Adonais is an epic poem written by Percy Bysshe Shelley as an elegy to John Keats in 1821. It is widely regarded as one of Shelley's best works. The poem, which runs to 495 lines in 55 "Spenserian" stanzas, was composed in the spring of 1821 immediately after April 11, when Shelley heard of Keats' death some three months earlier. It is a pastoral elegy, in the English tradition of John Milton's Lycidas. Shelley had studied and translated classical elegies as well as reading Lycidas. Most critics suggest that Shelley used Virgil's tenth Eclogue, in praise of Gallus, as a model, although he described the verse as "Spenser stanzas". Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley (August 4, 1792 – July 8, 1822) was one of the major English Romantic poets. ... John Keats John Keats (October 31, 1795 – February 23, 1821) was one of the principal poets in the English Romantic movement. ... See also: 1820 in literature, other events of 1821, 1822 in literature, list of years in literature. ... April 11 is the 101st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (102nd in leap years). ... Titians The Pastoral Concert Pastoral refers to the lifestyle of shepherds. ... John Milton John Milton (December 9, 1608 – November 8, 1674) was an English poet, most famous for his blank verse epic Paradise Lost. ... Lycidas is a major poem by John Milton, written in 1637 as an elegy to a college acquiantence of his, Edward King, who died that year when his ship capsized in the Irish Sea. ... For other uses see Virgil (disambiguation). ... The Eclogues is one of three major works by the Latin poet Virgil. ... Gallus may be: Quintus Roscius Gallus (c. ...

It was published by Charles Ollier in July 1821 with a preface in which Shelley made the mistaken assertion that Keats had died from a rupture of the lung induced by rage at the unfairly harsh reviews of his verse in the Quarterly Review and other journals. He also thanked Joseph Severn for caring for Keats in Rome. This praise increased literary interest in Severn's works. Joseph Severn (December 7, 1793 - August 3, 1879) was a British portrait and subject painter. ...

Shelley was introduced to Keats in Hampstead towards the end of 1816 by their mutual friend, Leigh Hunt, who was to transfer his enthusiasm from Keats to Shelley. Shelley's huge admiration of Keats was not entirely reciprocated. Keats had reservations about Shelley's dissolute behaviour and found some of Shelley's advice patronising (The suggestion, for example, that Keats should not publish his early work). It is also possible that Keats resented Hunt's transferred allegiance. Despite this, the two poets exchanged letters when Shelley and his wife moved to Italy. When Keats fell ill, the Shelleys invited him to stay with them in Pisa but Keats elected to travel with Severn. Despited this rebuff, Shelley's affection for Keats remained undimmed until his death in 1822 when a copy of Keat's works was found in a pocket on his drowned body. Hampstead is a suburb of London about five miles northwest of the city centre. ... See also: 1815 in literature, other events of 1816, 1817 in literature, list of years in literature. ... James Henry Leigh Hunt (October 19, 1784 - August 28, 1859) was an English essayist and writer. ... Pisas coat of arms This article is about Pisa in Italy. ...

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Adonais

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References

• 'Percy Shelley: Adonais', John Keats (February 12, 2004). Retrieved June 30, 2005.
• Sandy, Mark. 'Adonais (1821)', The Literary Encyclopaedia (September 20, 2002). Retrieved June 30, 2005.