Question

Who first used the term 'Negative Capability'?

• A. S.T. Coleridge
• B. William Wordsworth
• C. John Keats
• D. Lord Byron

Hint:

Associate 'Negative Capability' directly with John Keats and his admiration for Shakespeare. Keats believed this quality—the ability to be comfortable with uncertainty—was what made Shakespeare's work so profound and universal.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Concept Overview:
'Negative Capability' describes an artist's ability to seek beauty and truth, even amidst uncertainty, without demanding concrete facts or logical explanations. [4, 9, 16, 22, 26]

Step 2: Elaboration:
John Keats originated the term in a December 1817 letter to his brothers, George and Thomas. [4, 9, 16, 22, 26] He cited Shakespeare as the embodiment of this trait, suggesting that a skilled poet adopts diverse characters and viewpoints without enforcing a fixed philosophy. While Coleridge, Wordsworth, and Byron were Keats's peers, Keats specifically coined the term.

Step 3: Solution:
The correct answer is John Keats, option (3).