Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The poem's rich imagery emphasises a desire for an escape into a world of hallucinogenic bliss, with
references to 'drowsy numbness', a 'dull opiate' and wine with 'beaded bubbles winking at the
brim' . Speaking to the nightingale and its exquisite song, he writes: 'Though the dull brain perplexes
and retards: Already with thee! tender is the night'. But the ecstasy brought by the nightingale is
itself transient, and as the bird flies away the poet is left back in thoughts of hopelessness.
After finding out he has tuberculosis, the sadness grief are reflected in his ode. The poem also shows
Keats has shown some acceptance to his medical condition. Motifs and imagery are frequently used
in his poems. Archaic and Emotive language also conveyed in the poem.
Ode: To Autumn
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.
Main language features – Descriptive devices - literal to allegorical, focusing rhyme, metre,
syntax, allusion and language of nature.
Archaic language
Personification - gods and demi-gods (Demeter the goddess)
Alliteration – provides texture to the depth of the beauty of autumn and builds a variety
which expands upon the aesthetics of Autumn as nature which builds interest for the reader
Sibilance (“mists,” “close bosom,” “bless,” “moss’d,” “swell,” “sweet,” “cease,” “cells”)
and o-sounds, both long and short (“mellow,” “bosom,” “load,” “round,” “gourd,” “more,”
“flowers”), help build this impression of combined pleasure and effort and explore the
fruition and completion of Autumn as a phenomenon of natural labour relating to bees
flower work.
Hyphenated adjectives – “bosom-friend, thatch-eaves, cottage-trees, o'er-brimmed” used
to connect the poem and allows slow pacing which connects to the peacefulness of Autumn
Rhyme scheme – Quatrains (changes for the septet in the first stanza)
Metre – Iambic Pentameter (deviations from the metre include spondee (DA-DUM) trochee
(DA-dum) and pyrrhic (da-dum) in certain lines)
Allusions – Greek Allusions, “maturing sun”, “Poppy”
Symbolisms - ancient Greek deities or figures such as Ceres/Demeter the goddess
Context – Odes
no unifying “plot” and no recurring characters; not a narrative prose
Idealists believing in power and imagination, creativity & emotion. They were radical on ideas such
as expressing emotions, sexuality, love, at the time when society was repressive. They were written
in a time where these ideas are more novel and more closes-minded. The poets believed in being
truthful of their feelings (used philosophy in the writing about war).
They were anti-war, anti-trade, supporting the environment (nature nurtures man), lead to idealistic
and optimistic view of nature. Their tone is passionate with usage of exclamation. Society believes
they are childish (believed in repressing emotions in public and not showing any, find the romantic
poets a disrespect to their masculinity).
More aggressive and traditional when they look back on Ancient Greek (Greek mythology alluded to
his poems), also Greek Art. They believe that classical era appreciated debate, beauty, art, drama,
and they see it missing in the new industrial society. They thought ancient culture are preferable.
The Greek Gods represents form of nature and art, and are frequently alluded in his poems.
During the Victorian era, industrial revolution (factories, mass production developing, land
subdivided for business trade are all considered progress) all lead to a changed mindset.