About
John Keats, born on 31 October 1795 in London, is a major figure of English Romanticism. Orphaned at 14, he abandoned medical studies to devote himself to poetry. In 1819, he wrote his most famous odes, including 'Ode to a Nightingale' and 'Ode on a Grecian Urn'. Stricken with tuberculosis, he died in Rome in 1821 at the age of 25. His letters and poems, little recognized during his lifetime, are now considered masterpieces.
* 1795-10-28 — † 1821-02-23
Major works
- Endymion (1818)narrative poem
- Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems (1820)poetry collection
- Ode to a Nightingale (1819)ode
- Ode on a Grecian Urn (1819)ode
- To Autumn (1819)ode
Key milestones
- 1816Obtains his apothecary license and publishes his first sonnet 'O Solitude' in The Examiner.
- 1819Annus mirabilis: he writes his major odes, including 'Ode to a Nightingale' and 'Ode on a Grecian Urn'.
- 1821Dies of tuberculosis in Rome at age 25 and is buried in the Protestant Cemetery.
Themes
Beauty and truthDeath and immortalityNature and seasonsImagination and artLove and desire
Sources: oxforddnb.com · britannica.com · turismoroma.it
