John Keats Treasure Hunt (Section 1): Biography

Timeline of John Keats' life:

October 31, 1795: Born in London, oldest of four brothers
1802: Started attending Enfield Academy. The headmaster encouraged his interest in literature and was a father figure.
1803: Father killed after being trampled by a horse
1810: Mother dies of tuberculosis
1810: Leaves Enfield Academy for studied to become a surgeon.
1816: Becomes a licensed apothecary
1817: Publishes his first volume of poetry after having become friends with men of literature like Hunt (publisher with an eye for talent), Shelley (poet), and Wordsworth (poet)
1817: Starts writing "Endymion", poem based on the myth
1818: "Endymion" published
1818: Walking tour in Lake District (overexposure brought on the first symptoms of Tuberculosis)
1818: His brother Tom falls ill with Tuberculosis
1818: Falls in love with Fanny Brawne
1818: poem "Isabella" published (tells the story of a woman who falls in love with a man beneath her social class)
1819: Contracts Tuberculosis
1819: Leaves to Italy (warmer climate is good for his health); romance with Fanny terminated
1820: Third and final volume of poetry published
1820: Pain of his illness; "How long is this posthumous existence of mine to go on?"
February 23, 1821: Dies (in Italy at 25)

Why was Fanny Brawne important in John Keats' life? 

In my opinion, human beings are inspired by love. Fanny was important in Keats' life simply because she was the love of his life, and thus was a constant source of inspiration for such and artistic man.

Letter where Keats declares his love for Fanny: "The morning is the only proper time for me to write to a beautiful girl whom I love so much"

Letter to Charles Brown (Nov.30 1920)

Who was Charles Brown? Charles Brown was Keats' dear friend ("I cannot bear the sight of any handwriting of a friend I love so much as I do you")

Quote the final 3 sentences of the letter: "Write to George as soon as you receive this, and tell him how I am, as far as you can guess; and also note to my sister- who walks about my imagination like a ghost- she is so like Tom. I can scarcely bid you goodbye, even in a letter. I always made an awkward bow."