To Autumn, John Keats Flashcards
“To Autumn”
Ttile suggests this poem is an ode, a kind of lyric poem that is meant to be sung. Odes are sung in praise of a specific person or thing.
“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!”
The first line of the poem suggests that autumn is a season of change but despite this, it is a calm season.
Use of exclamation mark creates celebratory tone.
“Thee sitting careless on a granary floor”
By personifying autumn it suggests that autumn can be a season which can be quite thoughtless in the changes it brings.
“last oozings hours by hours”
The repetition of ‘hours’ suggests that time is passing slowly as the workers toil.
“Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?”
The persona criticises spring, as if no other season could compare to Autumn.
The last line ‘And gathering swallows twitter in the sky’ shows that winter is drawing in and time is coming to an end – it could represent the circle of life.
In the sky’ shows that winter is drawing in and time is coming to an end – it could represent the circle of life.
Gnat meaning?
Small flies that collect near water.
Structure
Enjambment is used frequently across each stanza, which could suggest immense passion on the part of the persona.
Time progresses with each stanza.
Stanza 1 = Celebration of the start of Autumn
Stanza 2 = Mid-Autumn. Harvest. Images of work
Stanza 3 = 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.
