Bright Star

John Keats is one of my most favorite poets. I love how his poems speak of his love of nature, and how he finds the beauty in every day life. John Keats died a tragic death when he was only 25 from Tuberculosis. The love of his life, Fanny Brawne, was the center of his world and he wrote her the most beautiful love letters. In of his most famous letters to her he writes her a sonnet titled 'Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art' which as been described as John's deceleration of his love to Fanny. 

Reading John's letters to Fanny are like stepping into his private and most intimate thoughts. It makes me sad that we don't get to see true love like this in today's society. I would venture to think that most people would feel uncomfortable writing letters like this to their significant others. When and if I find the love of my life, I would only hope that he feels the same way about me as John felt about Fanny. Yes, those were different times. It was normal that most people didn't live to see old age and that the only way to communicate long distance was through hand written letters like John's. But, I still feel that it is even more special and romantic when you take out the time to write down your feelings in a letter.

Naturally, the love between John and Fanny was easily transferable into a movie. Their love story like a real life Jane Austen novel but with a much sadder ending. (After John died, Fanny married and had children but she never forgot about John and left her children letters about her true love which were later turned into a historical book alongside John's work.) The movie was titled 'Bright Star' after the sonnet John wrote for Fanny and it featured Ben Whishaw as John and Abbie Cornish as Fanny. I own the movie and have watched it several times. It's just so visually appealing, not to mention that the script and acting are superb.

Isn't Ben dreamy? He is gorgeous but I think he really does look a bit like John Keats and Abbie looks like Fanny as well. It helps when the actors actually look like the people they are supposed to be portraying! If you have never heard of John Keats or read his work, I encourage you to do so. It just might brighten your day and inspire some creative works in you. If you really don't like reading poetry, you should at least see 'Bright Star'. It's a really lovely movie and I'm sure it will become one of your favorite period pieces.