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.