To Autumn Flashcards
Who wrote ‘To Autumn’?
John Keats
What kind of poet was John Keats?
a romantic poet
When was ‘To Autumn’ written?
1820
What form is ‘To Autumn’?
an ode
How many stanzas are there in ‘To Autumn’?
3 stanzas
What does the first stanza of ‘To Autumn’ focus on?
abundance
growth
What does the second stanza of ‘To Autumn’ focus on?
personification of Autumn
What does the third stanza of ‘To Autumn’ focus on?
all crops have been harvested
What rhythm is used in ‘To Autumn’?
iambic tetrameter
When is iambic tetrameter not used in ‘To Autumn’?
the last line ; 11 syllables
What is Keats’ meaning by not using iambic tetrameter on the last line?
love of autumn cannot be contained into one ‘perfect’ line
What does iambic tetrameter sound like?
natural speech
footsteps
heartbeat
What is another name for iambic tetrameter?
heroic line
Why did Keats live in poverty?
both his parents died intestate and he was never aware of inheritance
Why might ‘To Autumn’ be autobiographical?
- published near his death
- melancholy language at end signifies end of autumn but maybe he knows he is dying
Why does ‘To Autumn’ reference the Middle Ages?
romanticism glorified the past
Give examples where John Keats is referencing the Middle Ages
‘thatch-eaves run’
‘cyder-press’
What does the first stanza of ‘To Autumn’ feature?
a semantic field of fertility
How does Keats create a semantic field of fertility in the first stanza of ‘To Autumn’?
idyllic imagery
pastoral imagery
bucolic imagery
What did John Keats do before fully devoting himself to poetry?
worked as an apprentice to a surgeon then a junior surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’
Where did John Keats work as an apprentice and a junior surgeon?
Guys’ and St Thomas’
finish the quote : ‘season of…
…mists’
finish the quote : ‘mellow…
….fruitfulness!’
finish the quote : ‘close bosom-friend of…
…the maturing sun’
finish the quote : ‘conspiring with..
…him’
What gender is the sun personified as in ‘To Autumn’?
male
What gender is autumn personified as in ‘To Autumn’?
female
finish the quote : ‘how to…
…load and bless’
finish the quote : ‘with fruit…
…the vines’
finish the quote : ‘round the…
…thatch-eaves run’
finish the quote : ‘to bend with…
…apples’
finish the quote : ‘the moss’d…
…cottage tree’
finish the quote : ‘and fill all…
…fruit with ripeness’