John Keating

John Keating is a fictional English teacher in *Dead Poets Society*, appearing in the 1989 film and in stage adaptations of the story. Newly arrived at the conservative Welton Academy, he urges his students to engage with poetry as a living art and to think for themselves. Keating’s unconventional classroom methods—reciting verse, challenging rote learning, and encouraging students to “seize the day”—inspire a group of boys to revive the secret “Dead Poets Society.” His influence helps them pursue individual passions and question authority, but it also brings him into conflict with the school’s strict administration and traditions.