Introducing Keats
Keats the Poet
“The more I read about Keats, the more I realised there was centuries devoted to literature about this man and so many people had their own notion of who he was.”
Ben Whishaw
Biographers, academics and critics have presented us with a range of interpretations of Keats and his poetry, and he remains a compelling figure. Often portrayed as a fragile and delicate individual, in keeping with the image of the young Romantic poet, during his short lifetime John Keats produced a large volume of poetry but achieved little in the way of critical acclaim. Bright Star explores the famous romance with Fanny Brawne, providing a freshly imagined account of the effects of the relationship on Keats and his poetry.
TASK
- Watch the trailer for Bright Star. What kind of film do you expect this to be, in terms of genre and audience appeal?
- In what ways are the poems, the poet and the period depicted in this trailer? How much significance does each of these elements seem to have?
- What does the choice of title suggest about this production? If you are not familiar with the poem Bright Star, you can find it in The Poems section of this site.
