Joey Saves The Day!: Facts about John Keats

Learn some interesting facts about

John Keats.

This week’s famous poet is John Keats. Last week’s famous poet was John Milton.

John Keats is renowned as one of the most celebrated poets in the English literary canon. Throughout his brief yet impactful life, he crafted over 140 poems, each reflecting his deep appreciation for beauty, nature, and the complexities of human emotion. Born in the bustling city of London, England, on 31 October 1795, Keats grew up in a world rich in cultural and artistic influences.

His parents, Thomas Keats and Frances Jennings, played significant roles in his early life. Thomas was a stable keeper, and Frances was a homemaker, but the family faced considerable hardships. John was the eldest of five children, with four siblings: two brothers, George and Thomas, and two sisters, Fanny and a younger sister named Frances. The close-knit family experienced various struggles, including the tragic early loss of their parents, which greatly shaped John’s perspective on life and mortality.

Keats's poetry, infused with vivid imagery and emotive language, often draws from his personal experiences and observations, allowing readers to connect deeply with his insights and reflections on love, nature, and the human condition. His work continues to inspire readers and writers worldwide, solidifying his legacy as a cornerstone of Romantic literature.

Here is a list of some poems by John Keats:

Ode On a Grecian Urn
A Thing of Beauty
Ode To Autumn
Bright Star
A Song About Myself
His Last Sonnet
Fancy
To Lord Byron
On A Dream

Hey parents and caregivers! Before diving into the wonderful world of poetry with your little ones, take a moment to ensure the poems are age-appropriate and child-friendly. Happy reading!

Interesting facts about John Keats:

1. He was born on October 31, 1795, in the bustling city of London, England, during a time of significant social and political change. Historical records suggest some ambiguity regarding his exact birth date, with some sources proposing that he may have actually been born two days earlier, on October 27th. This uncertainty adds an intriguing layer to his early life and the legacy he would later create. Despite the confusion surrounding his birth date, the year 1795 was pivotal, as it was marked by the echoes of the Industrial Revolution and the cultural transformations that were beginning to shape modern Britain.

2. John Keats devoted himself to caring for his younger brother, Tom, who was suffering from the debilitating effects of tuberculosis. Despite his efforts to nurse Tom back to health, Keats himself contracted the illness. Tragically, he succumbed to the disease at the young age of 25. John Keats passed away on February 23, 1821, in Rome, Italy, in the Papal States. His final resting place is at the Protestant Cemetery, a serene spot that has become a site of pilgrimage for admirers of his poetry and legacy.

3. The following is one of John Keats’s poems:

On A Dream

As Hermes once took to his feathers light,

When lulled Argus, baffled, swoon’d and slept,

So on a Delphic reed, my idle spright

So play’d, so charm’d, so conquer’d, so bereft

The dragon-world of all its hundred eyes;

And seeing it asleep, so fled away,

Not to pure Ida with its snow-cold skies,

Nor unto Tempe where Jove griev’d that day;

But to that second circle of sad Hell,

Where in the gust, the whirlwind, and the flaw

Of rain and hail-stones, lovers need not tell

Their sorrows—pale were the sweet lips I saw,

Pale were the lips I kiss’d, and fair the form

I floated with, about that melancholy storm.

(You can print out a worksheet on this poem. You will fill in the missing words in the poem.)

4. At the tender age of eight, John Keats experienced a life-altering tragedy when his father suffered a devastating accident. While riding home on horseback, his father fell, resulting in a serious skull fracture. The severity of the injury proved to be fatal, and shortly after the accident, he passed away. This sudden loss had a profound impact on young Keats, shaping his early life and influencing his future as a poet.

5. John Keats's educational journey reflects a deep commitment to following one's passion and the transformative power of personal discovery. He began his formal education at a dame school, a small institution typically run by a woman in her home, where he received basic instruction. This early experience sparked his interest in literature and the arts. In 1803, he transitioned to John Clarke’s school in Enfield, which provided a more structured environment and a broader curriculum, allowing him to delve deeper into classical literature and the sciences.

In 1815, at the age of 20, Keats began his medical studies at Guy’s Hospital, where he trained as a medical student. During this period, he immersed himself in the medical field, ultimately earning his apothecary's license in 1816, which qualified him to practice pharmacy. Despite the potential for a stable career in medicine, Keats experienced a profound internal conflict. By the end of that year, he came to a significant realization about his life's true calling—his heart was set on poetry, not medicine. This pivotal moment marked the shift in his focus, as he embraced the world of literary expression, eventually leading to his profound contributions to English literature.

6. Here is a list of John Keats’s siblings:

George Keats (1797)
Thomas Keats (1799)
Edward Keats (1801)
Frances Mary Keats (1803)

7. John Keats, the renowned English Romantic poet, was deeply in love with Frances "Fanny" Brawne, a spirited young woman who lived next door to him in Hampstead, London. Their relationship blossomed into a passionate romance, and although they became secretly engaged, their union was never to be fulfilled, as Keats succumbed to tuberculosis at the young age of 25 before they could wed.

Despite the grim circumstances of his illness, Keats and Fanny managed to maintain a close connection through a heartfelt exchange of letters, which revealed their affection and longing for one another. These letters serve as a poignant record of their profound emotional bond, marked by both love and sorrow. Tragically, John Keats never married and left no descendants; yet, his poetic legacy continues to resonate, immortalizing his experiences of love and loss.

8. John Keats, the renowned English Romantic poet, had three volumes of poetry published during his short lifetime: "Poems" (1817), "Poems Second Edition" (1818), and "Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems" (1820). Despite achieving this milestone, Keats was highly critical of his earlier works. In a moment of self-reflection and disappointment, he chose to gather many of his early poems—pieces that he felt did not meet his standards—and burn them, symbolically distancing himself from that phase of his artistic journey. It is worth noting that while he produced some of the most celebrated poems in English literature, Keats did not gain widespread acclaim during his lifetime. His fame blossomed posthumously, as audiences and critics began to recognize the depth and beauty of his poetry after his untimely death at the age of 25.

9. Here is a sonnet written by John Keats; it is possible that his favorite color was blue.

Blue! ‘tis the life of heaven, –the domain

Of Cynthia, –the wide palace of the sun, –

The tent of Hesperus and all his train, –

The bosomer of clouds, gold, grey and dun.

Blue! ‘Tis the life of waters–ocean

And all its vassal streams: pools numberless

May rage, and foam, and fret, but never can

Subside if not to dark-blue nativeness.

Blue! gentle cousin of the forest green,

Married to green in all the sweetest flowers,

Forget-me-not, –the blue-bell, –and, that queen

Of secrecy, the violet: what strange powers

Hast thou, as a mere shadow! But how great,

When in an Eye thou art alive with fate!

Get your printable John Keats worksheet here:

Click here

Visit my printables section for a wide selection of worksheets and coloring sheets!

Books by John Keats and others:

1. A Song About Myself by John Keats and Chris Raschka

2. The Complete John Keats by John Keats

3. John Keats: Poetry by Ellen Nicholls

Attention, parents and caregivers! When it comes to story time, make sure to choose books that are not just enjoyable but also perfect for your little ones. Quality, child-friendly reads can spark imagination and foster a love for reading. Let’s create memorable moments together through the joy of storytelling!

Tune in next time to learn some quick facts about Robert Frost!

Check out the Famous Poets Workbook available on Amazon! Click on the book for all the exciting details.