BritLit2

My paper, a little jumbled as a rough draft, explores how British Literature evolved in the late 18th century and how the writers began to express their feelings of fear, faith, and doubt.

John Keats’ later poetry is a perfect example of writing during the Romantic Period. His poems were not well known for most of his lifetime. They were published only a few years prior to his death, but reading his poetry gives insight to what British Literature was like during his time. He expresses deep personal feelings in his diary entry poem “When I have fears that I may cease to be”. The poem, written in 1818, was written during a time when Keats was experiencing a lot of hardship in his life. He had become very ill and had a lot of questions and worries. The first few lines, “When I have fears that I may cease to be / Before my pen has glean’d my teeming brain” (888), he expresses worry about dying young. To me, these lines mean that he is worried that he will not have enough time to write all that he needs to write and share before his time comes. The poem goes on to say, “And when I feel, fair creature of an hour, / That I shall never look upon thee more” (888). He is expressing his concern of losing his loved one and not being able to see them anymore. These are some clear examples of how his poetry was structured words that illustrated what was inside his heart. Knowing about what he was facing in his life during this time helps me understand what this poem is truly about. If I were seriously ill at a young age, I would have many of the same concerns.