The Great Poets: John Keats

by John Keats

Long overshadowed by Jane Eyre, Villette is widely admired as one of Charlotte Brontës finest works. This story of a young teacher at a girls school in the city of Villette is a particular challenge for the young reader for it requires maturity of vision, a fine narrative sense and a command of French! Mandy Weston, a newcomer to Naxos AudioBooks, tells the story magnificently.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Audiobook, British Literature

1 pages, Audio CD

Published December 1, 2007

About the author

Rich melodic works in classical imagery of English poet John Keats include " The Eve of Saint Agnes ," " Ode on a Grecian Urn ," and " To Autumn ," all in 1819.

Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley include "Adonais," an elegy of 1821 to John Keats.

Work of the principal of the Romantic movement of England received constant critical attacks from the periodicals of the day during his short life. He nevertheless posthumously immensely influenced poets, such as Alfred Tennyson. Elaborate word choice and sensual imagery characterize poetry, including a series of odes, masterpieces of Keats among the most popular poems in English literature. Most celebrated letters of Keats expound on his aesthetic theory of "negative capability."

Wikipedia page of the author

Reviews

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful audiobook version of these poems. Especially lovely was The Eve of St Agnes.

[Paloma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow just wow the narration in this is superb Michael sheen and the other two narrators are just impeccable I love hearing things narrated by actors
Keats has always been a favorite now I’m just more sure

[Sarah Opgenorth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this poetry audiobook best of all the three I have listened to recently (Donne, Wordsworth being the prior two). It was worth it for hearing "Ode to a Nightingale" alone. Definitely will listen to more Keats.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this collection of Keats more popular works which further cements that while can appreciate his works in small amounts I'm not an enthusiast. *See review of "Realms of Gold"*

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent narration. Poetry isn’t usually my thing but I enjoyed this.

[Bronwen L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful to hear.

[Corinna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“How beautiful, if sorrow had not made
Sorrow more Beautiful than Beauty’s self.”

da Hyperion, A Fragment Book I

Ho studiato John Keats ai tempi del liceo e la sua figura mi ha sempre molto incuriosito/affascinato.. peccato che il mio professore non fosse una cima con le poesie! (non era una cima neanche come professore a dirla proprio tutta..). Questo audiolibro mi ha permesso di immergermi nella poesia di Keats, anche se per le odi più lunghe sono andata a cercami il testo in rete visto che facevo un po' di fatica a comprendere bene il testo.

"To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever--or else swoon to death."

da Bright Star

[- · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the first book of poetry I've ever read in its entirety, Arabic or English (And yes, it's pretty short).

It's been pretty clear to me early in life that poetry is not my thing. I was however intrigued about Keats from the many references of him the in the amazing Hyperion series of scifi novels.

The poetry is beautiful, very beautiful. Sadly I'm not yet well equipped to realize the full extent of its majesty due to my inexperience in the format (and the technical orientation of my brain?). I did enjoy it, however, and I found it very tender. It reminded me of classical, pre-Islamic Arabic love poetry at times.

I listened to it as an audio book performed by Samuel West. He was fantastic.

[Chiuho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and Sweet. I enjoyed it.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping this would be biographical, not just a reading of his poetry. However, I did enjoy listening to the poems.