Aleena Islam
TO AUTUMN – John Keats
Themes
Serenity, calmness, tranquillity, passion, nature, praise,
fecundity
Contextual overview
This poem is an ode, praising the wondrous elements of nature
during Autumn. Keats romanticises and eulogises Autumn,
highlighting this underappreciated season. During this time,
Keats was diagnosed with an uncurable disease of tuberculosis,
which could reflect the reason for his relentless passion for the
season and its immense beauty. Some poets recognise Autumn
as a precursor of winter, but Keats is concerned to emphasise
autumn’s richness and the beauty of harvest. The entire poem
is symbolistic of the fact that everything, even things which are
beautiful, eventually dies.
Key features of language, form and structure
- The alliterative effect of ‘mists and mellow’ serves to create a
calm and tender tone to the poem’s opening line as a sensation
of relaxation is immediately introduced to the reader.
- The preponderance of melodious soft letters – s, f, l m – in the
commencing line, ‘season of mist and mellow fruitfulness’ also
reinforces a warm, serene ambience.
- The personification of Autumn in the phrase, ‘close-bosom
friend’ suggests that Autumn is an extremely welcoming and
convivial season, given that the noun ‘friend’ accentuates its
amiable nature. In addition, the personification evokes a sense of
vitality and exuberance to the nature of Autumn, almost as if the
season itself is encouraging the reader to savour and cherish its
beauty.
- Autumn is again personified, as it is described as ‘conspiring
with’ the sun. This gives the reader the impression that the
season itself is enthusiastic and zealous to grow a plenitude of
ripe fruits, thus emphasising the vivacity of nature during
Autumn.
- Keats uses positive diction when depicting the extraordinary
abundance of nature and fruit that Autumn has to offer; ‘ripeness
… swell … plump … o’erbrimm’d.’ the noun ‘ripeness’ indicates
TO AUTUMN – John Keats
Themes
Serenity, calmness, tranquillity, passion, nature, praise,
fecundity
Contextual overview
This poem is an ode, praising the wondrous elements of nature
during Autumn. Keats romanticises and eulogises Autumn,
highlighting this underappreciated season. During this time,
Keats was diagnosed with an uncurable disease of tuberculosis,
which could reflect the reason for his relentless passion for the
season and its immense beauty. Some poets recognise Autumn
as a precursor of winter, but Keats is concerned to emphasise
autumn’s richness and the beauty of harvest. The entire poem
is symbolistic of the fact that everything, even things which are
beautiful, eventually dies.
Key features of language, form and structure
- The alliterative effect of ‘mists and mellow’ serves to create a
calm and tender tone to the poem’s opening line as a sensation
of relaxation is immediately introduced to the reader.
- The preponderance of melodious soft letters – s, f, l m – in the
commencing line, ‘season of mist and mellow fruitfulness’ also
reinforces a warm, serene ambience.
- The personification of Autumn in the phrase, ‘close-bosom
friend’ suggests that Autumn is an extremely welcoming and
convivial season, given that the noun ‘friend’ accentuates its
amiable nature. In addition, the personification evokes a sense of
vitality and exuberance to the nature of Autumn, almost as if the
season itself is encouraging the reader to savour and cherish its
beauty.
- Autumn is again personified, as it is described as ‘conspiring
with’ the sun. This gives the reader the impression that the
season itself is enthusiastic and zealous to grow a plenitude of
ripe fruits, thus emphasising the vivacity of nature during
Autumn.
- Keats uses positive diction when depicting the extraordinary
abundance of nature and fruit that Autumn has to offer; ‘ripeness
… swell … plump … o’erbrimm’d.’ the noun ‘ripeness’ indicates
