John Keats: the mystery years

Few poets have attracted as much interest and scholarship as John Keats, one of the most beloved romantic poets. Both his life, tragically curtailed in 1821 at the age of 25, and his work continue to be analysed and discussed. While much is known about his final prolific four years, uncertainties about his life during the preceding seven years continue to prompt debate. Yet his ‘medical’ years, from the age of 14 to 21, had a profound effect on his poetry. This paucity of documented facts has inevitably led to a variety of accounts.