Philosophical unity in the Keats letters

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
David Schell (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
James Applewhite

Abstract: Criticism of Keats's odes seldom fails to take into consideration the important seemingly opposite philosophical statements of his letters. In particular, the "Adam's dream," "Negative Capability," and "Vale of Soul-making" letters are often mentioned, although seldom are they related to one another. In general, writers tend to limit discussion to one of the most important statements, as does J. M. Murry with his "Soul Making" in Keats and Shakespeare, or W. J. Bate in his various discussions of "Negative Capability." In consequence, a survey of the literature on the subject yields the impression that Keats was a many sided, if not inconsistent thinker, the strength of whose poetry derives largely from its binding quality, or the manner in which aesthetic technique achieves the unification of opposing concepts. The purpose of this thesis is to suggest the incorrectness of this impression by arguing against Douglas Bush's contention that the "identity" of Keats's "Soul-making" letter is inconsistent with his concept of "Negative Capability."

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 1971
Subjects
Keats, John, $d 1795-1821 $x Criticism and interpretation
Keats, John, $d 1795-1821 $v Correspondence
Keats, John, $d 1795-1821 $x Philosophy

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