Poetry.

Endymion (1818) –

 A long narrative poem, famous for its opening line: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”

Odes (1819) – His greatest achievements, often called the “Odes of 1819”:

1 Ode to a Nightingale –

 Explores escape through imagination and the tension between joy and mortality.

2 Ode on a Grecian Urn –

 Reflects on art, beauty, and permanence, ending with the famous line: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty.”

3 Ode on Melancholy –

 Shows the link between beauty, joy, and sorrow.

4 Ode to Psyche – 

Celebrates the soul and imagination.

5 To Autumn – 

A rich meditation on nature, fulfillment, and transience.

Other Important Poems

1 Lamia (1819) –

 A narrative poem blending romance, myth, and tragedy.

2 The Eve of St. Agnes (1819) –

 A romantic, sensuous narrative poem.

3 Isabella; or, The Pot of Basil (1818) –

 Based on a tale from Boccaccio, combining love and tragedy.

4 Hyperion (1818–19) –

 An unfinished epic on the fall of the Titans.

5 Bright Star (published posthumously, 1838) –

 A sonnet on love and permanence, one of his most famous shorter poems.

Themes in Keats’s Poetry

1. Beauty as Truth

Keats believed beauty was the highest form of truth.

Famous in Ode on a Grecian Urn: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty.”

2. Transience of Life and Permanence of Art

His poor health made him aware of life’s brevity.

In contrast, art and imagination offered permanence (Ode to a Nightingale, Ode on a Grecian Urn).

3. Imagination and Escapism

He often used imagination to escape reality’s pain.

His poetry creates dreamlike worlds of joy and beauty.

4. Nature

Nature is celebrated for its richness and beauty, not as a moral guide (unlike Wordsworth).

To Autumn shows harmony, ripeness, and the cycle of life.

5. Melancholy and Joy

Keats often links happiness with sorrow.

In Ode on Melancholy, joy is most intense because it is short-lived.

Keats’s Writing Style

1 Sensuousness

His poetry appeals to all five senses—rich imagery of color, sound, taste, and touch.

2 Use of Classical Myths

Poems like Lamia and Hyperion show his love for Greek mythology.

3 Lyrical Quality

His odes and sonnets flow like music, with rhythm and harmony.

4 Negative Capability

His idea of embracing mystery and uncertainty without seeking rigid answers.

5 Contrast and Balance

Blending opposites: joy and sorrow, mortality and immortality, reality and imagination.

Conclusion :

John Keats remains one of the purest and most lyrical voices of the Romantic Age. His poetry reflects the essential Romantic ideals of beauty, imagination, nature, and emotional intensity, while his philosophy of “Negative Capability” shows his acceptance of life’s mysteries and contradictions. Though his career was tragically brief, Keats transformed his personal suffering and awareness of mortality into timeless works such as Ode to a Nightingale, Ode on a Grecian Urn, and To Autumn. His devotion to beauty as a form of truth, his sensuous imagery, and his exploration of the tension between transience and permanence secure his place among the greatest English poets. In the end, Keats fulfilled his own vision: through poetry, he achieved an immortality that life denied him.

Reference :

https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Keats

2) Write a brief learning outcome on the academic visit to Bortalav, Bhavnagar, in connection with this, Paper 103: Literature of the Romantics, including the activities carried out during the visit.

 Academic visit to Bortalav, Bhavnagar:

Students of Enligsh Department

 

 On 28th August 2025, the students of Semester 1 and Semester 3 from our department embarked on an enriching academic visit to Bortalav, Bhavnagar. The visit was thoughtfully organized and guided by our respected faculty members, Megha Ma’am and Prakruti Ma’am. The main theme of the event was “Exploring the Beauty of Nature”, and the day turned into a wonderful blend of learning, creativity, and appreciation for the natural world.

 Purpose of the Visit

The visit was designed with the intention of encouraging students to go beyond classroom walls and experience knowledge in its natural setting. By engaging with nature directly, we were given the chance to explore beauty, creativity, and harmony in an open and inspiring environment.

 Activities during this visit :

1. Poetry Recitation

Students expressed their thoughts and emotions through poetry recitation, bringing alive the beauty of nature in words. The poems reflected the peace, freshness, and inspiration that nature offers to all who pause and observe it closely.

2. Drawing Natural Scenes 

This picture is drawing by me.

Art was another way students connected with the environment. With sketchbooks and colors in hand, many students captured the trees, water, birds, and landscapes of Bortalav, each drawing carrying a unique perspective of nature’s charm.

3. Photography Sessions

In the age of digital creativity, students also took part in nature photography. From close-up shots of flowers and leaves to wide views of the serene lake, photography became a tool to preserve the memories and share the beauty of the visit with others.

 Learning Outcomes

This visit was not just a recreational trip, but a creative and educational experience. Students learned to:

Observe nature with sensitivity and artistic imagination.

Express feelings and ideas through poetry, art, and photography.

Work together across semesters, creating a sense of unity and collaboration.

Understand the importance of appreciating and preserving natural beauty in today’s busy world.

Gratitude

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Megha Ma’am and Prakruti Ma’am for planning and guiding this visit with such care. Their support and encouragement made the experience meaningful and memorable.

Here is Ikigai Activity which is also part of This Visit.