Poetry anthology Flashcards
Who wrote ‘To Autumn’
John Keats
What is some context on John Keats?
- He was an English romantic poet
- contracted tuberculosis near the end of his life
- In 1820 he published 6 odes one of which was To Autumn
What type of poem is ‘To autumn’ and why is that important?
It’s and Ode- a serious poem that is usually written in praise of a person or thing
Describe the form of ‘To Autumn’
- written in iambic pentameter but it’s rhyme scheme changes slightly
- first four lines of each stanza always have an ABAB pattern
- all his other odes have ten lines per stanza but this one has 11- reinforcing the plentiful nature of autumn
Describe the structure of ‘To Autumn’
In each stanza Keats introduces an aspect of Autumn in the first ine before expanding on it in the remaining then. This can be seen as showing the passage of time
- first stanza links morning with early autumn
- sleepy mood in second stanza could stand for mid-autumn and the afternoon
- final stanza hints at both the approach of winter AND sunset
How is language of excess used in ‘To Autumn’?
The harvest is beyond the point of perfect and the speaker hints that it is too much so the language of excess could therefore symbolise the start of death
How is personification used in ‘To Autumn’?
the personification of autumn is used throughout the poem- it ages the same way a human does and is mourned in the final stanza
How is sensory language used in ‘To Autumn’?
each stanza appeals to a different sense:
- first focuses on touch
- second on sight
- last on sound
this reflects the abundance of autumn as it is all around and underlines the richness of the season
What does the quote “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!” show?
- narrator directly addresses autumn
- soothing alliteration makes autumn seem gentle
- exclamation mark hints at narrators awe
What does the quote “close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;” show?
- “bosom-friend” already implies closeness so “close isn’t needed- exaggerates the closeness reflecting the overflowing abundance in this stanza
- “maturing sun”- connects autumn with the morning
What does the quote “until they think warm days will never cease” show?
hint of sadness- first indication winter is coming
What does the quote “Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store” show?
Each stanza is made up of two parts: first line and the rest of the lines
- the second part consists of ten lines that are one long sentence reflecting the abundance of autumn
What does the quote “Drows’d with the fume of poppies, while thy hook spares the next swath” show?
the hook used for cutting and the word “spares” evoke imagery of the grim reaper which hints at the decay that winter brings
What does the quote “thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours” mean?
the repetition of “hours” makes the line sound sluggish, reflecting the slow passage of time
What does the quote “Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?” show?
consecutive rhetorical questions makes the speaker sound scornful of spring
