His father died when he was only 8 and his mother followed when he was 14.

The few years he then spent apprenticed to a surgeon were some of the calmest and most settled of his life, but despite an apparent flair for medicine Keats was not satisfied by this career choice. He was determined to be a poet, and as his studies consumed more of his writing time, Keats became more and more depressed as he felt he would never achieve his goal.

Keats’ first surviving poem was published in 1814 when he was 19, and by 1816 he had given up medicine to devote his time to poetry.

In 1818 John Keats moved into rooms at the home of his friend Charles Armitage Brown in Wentworth Place on the edge of Hampstead Heath in London. This was the beginning of his year of wonders, when most of his very best poems were written.

“Ode to a Nightingale” and “Endymion” were written while Keats was in residence here.

Keats died in 1820, with only six years of work to his name, and he despaired that he would ever be remembered as a poet. Although he was not met with great critical acclaim during his life, Keats’ reputation grew rapidly after his death.

His poems and their imagery have also been of great influence on the work of many later poets. He was a master of description; his poems have deep sensuality and his skilful wordcraft allows the reader to really “see” the subject of the poem.

Another plus is that unlike some of his contemporary poets, Keats’ choice of language is more direct and less stilted or excessively formal. John Keats’ poems will live on forever.

Keats House

Address: 10 Keats Grove, Hampstead, London NW3 2RR

Telephone: 020 7332 3868

Opening Times

Closed Mondays except Bank Holidays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & Boxing Day | Open New Years Day.

Prices

£5 (Adult), £3 (Concessions), FREE (Under 16s).

Photo courtesy: goforchris

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