Reading Response #3

The article “Keats and Chaucer” by F. E. L. Priestley analyses John Keats infatuation with the poet Geoffrey Chaucer. This article provides evidence of Keats’s interest in Chaucer as early as May 16, 1817. At first Keats doesn’t show any similarities to Chaucer, but then looks for poetic narration; often used in Chaucer’s style of poetry. In Keats earlier poems, such as, “Endymion,” he lacked character feelings, which were often used in Chaucer’s poetry. “Endymion,” showed no significant proof of similarities to Chaucer’s poems. Keats heard Hazlitt’s lecture on Chaucer in hopes to learn more about Chaucer’s style of poetry. Soon after attending Hazlitt’s lecture Keats began to write “Isabella.” Ghittern and swelt were both common words used by Chaucer, and nobody else, which were both found in Keats poem “Isabella.” Hazlitt’s lectures provided Keats with passages by Chaucer and Keats became encouraged to further study Chaucer. After Keats learned from Hazlitt’s lecture that Chaucer’s characteristic is intensity, he soon writes to his brother stating that he wants to achieve the same thing. It is apparent that “Isabella,” was influenced by Chaucer; Priestley writes “This was the first poem in which he had tried the detailed presentation of the feelings of a character; like signs of inner feeling; he tries unsuccessfully to imitate Chaucer’s superb ability to concentrate pathos into a simple speech.” “Isabella” shows more evident signs that the style of poetry used is based off of Chaucer. Keats used Chaucer’s narrative structure and starts to give emotions to characters. After Keats wrote “Isabella,” he still has interest in learning more about Chaucer. Keats could not understand many of his fellow poets writings; including Chaucer, so he began to learn Greek and Italian in order to successfully read those poems and continue his study on Chaucer. After learning those languages, he starts to notice “The contrast of the warm comfort within the storm without,” and begins to use this contrast in his own writing. Keats begins to write very visual, dark scenes. Keats wrote many letters to family members and other poets, in these letters it shows evidence of Keats interest in Chaucer. Keats interest was sentimental and therefore used many of Chaucer’s techniques in his own poetry. Chaucer had dramatic power and characterization power which Keats admired.
 

The idea that John Keats admires Geoffrey Chaucer is the main theme in the article “Keats and Chaucer.” Keats used many of the same techniques as Chaucer used in his poetry. I believe that this article supports the idea that Keats has interest in Chaucer, and provides evidence as well. As I read the poem “Isabella,” by John Keats I noticed the similarities to the famous poem “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer. In the selection The Franklin’s Tale in The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote; “No one alive--it needs no arguing, But sometimes says or does a wrongful thing; Rage, sickness, influence of some malign, Star-constellation, temper, woe or wine, Spur us to wrongful words or make us trip. One should not seek revenge for every slip.” This portion of Chaucer’s poetry shows many emotions and feelings which Keats begins to use. As I read Keats earlier poem “Endymion,” I found rarely or no character emotion. I also found him to write very masculine and dark. Hazlitt recommends to Keats to start to use character emotion like that of Chaucer which is shown in Keats next poem “Isabella.” John Keats added emotions to his characters in his poem “Isabella,” which is commonly done by Geoffrey Chaucer. Stanza 30 of “Isabella,” John Keats writes; “She weeps alone for pleasures not to be; Sorely she wept until the night came on, And then, instead of love, O misery!” In the selection Isabella feels alone and is crying by herself because her lover Lorenzo is not with her anymore because her brothers killed him. She also says that she can not feel his love anymore and all she feels is misery. In this portion of the poem, I can see that Keats is beginning to use character emotions; which supports the article’s idea of Keats new technique. By Keats adding emotions to his characters, it helps readers understand and synthesis with the character. It also helps readers feel more attached and engaged to the poem. After all my research I agree with F. E. L. Priestley that John Keats admires Geoffrey Chaucer’s poetry and begins to show similarities to his style of poetry.