Compare the ways in which John Keats in To Autumn and Robert Browning in Home Thoughts From Abroad treat the different seasons

        Throughout To Autumn the poem becomes more and more sinister.  In the first stanza John Keats describes beautiful and happy things.  Like things that you dream of.  ‘With fruit and vines that round the thatch-eves run.’  Then in the second stanza the author begins to describe autumn as a lazy place.  ‘Drowsed by the fumes of poppies.’  When you start to read the third stanza you find that Keats starts to describe the autumn as if winter is about to start, ‘And the gathering swallows twitter in the skies.’  In Home Thoughts From Abroad  it is completely the opposite.  It seems to become better and better as the months change.  The first stanza which describes April is more patriotic and it is as if he is longing or yearning for England.  ‘Oh, to be in England.’  This gives an idea of how much the character describing England loves it.  Then, when it comes to the second stanza it becomes like the first stanza of To Autumn.  It begins to describe the beauty of the land (still being patriotic) ‘Blossoms and dewdrops - at the bent spray’s edge.’  

        In Home Thoughts From Abroad you cannot find any metaphors.  This could suggest that the author is trying to give descriptions of what the area of England is really like and not too over exaggerated.  Whilst in To Autumn there are lots of metaphors which suggests that the author is trying to elaborate on what he is writing.  ‘And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep.’  There are also examples of personification ‘The red breast whistles from the garden-croft’. In To Autumn the tone is much more serious than Home Thoughts From Abroad ‘Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies.’  This is also another example of personification.  There is also a very sinister tone to the phrase.  Overall John Keats is a lot more serious about the season that he rights about.  The one serious point that Robert Browning makes which is not even serious it is more an insult is ‘Far brighter than this Gaudy melon flower.’

        I think that To Autumn gives a much more descriptive idea of it’s season.  There is lots of imagery and metaphors and other descriptive ways of describing Autumn.  It also has a faint rhyme pattern which works very well in conjunction with the poem.  I think that To Autumn is a much more interesting and vibrant poem than Home Thoughts From Abroad.  In Home Thoughts From Abroad the reader knows where he is and there is no surprise or time to imagine where you are, ‘Oh, to be in England.’  We also live in England so we know that it is not always like this.  Whilst in To Autumn You have no idea where you could be and the poem seems to work your imagination a lot more than Home Thoughts From Abroad.