“Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness,”
The word mists implies beauty and mellow suggests calm and relaxed. The way John Keats has used alliteration, makes the reader focus on the two words “mists and mellow”. Not only does it start the poem of with a soft and gentle tone, it makes the reader bring to mind autumn in just these few words. Like many other poets Keats uses poetic devices to make an image or to explain things in further detail. Keats goes on to using personification in the next two lines.
“Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless”
In these lines Keats personifies the sun and also autumn. The reason for him doing this is it makes an image, that autumn and the sun are more than what we think they are, they’re friends and they work together to grow crops. Repetition of the idea of being friends, “Close bosom-friend”. The repetition emphasises the relationship between the sun and autumn, which makes the reader more clear and aware of the imagery created.
“For Summer has o’er-brimme’d their clammy cells.”
This line at the end of the first verse is another image created of the process of autumn. The setting is changing from summer to autumn. This line suggests, summer has come to an end because all the goodness of summer is full and is beginning to over flow into autumn. I think Keats is putting across autumn being as good as summer or even better. For it’s a time of Harvest.
But like most things, they must come to an end. This is where the setting, atmosphere and tone changes. Keats starts the last verse with a rhetorical question.
“Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?”
The setting is beginning to change from an autumn setting to a spring one. This is why Keats is wondering were spring is. It’s rhetorical because Keats doesn’t need an answer, he goes on to explain. The purpose for the rhetorical question is, it may possibly make the reader think to him or herself before reading on. This is also just another way in which Keats can express his feelings and emotions on the topic.
By the end of the poem the atmosphere and setting starts to change. “The red-breast” is a symbol and reminder of winter approaching and getting closer.
“Ode on Melancholy” is advice on things you shouldn’t do while in this state and things you can look forward to and appreciate. Unlike “To Autumn” which starts of with a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere and setting, “Ode on Melancholy” starts of in the middle of something such as an argument or something similar.
“No, no, go not to Lethe,”
The repetition of “no” makes the reader focus on it and suggests possibly that you’re in the middle of a conflict of some sort.
The creation of atmosphere is a very negative one. Using words such as “nor”, “suffer”, “not”, make the lines very negative. Comparing to “To Autumn” the sentences are very positive with words such as, “mellow”, “sweet”, “bees”. The first verse of “Ode on Melancholy” is very negative in context.
“By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine;”
Nightshade in this context means death. What Keats is saying is don’t let death be your solution, to melancholy. Also don’t be like Proserpine, the queen of the underworld and take your life away. As the poem goes on, the atmosphere and setting begins to turn more positively.
“…when the melancholy fit shall fall”
Keats uses alliteration like he does in “To Autumn” to get the reader to focus on the two words. This is when the melancholy begins to disappear so Keats has to make sure that the readers know that. “fit shall fall”, these words are quite sharp and quick to say. This may imply how quickly this extreme depression of melancholy can vanish.
Keats uses personification on melancholy, turning it into a beautiful woman.
She dwells with Beauty-Beauty that must die;”
Keats is hinting at melancholy not being such a bad thing, for if you over come it the melancholy will die away. The same with a woman’s beauty, as a woman becomes old her beauty fades. I think the word “Veil’d Melancholy” means you don’t always understand it but your stuck with it and sometimes you don’t really see it. Unlike “To Autumn” “Ode on Melancholy” definitely has a moral and philosophical content to it. Which is you can’t enjoy pleasure or happiness unless you’ve experienced sadness. And enjoy it while it last because it won’t last forever.
A strong sense in atmosphere and setting is important to help get across a poets emotions and feelings to the reader. That is one of its main purposes. To create a strong sense in atmosphere and setting, poets use poetic devices, a good choice of vocabulary and adjectives.
