Shelley and KeatsShelley and Keats

Portraits, Landscapes, Portraits, Landscapes, Manuscripts, PoetryManuscripts, Poetry

Shelley, about age 11Shelley, about age 11

University College University College (Shelley’s College at Oxford)(Shelley’s College at Oxford)

Shelley and FaithShelley and Faith Shelley sought the Divine in natureShelley sought the Divine in nature Expelled from Oxford for distributing Expelled from Oxford for distributing

pamphlet on necessity of atheismpamphlet on necessity of atheism Hstudied other religions, worshipped Hstudied other religions, worshipped

the intellect as the Divine capability the intellect as the Divine capability in individual men, and saw in nature in individual men, and saw in nature and in each act of human emotion an and in each act of human emotion an expression of the sublimity he expression of the sublimity he sought.sought.

Intellectual BeautyIntellectual Beauty

His His "Hymn to Intellectual Beauty""Hymn to Intellectual Beauty" showcases this search for divinity in showcases this search for divinity in the "Spirit of BEAUTY" (p. 397). the "Spirit of BEAUTY" (p. 397).

He recollects his days as a boy He recollects his days as a boy listening for ghosts and seeking listening for ghosts and seeking terrors as a preliminary seeking for terrors as a preliminary seeking for what he desires, and talks about his what he desires, and talks about his devotion to "Awful LOVELINESS" devotion to "Awful LOVELINESS" (398) as a source of inspiration(398) as a source of inspiration

Shelley, as painted Shelley, as painted by Keats’ friend Severnby Keats’ friend Severn

Poetry as a way of changing the worldPoetry as a way of changing the world ““West Wind” celebrates the emotional sensibility West Wind” celebrates the emotional sensibility

of poets that is the hallmark of Romantic artistryof poets that is the hallmark of Romantic artistry Calls on the wild West Wind to drive out the dry Calls on the wild West Wind to drive out the dry

leaves of poetic tradition and renew, reshape, leaves of poetic tradition and renew, reshape, reincarnate the poetic spirit in himreincarnate the poetic spirit in him

P. 401 is important partP. 401 is important partDrive my dead thoughts over the universe,Drive my dead thoughts over the universe,

Like wither’d leaves, to quicken a new birth;Like wither’d leaves, to quicken a new birth;

And, by the incantation of this verse, And, by the incantation of this verse,

Scatter, as from an unextinguish’d hearthScatter, as from an unextinguish’d hearth

Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!

Be through my lips to unawaken’d earthBe through my lips to unawaken’d earth

The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,

If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind? (p. 401)If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind? (p. 401)

Shelley the ReviserShelley the Reviser

““Skylark”Skylark”

Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!Bird thou never wert,Bird thou never wert,That from Heaven, or near it,That from Heaven, or near it,Pourest thy full heartPourest thy full heartIn profuse strains of In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.unpremeditated art.......

OzymandiasOzymandias and the ruins that inspired it and the ruins that inspired it

• Major concern of later Romantics is Major concern of later Romantics is MutabilityMutability--the inevitability of change, the --the inevitability of change, the knowledge that nothing can be constant, the eroding of belief that anything man-made knowledge that nothing can be constant, the eroding of belief that anything man-made (whether physical or cultural) can be eternal, and the very human need to believe in (whether physical or cultural) can be eternal, and the very human need to believe in something immortal anyway. something immortal anyway.

•The Byron quote on p. 3 of your book is a very concise summation of this feeling. The Byron quote on p. 3 of your book is a very concise summation of this feeling.

Shelley’s Grave Shelley’s Grave in the Protestant Cemetery in Romein the Protestant Cemetery in Rome

Shelley’s Memorial at Univ.--Shelley’s Memorial at Univ.--(tucked into a niche next to the college laundry); (tucked into a niche next to the college laundry); or or

“How do we honor an embarrassing graduate?”“How do we honor an embarrassing graduate?”

Keats, c. 1816Keats, c. 1816

Manuscript of “Chapman’s Manuscript of “Chapman’s HomerHomer””

SonnetsSonnets

Shelley and Keats the last great Shelley and Keats the last great masters of the sonnetmasters of the sonnet

Made it a stunning vehicle of Made it a stunning vehicle of personal expressionpersonal expression

The impulse to identify “I” with the The impulse to identify “I” with the poet is very strong—but remember poet is very strong—but remember these were revised many times!these were revised many times!

Brief CareerBrief Career

Headnote on Keats (421-423) is Headnote on Keats (421-423) is excellentexcellent

Writing career of just under four Writing career of just under four yearsyears

Most of the great odes were written Most of the great odes were written in a spurt in a spurt between April and between April and September 1819September 1819

What’s a Grecian Urn?What’s a Grecian Urn?

Elgin MarblesElgin Marbles

““Ode to a Grecian Urn”Ode to a Grecian Urn”(in brother George’s handwriting(in brother George’s handwriting))

““Grecian Urn”Grecian Urn”

Defiant challenge to Defiant challenge to mutabilitymutability in a in a celebration of the art that preserves human celebration of the art that preserves human culture and emotion--"Heard melodies are culture and emotion--"Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard / Are sweeter; sweet, but those unheard / Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on" (440) therefore, ye soft pipes, play on" (440)

One of the most perplexing statements of One of the most perplexing statements of Romantic aesthetic criticism ever written: Romantic aesthetic criticism ever written: "Beauty is truth, truth beauty;--that is all Ye "Beauty is truth, truth beauty;--that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know" know on earth, and all ye need to know" (441). (441).

““Ode to Autumn”Ode to Autumn”

Romantic melancholyRomantic melancholy

In “To Autumn” there is a deepening In “To Autumn” there is a deepening sense that Keats had accepted sense that Keats had accepted mutability as a dominant mutability as a dominant force----"she dwells with Beauty--force----"she dwells with Beauty--Beauty that must die" (442) Beauty that must die" (442)

The beautiful The beautiful ubi suntubi sunt passage that passage that makes up the last stanza of To makes up the last stanza of To Autumn. Autumn.

Keats and Fanny BrawneKeats and Fanny Brawne

Keats’ Literary CriticismKeats’ Literary Criticism the poet's negative capability--the ability to live the poet's negative capability--the ability to live

"in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any "in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact & reason" (445). irritable reaching after fact & reason" (445).

Phas to be able to take himself out of the poem, Phas to be able to take himself out of the poem, to refuse the temptation to impose his personality to refuse the temptation to impose his personality on it to gain closure, to "remain content with half on it to gain closure, to "remain content with half knowledge" (445). knowledge" (445).

Keats contrasts this with Wordsworth's Keats contrasts this with Wordsworth's "egotistical sublime," the need for the poet to put "egotistical sublime," the need for the poet to put his own experience at the center of everything. his own experience at the center of everything.

The poet is able to project himself into various The poet is able to project himself into various personalities and situations; this is what Keats personalities and situations; this is what Keats described as the ‘camelion [chameleon] poet;’ described as the ‘camelion [chameleon] poet;’

The ability to do so is what Keats was The ability to do so is what Keats was experimenting with in “This living hand. “experimenting with in “This living hand. “

Keats' letter to Percy Shelley is both a Keats' letter to Percy Shelley is both a masterpiece of appreciation and also a carefully masterpiece of appreciation and also a carefully nuanced statement of the differences between nuanced statement of the differences between the two poets. Keats tells Shelley to "load every the two poets. Keats tells Shelley to "load every rift of your subject with ore" (448)--an exhortation rift of your subject with ore" (448)--an exhortation for Shelley to focus his genius and artistry. for Shelley to focus his genius and artistry.

Severn’s Last SketchSevern’s Last Sketch

Keats-Shelley House (Rome) Keats-Shelley House (Rome) & his death mask& his death mask

Keats’ Tomb in the Protestant Cemetery, RomeKeats’ Tomb in the Protestant Cemetery, Rome (every time I have been there, cats have been around his (every time I have been there, cats have been around his

grave)grave)