In this presentation of my in-progress PhD research, I explore the issues of influence, imagination and social feelings in the poetry of John Keats through the lens of parasocial interaction, a term borrowed from media theory and sociology, and which has entered mainstream discourse over the past few years. Additionally, Keats's work can help us to understand parasocial relationships in a more nuanced way than a lot of current discourse allows. I argue that parasocial feelings are a natural extension of our empathy for others, neither wholly good nor wholly bad, and that Keats's later poetry shows how and why we should handle them with care.
The Cambridge Festival will take place between 16 March and 2 April 2026. Link to the festival programme: https://www.festival.cam.ac.uk/
Link to book for this event: https://www.festival.cam.ac.uk/events/imaginary-friendship-john-keats-and-parasocial-relationships
