Keats, Hermeticism, and the Secret Societies

Wunder recovers the common knowledge about secret societies like the Rosicrucians and Freemasons during the Romantic period and offers readers a first look at the role they played in the writings of Romantic authors in general and Keats in particular. As she details the reading public's exposure to and fascination with articles, pamphlets, and books about the societies, Wunder also traces their influence on Keats's poetry and letters and offers a new perspective on Keats scholarship.