Irony of Brown being against Fanny and John’s relationship
From the start of the movie, Keats’s friend and partner in writing is rude towards Fanny, and this rudeness is even more strengthened when Fanny and Keats start their relationship. His excuse for disapproval is that she distracts him from writing poetry. Irony is that Keats becomes more inspired and writes more since he met Fanny.
Brown failing Keats
For an obsessive best friend, Brown fails to support Keats at the end during his struggle with illness. Keats is compelled to go to Italy, despite the disapproval of Fanny, because his colleagues paid for it. In one of the final scenes in the movie, Brown visits the Brawnes to bring news of Keats’s passing and finally admits to his failure as a friend to Fanny.
Irony of Endymion
Keats’s poetry collection “Endymion” doesn’t sell well which is one of the reason he is struggling financially and lacking inspiration. The main theme of the poetry is love. Fanny’s interest towards him grows after reading it, but she reveals that she only liked the beginning. Keats reveals to Fanny that he never understood women and doesn’t know why he’s attracted to her, indicating that he was never truly in love, which makes his attempt to sell a love poetry collection ironic and the failure understandable.
Irony of being a woman of the time
Being set at the beginning of the 19th century, the importance of woman’s pure image is very high. Fanny is warned by her mother and acquaintances against her relationship with Keats because it will ruin her prospect of other marriage opportunities. It shows the irony of being a woman in love at the time, judgement and the lack of freedom that comes with it.
