Sorrow, Nature, Love and Talk of Poetry.

There are several factors that influence John Keats as a poet. Pain is the most prominent factor influencing Keats’s poetry. Wolf Hirst of Twayne’s Author series says pain and death are clearly expressed in Keats’s writings and that Keats cannot live without poetry because of its therapeutic effect on his troubled life: “I find that I [Keats] cannot live without poetry—without eternal poetry”. Reading is another influence that profoundly impacts Keats’s poetry. One source states that Keats “read voraciously” and had a devotion to reading (Authors Vol.58). Literatures role and influence on Keats is therefore pivotal to Keats’s development. Nature is another influence and theme in John Keats’s poetry. Keats’s poetry is said to be “rooted in the earth” and consistently employs aspects of the natural world (Hirst). Much of Keats’s poetry is also influenced by his relationships. As Authors and Artists for young adults points out many of Keats’s best poems come about during his relationship with Fanny Brawne. Lastly, Keats’s artistic style comes from his love for networking with other poets. He thus socialized with other recognized poets and developed his artistic style through their devotion to poetry. Keats artistry is influenced by many factors: sorrow, reading, nature, love and networking with other poets. Together these factors form what Keats is and what he is noted for.

"John Keats." Authors and Artists for Young Adults. Vol. 58. (2004) Biography Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Tarrant County Coll. Lib. Databases. April 2, 2010. http://ezp.tccd.edu:2055/servlet/BioRC

Hirst, Wolf Z. “John Keats”. Twayne’s Author Series Online. 1999. Thomson Gale. Tarrant County Coll. Lib. Databases. April 9, 2010 http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/Twayne/usenwrauth.htm