Reading Response #3

In the article “Population Thinking”: Keats and the Romance of Public Opinion, by Mark Jones, who works at Queen’s University, He writes about ways that public opinion coincides with the critical reflection on the population thinking in the Romantic time period. In 1859 John Stuart said “That public opinion now rules the world.” In the Romantic time period, “public opinion was romantic. For it involved two wonders: first, that something so amorphous as public should have something so definite as an opinion; and second, that mere opinion might do something.” (Mark Jones) Jeremy Bentham calls public opinion as a “tutelary power…by which so much is done.”  Opinion is a power and it does not bring violence but the law. Public opinion does not proclaim a single opinion but the voice of multitudes. Arthur Aspinall asked, “Did the Press Govern, or did it reflect the public opinion?” Mark Jones said “In the Romantic era the answer is yes: both the press and the government reflect and govern public opinion—and are seen to do both.” In John Keats’ lifetime, the power of literary reviews, whether real or imagined, meant that no writer with professional aspiration was unaware of the power of public opinion. Mark Jones also writes “Keats’ interest in public opinion is inspired not only by phenomena of the discursive public sphere but also, and perhaps primarily, by the market. In March of 1818, Keats writes, ‘As Tradesman say everything is worth what it will fetch, so probably every mental pursuit takes its reality and worth from the ardour of the pursuer—being in itself a nothing’” As Keats was aware, the public was in pressed by the reviews and by knowledge of their “trickery”. Yet his relation to the public opinion is not altogether negative. For Keats, the romance of the public opinion opens directly into critical reflection on the casualties me on the casualties of the population thinking. This article reflect the interpretation, on “The Headless Boyfriend” blog topic, that John Keats (who wrote the poem “Isabella; or, The Pot of Basil”) was aware of the public opinion and he was also writing about the public opinion, when he was writing the poem “Isabella; or, The Pot of Basil.”

            In Mark Jones’ article “Population Thinking”: Keats and the Romance of Public Opinion he says that the public opinion now rules the world.  I believe that this is true because the public has a say in our government, even though sometimes it does not seem like it. Our opinion matter in our government; if you do not want someone elected then you cannot vote for him/her and also get your friends to not vote for him or her. I wish some people had more opinion and care more because only 58% of legal, eligible American vote. I think that sad because about 58% of American complain about the government. In Rome, you receive a fine for not voting. Luckily John Keats had an opinion when he lived in Rome (even though I do not think that they had that law way back then). Mark Jones says that in the Romantic time period the public opinion was romantic. I think John Keats knew that when he was writing “Isabella; or the Pot of Basil.” It is a romantic love story. While John Keats was alive he wrote many poems, and most of them are romantic. That is why he is a Romantic Poet. The public opinion, or what the public like, may have been one of the things that made John Keats famous. What also may have made him famous, or helped make him famous, was the way he was aware of what the people (the public) wanted (opinion). He must have known that the public opinion had the power to make him famous and known. People are still talking about John Keats opinions. People still put his word in love letter, song, and even movies. John Keats may have die, but his works and opinion will never die. If you would like to read Mark Jones’ article, here is a link to “Population Thinking”: Keats and the Romance of Public Opinion. Please read and learn more about the public opinions and John Keats.