Endymion

Endymion is John Keats's ambitious mythological poem, first published in 1818. It tells of a young shepherd who is restless with a longing he cannot name and who sets out on a vast journey through forests, undersea palaces, and the heavens in search of an ideal love. Along the way he meets gods and mortals, confronts sorrow and enchantment, and discovers that his desire points toward something both human and divine. Written in rhyming couplets and filled with sensuous description, the poem is one of the great Romantic experiments in imagination and myth.

This edition is for readers who want to encounter Keats's poem in full and understand its place in his development. It is suited to students, book clubs, and general readers who enjoy poetry that rewards slow attention. The language is ornate and sometimes archaic, but the central concerns—love, beauty, and the search for meaning—remain immediate.

This edition contains the complete text of Endymion, a new introduction, a character guide, a summary of the poem, a discussion of its themes, a glossary of older and unusual words, and questions for discussion. No prior knowledge of the poem or its mythological background is assumed.