To Autumn SS

Question 1

To Autumn

Answer 1

• an ode to autumn
• An ‘ode’ —> a lyrical poem written in address to a topic

Question 2

To Autumn vehicle statement

Answer 2

Keats uses To Autumn as a vehicle to herald the beauty of nature in order to come to terms with his own imminent death from tuberculosis. This is accomplished through the poetic form of an ode, which is used to sing the praise of a given subject. In the case of ‘To Autumn’, this subject is the personified Autumn; an apt choice given Keats’ elevated view of nature as a Romantic poet.

Question 3

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!’

Answer 3

• identifies season of Autumn from the outset - transitory season between summer and winter.
  ‘Mists’ —> weather refers to vapours which are translucent and unclear. This creates ambiguity in nature and the change from summer to winter.
  ‘Mellow’ —> portrays the season as calming and relaxing. Also, the use of alliteration and exclamation marks further creates a soothing succession of sounds portraying Autumn as calming.
  ‘Fruitfulness’ —> demonstrative of abundance indicating Autumn’s beautiful plethora despite its eventual decline into Winter. Links to Keats trying to find beauty in his decline.

Question 4

‘Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun: conspiring with him how to load and bless’

Answer 4

‘Close bosom-friend’ —> portrays a sense of familiarity and companionship with ‘sun’.
‘Maturing sin’ —> adjective ‘maturing’ implies how a key part of the natural world - ‘the sun’ - is not exempt from a change in time. This can draw a parallel in the way that the speaker is not exempt from I moment death.
‘Conspiring’ —> portrays a sense of secrecy in planning, however, in ‘load and bless’ it creates imagery of plenty and abundance in nature. This portrays the beauty of the season despite decline showing the beauty of death through pastoral imagery.

Question 5

‘Fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; to swell the gourd, and plump the hazel’

Answer 5

‘Fill’, ‘swell’ and ‘plump’ —> portrays a sense of growth and ripening which can further imply autumn’s plethora and bountiful nature.

Question 6

‘Flowers for the bees, until they think warm days will never cease’

Question 7

‘Sitting careless on a granary floor, they hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;

Question 8

‘Like a gleaner thou dost keep steady thy laden head across a brook’

Question 9

‘Patient look, thou watschest the last oozings hours by hours.’

Question 10

‘Thou hast thou music too - while barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,’

Question 11

‘In a wailful choir the small gnats mourn’

Question 12

‘Light Wind lives or dies, and full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;’