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| Fanny Brawne and John Keats as portrayed in the film Bright Star |
With his brother George’s move to America, Keats decided to move to Wentworth Place, which was owned by Armitage Brown. It was at Wentworth that he wrote some of his most famous works, “Ode to a Nightingale,” “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” “Ode to Psyche,” “Ode on Melancholy,” and “Ode to Indolence.”
Wentworth held even more significance because it was the place where Keats was introduced to Fanny Brawne, the woman who would later become his fiancée, and admittedly, his obsession. Before his brother Tom’s death, they had met when Fanny was visiting Wentworth. Eventually, Fanny and her mother moved into Wentworth. John and Fanny spent every day together and in June 1819, they reached an informal agreement to be married. John continued to struggle financially and felt he had little to offer her.
He wrote hundreds of letters to Fanny, often when they were living next door to each other. His letters to her are some of the most famous love letters ever written. In one, he says, “I have been astonished that Men could die Martyrs for religion — I have shudder’d at it — I shudder no more — I could be martyr’d for my Religion — Love is my religion — I could die for that — I could die for you.” (Read more.)
My review of Bright Star, HERE.
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