Thanks for this, Rebecca. I'm interested in Neressian's book. There has been considerable discussion (see Nicholas Roe and Andrew Motion) of Keats' politics as it relates to his work, and I will admit to some skepticism about a claim that "Keats is not asking us to do anything about the world’s horrors." As Morris Dickstein has pointed out "Hyperion," for example, tells of the overthrowing of an old order by a newer more vital one. It's interesting to think about where his ideas and poetics might have headed if he had not been trapped in the doom cycle of TB in his family and in his own life.
Yes, it's one of the saddest things that we don't know what Keats might have done if he'd had a longer life! Thank you for the critics you mention here. I think Nersessian is making the point about "not asking us to do anything" within the context of "To Autumn" specifically -- she calls the poem "perfect and unforgivable" -- and would maybe not make the same argument about other works. I hope you do read this one -- it's so good!
Thanks for this, Rebecca. I'm interested in Neressian's book. There has been considerable discussion (see Nicholas Roe and Andrew Motion) of Keats' politics as it relates to his work, and I will admit to some skepticism about a claim that "Keats is not asking us to do anything about the world’s horrors." As Morris Dickstein has pointed out "Hyperion," for example, tells of the overthrowing of an old order by a newer more vital one. It's interesting to think about where his ideas and poetics might have headed if he had not been trapped in the doom cycle of TB in his family and in his own life.
Yes, it's one of the saddest things that we don't know what Keats might have done if he'd had a longer life! Thank you for the critics you mention here. I think Nersessian is making the point about "not asking us to do anything" within the context of "To Autumn" specifically -- she calls the poem "perfect and unforgivable" -- and would maybe not make the same argument about other works. I hope you do read this one -- it's so good!