In The Cambridge Companion to Keats, leading scholars discuss Keats's work in several fascinating contexts: literary history and key predecessors; Keats's life in London's intellectual, aesthetic and literary culture; the relation of his poetry to the visual arts; the critical traditions and theoretical contexts within which Keats's life and achievements have been assessed. These specially commissioned essays examine Keats's specific poetic endeavours, his striking way with language, and his lively letters as well as his engagement with contemporary cultures and literary traditions, his place in criticism, from his day to ours, including the challenge he poses to gender criticism. The contributions are sophisticated but accessible, challenging but lucid, and are complemented by an introduction to Keats's life, a chronology, a descriptive list of contemporary people and periodicals, a source-reference for famous phrases and ideas articulated in Keats's letters, a glossary of literary terms and a guide to further reading.

Table of Contents

Notes on contributors; Acknowledgments; Texts and abbreviations; Glossary; A biographical note; Chronology; People and publications; Where did Keats say that?; 1. The politics of Keats's early poetry John Kandl; 2. Endymion's beautiful dreamers Karen Swan; 3. Keats and the 'Cockney school' Duncan Wu; 4. Lamia, Isabella and The Eve of St. Agnes Jeffrey N. Cox; 5. Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion and Keats's epic ambitions Vincent Newey; 6. Keats and the ode Paul D. Sheats; 7. Late lyrics Susan J. Wolfson; 8. Keats's letters John Barnard; 9. Keats and language Garrett Stewart; 10. Keats's sources, Keats's allusions Christopher Ricks; 11. Keats and 'ekphrasis' Theresa M. Kelley; 12. Keats and English poetry Greg Kucich; 13. Byron reads Keats William C. Keach; 14. Keats and the complexities of gender Anne K. Mellor; 15. Keats and Romantic science Alan Richardson; 16. The 'story' of Keats Jack Stillinger; 17. Bibliography and further reading Susan J. Wolfson; Index.

Reviews

"the volume provides a reasonably wide-ranging view of current issues in studying Keats and British Romanticism...belongs in all libraries where Keats is studied studies beyond the introductory level." CHOICE Nov 2001