Discuss the way that Keats presents various features of the season in "Ode to Autumn".
GCSE ENGLISH AND ENGLISH LITERATURE COURSEWORK
TASK: Discuss the way that Keats presents various features of the season in "Ode to Autumn".
The poem "Ode to Autumn", by John Keats was written in the early 19th century, during the romantic period. During this period poets mainly focussed on the appreciation of nature, and on the emotions. The title "Ode to Autumn" indicates that the poem is addressed to the season, Keats personifies it, and throughout the poem addresses autumn like a person. The poem is arranged into three stanzas; each with 11 lines, and each line has around 10 syllables. The poem also has a fairly regular rhyme scheme from stanza to stanza. I think this regularity is effective in the poem, as it has a very flowing feel, and this compliments it. "Ode to Autumn" is arranged into its three stanzas according to subject matter, with the first concentrating on the ripening of fruit during autumn, the second on the autumn harvests, and the third on the sounds of the season. The overall structure of the poem gives a feeling of autumn following on from summer in stanza one, and then autumn leading to winter in stanza three.
The first stanza focuses on the ripening of fruit during autumn. In the first two lines Keats describes autumn in three ways; 'season of mists' because it is the time of year when it is beginning to get foggy, a season of 'mellow fruitfulness' as fruit is at its most plump, ripe and juicy in autumn, and finally as the 'close bosom friend of the maturing sun', because in autumn the sun becomes weaker, and the days shorter. The phrase 'close bosom-friend' implies that autumn and the sun are working very closely together to ripen the fruits. In ...
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The first stanza focuses on the ripening of fruit during autumn. In the first two lines Keats describes autumn in three ways; 'season of mists' because it is the time of year when it is beginning to get foggy, a season of 'mellow fruitfulness' as fruit is at its most plump, ripe and juicy in autumn, and finally as the 'close bosom friend of the maturing sun', because in autumn the sun becomes weaker, and the days shorter. The phrase 'close bosom-friend' implies that autumn and the sun are working very closely together to ripen the fruits. In this stanza Keats uses words with a very rich feel to them to describe the fruit, such as 'mellow', 'plump', 'sweet' and 'clammy'. These words give an impression of the fruit being very soft, sweet and juicy, and appeal to both the senses of taste and touch, rather than just sight, which is very effective. He also uses words that make you think that there is a lot of fruit on the trees; the branches of the apple trees are bending under the weight, and the vines are 'loaded'. When he describes the bees Keats uses the words 'clammy' and 'o'erbrimm'd', which have a sickly, sweet feel, and gives the impression that summer has spoiled them, but autumn will refresh them. These words also appeal to the senses of touch and taste, which makes the poem interesting to read.
The second stanza of the poem concentrates on the autumn harvests, and focuses much more on the personification of the season than the previous stanza, describing where it can be found; sitting on a granary
floor, as grain is harvested in the autumn, asleep in a half harvested field unable to continue to cut the crops because the smell of poppies has made
it drowsy, carrying corn on its head across a stream, like the men who
collect corn after the reapers, and beside a cider press, watching cider
being made - another autumn activity. The places Keats describes autumn as being found in are all places where autumn activities take place; fields, granaries and cider presses. In this stanza Keats uses the words ' careless', 'sound asleep' and 'patient' which give a lazy, relaxed feel to the description of autumn, as if it has all the time in the world. He also uses the word 'fume', a word that appeals to the sense of smell, to describe the smell of the poppies, which gives the impression that it is quite a strong, almost overpowering scent.
The final stanza focuses on the sounds of autumn, and is set towards the end of the day, because Keats mentions the 'soft dying day', and the swallows gathering to go to roost. This is appropriate, as it means the poem comes to a close at the same time as the day, and probably the autumn. Keats says the autumn has five types of music; the wailing sound of clouds of gnats, the bleating of grown lambs, the noise of crickets in the hedges, the singing of red- breasts in gardens and the twittering of swallows in the skies. He uses the words 'wailful' and 'mourn' to describe some of the sounds made by the animals, which create a sad feeling, as if they are sad that autumn is coming to an end.
Overall the poem has a very flowing feel, starting at the beginning of autumn and ending as it draws to a close. The poem is particularly effective because of the feel of many of the words used, as they appeal to senses other than just sight, particularly the words describing the fruit in stanza one. The images created of mossy trees bending under the weight of juicy ripe fruit, I think were the most effective, as they appealed to almost all the senses, and it almost feels as if you are there. The picture of autumn created in "Ode to Autumn" is a very different one to the one of today; harvests are no longer carried out by hand, and most farm work is carried out by machinery. The poem creates a much more traditional, country image of autumn that is seen today, two centuries later.
