How did John Keats’s reputation change after his death?

Following his death at age 25, John Keats’s reputation underwent a significant transformation. While he faced harsh criticism and professional disdain during his lifetime—even being mocked posthumously by Lord Byron—his standing as a poet grew steadily throughout the 19th century.12

By the Victorian Age, Keats was widely admired for his vivid imagery, sensuous appeal, and delicate natural observations. His influence became pervasive, notably shaping the work of Alfred, Lord Tennyson and the Pre-Raphaelites, who frequently echoed his style in their own poetry and paintings.13

Despite this growing acclaim, he remained relatively obscure in some circles as late as the 1840s. Furthermore, while his 19th-century followers often focused on the more superficial aspects of his verse, it was not until the 20th century that critics fully recognized the depth of his technical and intellectual achievements.1