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The sacrosanct status of the graves of John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley in Rome was acknowledged in formal decisions taken in the 1880s and 1890s. In the twentieth century, their depictions in art and literature differed from those of the previous century. Requests 'to be buried near the poets' in this active cemetery have affected Shelley's grave more than Keats's. It was rather the latter's condition following WWII bombing of the cemetery that the press unfairly criticized. Reinforced by regular commemoration ceremonies, the continuing sanctity of the poets' graves has survived despite various attempts to 'improve' them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many visitors in the nineteenth century to the grave of John Keats in Rome thought it 'neglected' or 'solitary' and 'unshaded'. Today's critics often characterize the grave as 'marginal', both literally and metaphorically, while ignoring the city authorities' proposal to demolish it in the 1880s. An analysis of the grave's original setting and its subsequent renovations suggests instead that it enjoyed a privileged position. Historical descriptions, when considered together with visitors' accounts – a valuable source if used critically – and little-known artists' depictions of Keats's grave prompt a re-assessment of ideas of its 'marginality' and 'neglect' in the nineteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]