To Autumn- John Keats Flashcards
What type of poem is To Autumn and who is it dedicated to?
The poem is an ode and is dedicated to autumn
Why did Keats write the poem?
To celebrate the season and the various changes which take place during the time
What 3 stages does the poem cover?
The beginning when fruits/ plants are ready to harvest, the middle when animals go into hibernation and things begin to die, the end when winter begins
What type of poet was Keats and what did he write about?
He was a romantic poet and wrote about nature and the natural world
What age did Keats die?
25
Keats was worried that he would leave no lasting impression on the world, what could the poem be?
An attempt to leave his mark and be remembered
What is the first stanza and what does it suggest?
A celebration and suggests that Autumn begins in a rich and calm way
Who does Keats directly speak to in the second stanza and what suggestion does he make?
Directly speaks to Autumn and suggests Autumn is in no rush to move on
What does the final stanza show and what does Keats do?
Shows change (change from autumn to winter), Keats recognises this and accepts the fact he cannot control it
What are the possible themes and links to other poems?
Passing of Time- Afternoons, Death of a Naturalist, As Imperceptibly as Grief
Natural World- Except from The Prelude, Death of a Naturalist
What does the first line “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” suggest?
Autumn is a season of change but despite this, it’s a calm season
What does the personification of Autumn in the line “Thee sitting careless on a granary floor” suggest?
Autumn can be a season which can be quite thoughtless in the changes it brings
When Keats continues to personify Autumn and addresses it directly- “thou watchest oozings”, what does it imply?
That autumn ‘behaves’ as if it has all the time in the world even though time is passing by
What does the last line “And gathering swallows twitter in the sky” show and represent?
That winter is drawing in and time is coming to an end- it could represent the circle of life
