What better way to spend a snow day alone in February than by cozying up on the couch to watch a beautiful biography on the love story of the poet John Keats and his muse, Fanny Brawne? That is "Bright Star", a heartbreaking and delightful period piece with gorgeous cinematography which makes me yearn for Spring even more.
Keats and Fanny had a three-year love affair-turn engagement, much of which was long distance, so they kept in touch by writing beautiful love letters to one another. On Keats' deathbed, he had all letters written to him by Fanny burned, so they can be kept with him and only him. How romantic. But the letters Keats wrote to Fanny remained today, adding to his extraordinary but short-lived body of work.
My love has made me selfish. I cannot exist without you - I am forgetful of every thing but seeing you again - my Life seems to stop there - I see no further. You have absorb'd me. I have a sensation at the present moment as though I was dissolving - I should be exquisitely miserable without the hope of soon seeing you. [...] I have been astonished that Men could die Martyrs for religion - I have shudder'd at it - I shudder no more - I could be martyr'd for my Religion - Love is my religion - I could die for that - I could die for you. (Letter, 13 October 1819).
Now, how is that for romantic? Le sigh.
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