The poetic theory of John Keats
Thesis (M.A.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1983. English Language and Literature Bibliography: leaves 165-168. In the early years of his poetic career Keats regarded poetry primarily as a form of escape. The poet, he believed, fleeing from the painful realities of life, takes refuge in a dr...
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ftmemorialunivdc:oai:collections.mun.ca:theses2/251606 2023-05-15T17:23:31+02:00 The poetic theory of John Keats Pothen, Sara Susmitha, 1952- Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dept. of English Language and Literature 1982 xii, 168 leaves. Image/jpeg; Application/pdf http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses2/id/251606 Eng eng Electronic Theses and Dissertations (36.23 MB) -- http://collections.mun.ca/PDFs/theses/Pothen_SaraSusmitha.pdf 75251201 http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses2/id/251606 The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Paper copy kept in the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University Libraries Keats John 1795-1821--Criticism and interpretation Text Electronic thesis or dissertation 1982 ftmemorialunivdc 2015-08-06T19:17:32Z Thesis (M.A.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1983. English Language and Literature Bibliography: leaves 165-168. In the early years of his poetic career Keats regarded poetry primarily as a form of escape. The poet, he believed, fleeing from the painful realities of life, takes refuge in a dream world of enchanting beauty and unalloyed bliss. Keats held that this sensuous paradise conjured up by the poet's imagination ought to form the basis of poetry. -- This juvenile conception of poetry gradually yields to a mature view. Keats becomes convinced that a great poet, instead of turning his back on real life, has to draw sustenance from it. He should, he realizes, have an intimate, personal acquaintance with human sorrow. He must be educated in the school of life. This will enable the poet to explore and to shed light on the dark chambers of the mansion of human life. In short, Keats comes to regard the poet as an interpreter of human life. -- In Keats's view, the distinguishing characteristic of a great poet is "negative capability." He considers a poet who has this quality as superior to one who does not have it. A poet who possesses "negative capability” does not, he believes, approach life with certain preconceptions or attempt to view it in the light of a personal philosophy. Unlike the philosopher who strives to arrive at absolute certainty through intellectual reasoning, the poet fully trusts and faithfully records his intuitions, without attempting to fit them into a rational system of thought. -- Keats believes that poetry should not teach, but merely "reveal" to the reader the poet's intuitions regarding the meaning of the universe. Keat’s conception of poetry as revelation is intimately linked to his mature conception of poetic beauty. In his years of maturity Keats associates poetry with a “beauty" which is equal to "truth." The poet looks at the world in a state of detached imaginative contemplation. In such a state, the universe is seen as a harmonious whole. In Keats's view, what appears to the imagination as "beauty" in a disinterested state of contemplation constitutes the "truth" of things. The poet embodies in poetry the "truth" which his imagination has perceived as "beauty." The picture of life set forth in poetry stimulates the reader's imagination and excites deep speculation on the purpose and meaning of life. Such imaginative speculation on the part of the reader culminates in a greater insight into life. Thesis Newfoundland studies University of Newfoundland Memorial University of Newfoundland: Digital Archives Initiative (DAI) |
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Memorial University of Newfoundland: Digital Archives Initiative (DAI) |
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English |
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Keats John 1795-1821--Criticism and interpretation |
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Keats John 1795-1821--Criticism and interpretation Pothen, Sara Susmitha, 1952- The poetic theory of John Keats |
topic_facet |
Keats John 1795-1821--Criticism and interpretation |
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Thesis (M.A.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1983. English Language and Literature Bibliography: leaves 165-168. In the early years of his poetic career Keats regarded poetry primarily as a form of escape. The poet, he believed, fleeing from the painful realities of life, takes refuge in a dream world of enchanting beauty and unalloyed bliss. Keats held that this sensuous paradise conjured up by the poet's imagination ought to form the basis of poetry. -- This juvenile conception of poetry gradually yields to a mature view. Keats becomes convinced that a great poet, instead of turning his back on real life, has to draw sustenance from it. He should, he realizes, have an intimate, personal acquaintance with human sorrow. He must be educated in the school of life. This will enable the poet to explore and to shed light on the dark chambers of the mansion of human life. In short, Keats comes to regard the poet as an interpreter of human life. -- In Keats's view, the distinguishing characteristic of a great poet is "negative capability." He considers a poet who has this quality as superior to one who does not have it. A poet who possesses "negative capability” does not, he believes, approach life with certain preconceptions or attempt to view it in the light of a personal philosophy. Unlike the philosopher who strives to arrive at absolute certainty through intellectual reasoning, the poet fully trusts and faithfully records his intuitions, without attempting to fit them into a rational system of thought. -- Keats believes that poetry should not teach, but merely "reveal" to the reader the poet's intuitions regarding the meaning of the universe. Keat’s conception of poetry as revelation is intimately linked to his mature conception of poetic beauty. In his years of maturity Keats associates poetry with a “beauty" which is equal to "truth." The poet looks at the world in a state of detached imaginative contemplation. In such a state, the universe is seen as a harmonious whole. In Keats's view, what appears to the imagination as "beauty" in a disinterested state of contemplation constitutes the "truth" of things. The poet embodies in poetry the "truth" which his imagination has perceived as "beauty." The picture of life set forth in poetry stimulates the reader's imagination and excites deep speculation on the purpose and meaning of life. Such imaginative speculation on the part of the reader culminates in a greater insight into life. |
author2 |
Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dept. of English Language and Literature |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Pothen, Sara Susmitha, 1952- |
author_facet |
Pothen, Sara Susmitha, 1952- |
author_sort |
Pothen, Sara Susmitha, 1952- |
title |
The poetic theory of John Keats |
title_short |
The poetic theory of John Keats |
title_full |
The poetic theory of John Keats |
title_fullStr |
The poetic theory of John Keats |
title_full_unstemmed |
The poetic theory of John Keats |
title_sort |
poetic theory of john keats |
publishDate |
1982 |
url |
http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses2/id/251606 |
genre |
Newfoundland studies University of Newfoundland |
genre_facet |
Newfoundland studies University of Newfoundland |
op_source |
Paper copy kept in the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University Libraries |
op_relation |
Electronic Theses and Dissertations (36.23 MB) -- http://collections.mun.ca/PDFs/theses/Pothen_SaraSusmitha.pdf 75251201 http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses2/id/251606 |
op_rights |
The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. |
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1766113007968976896 |