Biography & Biopic
Record of a Life
On Keats’ request, his letters to Fanny Brawne were only published after her death and none of her letters to Keats survive, leaving critics to wonder at her side of the relationship. One of Keats' letters to her directly influences the clip on this page; view the clip, and answer the following questions:
TASK
- What editorial decisions have been made in turning the letter into part of the script? You can read Keats' original letter to Fanny for comparison.
- What effect do music and mise en scène, as well as the quality of Ben Wishaw’s narration and Abbie Cornish’s acting have on the mood and impact of the scene, and on your interpretation of it?
- To what extent would you agree it is possible to comment on the nature of a relationship between two people, almost 200 years ago, based on letters alone?
Use the student task sheet Biography and Biopic to record your responses
