Poets+and+Poetry

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﻿﻿ ﻿ Poets of the 19th Century: John Keats and Lord Byron =====

John Keats﻿ 

"Poetry should surprise by a fine excess, and not by singularity; it should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts, and appear almost a remembrance." -John Keats, Letter in 1818

John Keats was born on October 31, 1795 in London, England to Thomas and Frances Keats. In his early life, John Keats went to Enfeld School and enjoyed studying literature, history, and mythology. After both of his parents died, his guardian sent him to be an apprentice of a surgeon. He continued this practice until 1811. After John Keats was introduced to poetry, he wrote his first poem in 1816 called //On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer//. Keats became devoted to poetry after 1817. During 1817, Keats wrote his first book Poems and his first long poem Endymion. However, Keats was disappointed with his work because he knew his writing could improve. In 1818, Keats's brother died of tuberculosis. Soon after, John Keats himself was diagnosed with tuberculosis, which steadily worsened with time. During this time, John Keats also met and fell in love with Fanny Brawne, and in October 1819, John Keats and Fanny became engaged. During 1819, John Keats wrote most of his poetry, including //Lamia//, //The Eve of Agnes//, the great odes, and //Hyperion//. Many of these poems come from the inspiration of his love for Fanny or the agony of his disease. During this time, John Keats also composed his odes, which many think are his greatest contribution to poetry. Some of these odes include //On Indolence, On a Grecian Urn, To Psyche, To a Nightingale, On Melancholy,// and //To Autumn.// Many of these odes were very emotional because Keats reflected on his ambitions and noticed how they affected the world. His illness worsened and Keats went to Rome, Italy for the winter, hoping the warm weather would improve his sickness. Shortly after his arrival, John Keats died of tuberculosis on February 23, 1821. However, Keats's reputation grew immensely after his tragic death. John Keats's life and poetic works have contributed to the views of poets in the past and will continue to inspire other poets in the future.

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Ode on A Grecian Urn
By: John Keats "Heard Melodies are Sweet, but those unheard Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on; Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd, Pipe to spirit ditties of no tone: Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare; Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss; Though winning near the goal- yet, do not grieve; She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!"

Last Sonnet (Bright Star) by John Keats: media type="file" key="john keats bright star.wav" width="300" height="50" align="center" Recited By: Lizzie Whiteman

Lord Byron

Lord Byron was born in London, England on January 22, 1788 to a wealthy family. He led a picturesque lifestyle that led him to further his education at Trinity College. There, he developed his love of poetry and began to write a number of them. None of his early works proved great pieces, however, they did show his love and passion for the art of poetry. After he finished his education at Trinity College, he went on to travel Europe and the Mediterranean. While on his travels, he absolutely fell in love with Greece and the Greek culture. All of his travels impacted his poetry greatly and led him to write a number of successful poems such as //Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.// Byron recalls waking up famous after publishing this poem about a depressed outcasts who visits ancient sites of Europe. Slowly, he began to game fame as being a poet. Back in England, Byron began to dabble in romantic affairs and join the prestigious House of Lords where he gained extreme popularity from the Whigs. Lord Byron was involved in many relationships with both men and women, but finally he married Anne Isabella Milbanke. With Anne, Byron had one daughter, Augusta Ada. However, the marriage did not last, and Anna along with Augusta moved to the London countryside. Rumors quickly spread that while he was married to Anne Milbanke, Byron was actually having an illegal affair with his half-sister Augusta Leigh. This rumor quickly diminished his reputation, so he fled London for Lake Geneva. In Lake Geneva, Byron continued to have numerous affairs and relationships including a relationship that resulted in an illegitimate child Byron did not stay long in Lake Geneva, and he soon moved to Venice in November 1816. He continued to have many scandalous love affairs there, but his experiences led him to write one of his best works, //Don Juan//, which was about an innocent, uneducated young man who has a weakness for attractive women. Don Juan than gets in a shipwreck, captured and sold into slavery but he escapes and finds favor with Catherine the Great.//Don Juan// proved to be his most famous work and was published in July 1919. While writing poems in Venice, he also helped edit a radical journal called //The Liberal.// Unfortunately, IN 1818, Byron's health quickly declined and six years later he died on April 19, 1824. He was taken back to London and was laid to rest in a family vault in Newstead. Lord Byron was an extremely successful poet who led a unique and complex life. Despite difficulties, challenges, and obstacles, Byron persevered through it all, and surely his works will not be forgotten.

** Don Juan ** By: Lord Byron (an excerpt) There is an awkward thing which much perplexes, Unless like wise Tiresias we had proved By turns the difference of the several sexes; Neither can show quite how they would be loved The sensual for a short time but connects us, The sentimental boasts to be unmoved; But both together form a kind of centaur Upon whose back 't is better not to venture.

** Quiz **
 * 1) ﻿﻿What year and where was John Keats Born?
 * 2) What was Keat's first poem?
 * 3) What deadly disease did Keats die of?
 * 4) What was Byron's first work that made him famous for poetry?
 * 5) Why did Byron flee London and move to Lake Geneva?

**Answers**


 * 1) In London, 1795.
 * 2) //On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer//
 * 3) Tuberculosis
 * 4) //Childe Harold's Pilgrimage//
 * 5) Because of rumors about an illegal affair with his half-sister while he was still married to his first wife, Anne Milbanke.

Sources Picture 1: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/15597/John-Keats-miniature-oil-on-ivory-by-Joseph-Severn-1819

Picture 2: []

Picture 3: http://worldhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/301284?terms=lord++byron

Picture 4: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/87071/George-Gordon-Byron-6th-Baron-Byron

To see source, click on picture.

