Keats - Letters

Question 1

On life as a large mansion of many apartments

Answer 1

• written to Reynolds, 1818
• different chambers of thought - infant then maiden
• sharpening vision = heartbreak, and not able to see balance of good and evil ‘burden of mystery’
• idea that thinking can then shed light on this - philosophical exploration of human experience and intelectual growth
• links to Ode on Melancholy, Ode to a Nightingale

Question 2

The vale of soul making

Answer 2

• Letter to George + Georgina Keats, 1819
• argues against Christian belief of vale of tears and salvation, and instead for ‘spirit creation’
• ‘necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul’
• written after death of brother Tom, 1818
• link to Ode to Psyche, On sitting down to read King Lear once again

Question 3

Aesthetic ideas - negative capability

Answer 3

• written Dec 1817 to George and Tom Keats
• Idea that an artists work can be defined also by what is not possessed - the beauty of mysteries and doubts without desire to reach a factual and unambiguous conclusion
• passivity towards mysteries and intuitive appreciation of what is beautiful without trying to unravel it
• link to Grecian Urn - accepting ambiguous relationship between mortality + beauty + truth
• to autumn - focus on transitive beauty without dwelling on decay and impermanence
• in drear nighted December - focus on accepting nature without want for past or future

Question 4

Aesthetic ideas - the aim of poetry

Answer 4

• letter to Raynolds, 1818
• idea that poetry should not have a ‘palpable design’ but instead by unobtrusive whilst great
• Chapmans homer - rather than being obtrusive, didactic and moralistic, great literature opens up a world for exploration

Question 5

Poetical character

Answer 5

• written to Woodhouse, 1818
• argues that great poetry + poets have ‘gusto’ because their identity does not encroach onto the poem, and the art can remain free
• ode to autumn - the poetic persona merges with the landscape leaving the poem with no self, and although his ideas inform the poem, it is not subjective