KEATS' HELLENISM

1. Definition of Hellenism

The word 'Hellenism' is derived from the word 'Hellene' which means ‘Greek’.
'Hellenism' therefore stands for Greek culture and fine arts (poetry, music, painting,
sculpture and architecture) as developed by Greek cities in the 5th and 4th centuries
B.C. KEATS' Hellenism is represented by his different kinds of interest in his poetry.

2. Keats dissatisfaction with materialistic life

The Romantic poets of the 19th century were all dissatisfied with the materialistic
life of the age. WORDSWORTH in a mood of annoyance wished to be a Pagan and a
Greek rather than to remain a Christian, lost in the game of money making. In the
sonnet 'The World is Too Much For Us', he says:

'Great God, I'd -rather be

A pagan suckled on a creed outworn'

3. Hellenism and other Romantic poets

SHELLEY too had a fascination for Greece and his adoration of the Greek way of life
and Hellenic attitude towards art. BYRON too was attracted by the Greeks and fought
for Greece against the Turks. But of all the Romantic poets, it was JOHN KEATS who
had the warmest admiration for Greece and cultivated the Hellenic love in his poetry.
SHELLEY once said:

"KEATS was a Greek".

4. Keats study of Greek Classics and Sculpture

KEATS was the Englishman. KEATS did not know the Greek language and therefore,
he had no opportunity of reading Greek literature of knowing anything about Greek
customs and ways of life. Still KEATS was Greek in temper and spirit. The Greek
influence came to him through his reading of.

i. Translation of Greek Classics.

ii. Lempriere's Classical Dictionary
iii. Through Greek Sculpture
But more important than these three sources was -- his own tendency and nature.
One of his friends lent him a copy of Chapman's Translation of Homer . He was
attracted by the new world of wonder and KEATS described its effect upon him in the
famous sonnet, On First looking into Chapman's Homer'. He felt as he had discovered a
new planet.His study of Lempriere's Classical Dictionary fully acquainted him with
the Greek mythology and he loved every bit of it and freely used it in his poetry ‘The
stories of Endymion’, ‘Lamia and Hyperion’, are based on Greek legends. It is admitted
that the subjects of 'Ode to Psyche' and `Ode on a Grecian Urn' are Greek. The poet
while expressing his passion for beauty transports himself in his imagination to the
days of ancient Greeks.

The third source is Greek sculpture. His sonnet On Seeing the English Marbles'
indicates his emotional reaction to the sculptured "wonders" of ancient Greece

5. Different Hellenic traits and their effects on Keats poetry

The same spirit exists in his 'Ode on Indolence' and 'Ode on a Grecian Urn'. But the
most important factor of KEATS' Hellenism was his own Greek temper. Examining the
Hellenic traits and Greek qualities in KEATS ' poetry. The most important trait is his love
for Greek legends and stories as in 'Endymion', 'Hyperion', 'Lamia', 'Ode on a Grecian
Urn' and 'Ode to Psyche'. Then there are hymns to pagan gods and goddesses; 'Diana',
'Neptune', 'Venus', 'Cupid', 'Pan', 'Bacchus' and 'Hermes'. In 'Ode to Psyche':

'O latest born and loveliest vision far

Of all Olympus faded hierarchy:

Another quality of KEATS' Hellenism is his mastery in statuesque effect in his 'Ode to
Autumn' and 'Ode on a Grecian Urn'.
KEATS' adoration of beauty and sensuousness are again typical Hellenic qualities. In his
worship of concrete beauty, with all its loveliness of form and colour KEATS is Greek.
KEATS' poetry is an extraordinary mixture of Hellenism, Classicism and Romanticism .
His enthusiastic love for Greek mythology, great admiration for Classicism and the
stirring influence of liberal Romanticism compelled him to compose something
containing all these three elements as in 'Lamia', ‘Endymion’ and 'La Belle Dam Sans
Merci'.
KEATS' attitude towards nature is particularly Hellenic and the personification of the
powers of nature as in 'Ode to autumn' is a Hellenic quality. In the human interest
which, he at times, as in "Lamia", allows to dominate minor details, KEATS has been
considered as Greek. His attitude towards life is coloured with some fantastic tone
which marked the works of Greek dramatists.

6. Conclusion
The above mentioned qualities show that KEATS was a Greek but a deep analysis of
his works also reveals some romantic and non Greek elements, so he was not a
complete Greek. He stands with the Elizabethans and has close proximity, Like the
Elizabethans and much unlike the Greeks KEATS loved 'fine excess' in poetry. He
was exuberant and ornate (fully adorned) and lacked the restraints and discipline of
Greeks, He loved richness, colour, picturesqueness and changed the restraints of
discipline imposed by Greeks, KEATS was moved not by the form of Greek art but by
the deeper significance of figures by the emotional appeal and the life truth
embodied in them. But in his poetry, we can find a fine blend of Classicism of
Greece and Romanticism of Elizabethans.