The Development and Reflection of Romanticism in John Keats' Poems
Abstract
Romanticism is one of the most precious and culturally developing times throughout history, and John Keats was a representative figure in the romanticism movement. This study is aimed at the historical background of romanticism and the influences of John Keats. After close reading and research, the cause of romanticism is found: in the long term, the theory of enlightenment influenced people and led them to pursue freedom and human rights; in a short time, French Revolution, which happened in 1789, turned to be a failure, which causes people to search for a spiritual world to express their intense emotions. Because of the background, romanticism has unique features which convey intense feelings and connections with nature; usually, many literary devices are applied to make it exquisite. Also, in terms of form, blank verse poems became more diverse. His writing characteristics were well expressed by studying and analyzing John Keats' work, specifically Bright Star and the ode to the Nightingale. He used a lot of mythological metaphors and personification in his poem, which gives it a feeling of a fairytale. Because his poems illustrated the main ideas of romanticism, a lot of poetry and writers were influenced by him. In addition, his influence has expanded to the artistic field. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood considered him a spiritual leader, composing many works based on Keats's poems. Therefore, John Keats contributed uniquely to developing romantic literature and art.
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