To Autumn, by John Keats Flashcards
Who is the speaker in the poem?
John Keats very personal to him
written after a walk in the countryside
What is the poem about?
Keats wrote the poem to celebrate the season and the various changes which take place during the time
When/Where?
written in 1820s
inspired by a walk he took in Winchester
Why was the poem written?
poem is an ‘Ode’
which means that it is dedicated to autumn
worried that he would leave no lasting impression on the world - this poem could be his attempt to leave his mark and be remembered
Context
Romantic poet and wrote a lot about nature and the natural world
trained as a medical professional
died at the age of 25 from tuberculosis
looks after his brother with TB - sacrifices himself
Structure
The first stanza is a celebration and it suggests that autumn begins in a rich and calm way
In the second stanza, Keats speaks directly to autumn and makes the suggestion that autumn is in no rush to move on.
The final stanza shows change, just as the season is changing from autumn to winter, Keats recognises this and is accepting of the fact he cannot control this - accepting death
Comment on the title
Keats named his poem ‘To Autumn’ as he wanted to celebrate the season
First line and analysis
‘Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!’
- Autumn is a season of change
- adjective ‘mellow’ suggests that autumn is calm and that the changes are not disruptive
What does ‘Close bosom friend’ suggest?
suggests that autumn works with summer to produce wonderful things
Analysis on ‘maturing sun’
adjective ‘maturing’ used to describe the sun suggests that time is passing - end of summer
What does ‘Conspiring’ suggest?
verb ‘conspiring’ suggests that autumn is quiet and secretive
Why does Keats use the adjectives ‘plump’ and ‘o’erbrimm’d’?
show the abundance of food that autumn creates
‘And still more’ analysis
Autumn is able to ‘trick’ nature and the wildlife into thinking that summer will never end
First line of the second stanza and analysis
‘Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?’
Keats speaks directly to autumn.
This suggests that autumn can clearly be seen everywhere
Analysis on the line ‘Thee sitting careless on a granary floor’
Autumn is personified and this suggests that autumn works hard to make the changes in the season.
However, the word ‘careless’ implies that it is effortless
What does ‘Drows’d with the fume of poppies’ imply?
‘Drows’d with the fume of poppies’ could imply that autumn is intoxicating and overwhelmingly beautiful
‘Steady thy laden head across a brook;’ analysis
Autumn needs to rest due to all the changes ‘she’ has made
Analysis on ‘Thou watchest the last oozing hours by hours’
Autumn has time to observe the changes it has made and enjoy the difference it has made to nature
What does ‘Where are the songs of Spring?’ imply?
This implies nature needs to be reassured, that it is a season which should be admired
What does ‘Ay where are they?’ imply?
Due to the changes autumn has made, spring has been forgotten.
This implies autumn is powerful.
In the last stanza, Keats uses language associated with death such as ‘soft-dying’, ‘wailful’ and ‘mourn’. What does this imply?
This could imply that autumn is dying and that Keats’s own life is coming to an end
What does ‘The red-breast’ suggest?
This suggests that autumn has done its job and winter is on its way
Last line and analysis
‘And gathering swallows twitter in the skies’
The last line could suggest that Keats is ready for death and to ‘move on’ just as the ‘swallows’ are ‘gathering’ to move on to warmer climates
