To Autumn

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Recommended: Nature in poetry of john keats

John Keats, an English Romantic poet, is considered one of the most beloved of all English poets. His work is known for sensuous descriptions of the beauty of nature and deep philosophic questions that it often brought up. This can be observed in his six odes written in 1819. The complexity and profundity behind the poems are the reason that they are considered to be among Keats greatest works, although the last ode composed in the sequence, “To Autumn” seems to stand out from the others. “To Autumn” is particularly significant because Keats is able to improve his perception of beauty from his previous perception that is explored throughout the other odes. Although, in both the form and descriptive surface, there is nothing that is overly confusing or complex, it is very simplistic, this is part of what makes the poem so special. Keats makes full use of literary elements by personifying autumn to achieve vivid imagery and by using the concept of death as an allegory to artistic creation. “To Autumn” has the ability to suggest, explore and develop the overall theme of beauty through the use of these literary elements without getting in the way of its simplistic surface.

While the structure of the poem is very simplistic, there are a few interesting features worth nothing. “To Autumn” is three stanzas of eleven lines each, which corresponds to the length of the season of autumn, which is three months long. In each stanza, the first four lines follow a rhyme scheme of ABAB, but then it switches from line five to eleven, to a rhyme scheme of CDEDCCE. This can signify how Keats conveys his theme, the first part of the stanza serves to introduce the subject of the stanza, while the second part gives room to elaborate and develop the ...

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...eated or old forms of beauty that will return. Also, even though the spectator of these beautiful art forms will eventually die, morality cannot stop someone from spending their time on Earth admiring nature and beautiful art forms.

“To Autumn” was the final work that was produced by John Keats and it marks the end of his poetic career. This is an appropriate poem for Keats to end on, as he is finally able to escape the fantasy world, that he often turned to in previous odes, in order to make a connection within the real world. While keeping the structure of the poem simple, Keats personifies the seasons, to further express the warm images of autumn and the beauty that can be found in nature. While also learning through the passing of time and allegories to art, that the acceptance of morality does not destruct the appreciation of beauty but rather furthers it.

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