'To Autumn' by John Keats: The Co-existence of Life and Death

Ode ‘To Autumn’ by John Keats is a poem that expresses the transition period of nature as well as of life itself. It is a beautiful poem written with simple diction, just to celebrate the beauty of autumn, and of life. The poem has portrayed the richness, the activeness, and the eventual decline of autumn.?

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.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?

Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find

Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,

Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;

Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,

Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hook

Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:

And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep

Steady thy laden head across a brook;

Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,

Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—

While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,

And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;

Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn

Among the river sallows, borne aloft

Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;

And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;

Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft

The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;

And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

Ode to Autumn is a three-stanza poem, each with eleven lines expressing different aspects of life. It is one of his six odes. The poem was published in 1820.

This poem is very straightforward. It portrays the abundance of the autumn season. It is like a conversation with autumn. The autumn is personified. Keats is having a conversation with Autumn.

The beauty of this season is remarkable. It stands at the edge point of two seasons; summer and winter. It starts with the warmth of summer and proceeds to the coldness of winter. That’s why it combines the richness of harvests, ripen fruits, and the destitute state of nature in winter.?

Themes: The Essence of Autumn

The poem offers many themes with simplicity. It can be discussed from the following aspects:

• The beauty of Autumn
• Paradox of life
• Being in the present
• Accepting the course of life

The Beauty of Autumn

Autumn is often considered a dull season but Keats has depicted the fullness of this season which has stunned many readers. Keats’ unusual perspective towards autumn has made the poem unique.?

The poet didn’t hesitate to describe the blissness of the season. He starts the poem with the role of autumn. That autumn conspires with the sun to load and bless the earth with fruits and crops. It means that autumn is a provider like summer as well. It blesses mother earth with food and natural beauty. It’s not dull at all. The fruits ripen, the gourd swells, and the beehives are full of honey, these just describe how full autumn is with richness.?

Nature adorns itself so beautifully with the fruits and flowers, that it feels like the warmth of summer. The bees seem to think that summer would never cease. The first stanza has well described the abundance of autumn.

Paradox of Life

‘To Autumn’ beautifully explains that death is an essential part of life, there is no need to be afraid of it. Rather he portrays an image where he welcomes life and death with the same importance and warmth. Life is beautiful because there is this striking contrast; death. The poet gives a massage to everyone that all parting is not sad. It has its own beauty.?

In the second stanza, the poet moves on to the reality of life and death. The autumn is personified, and seen to be completing her chores. She is harvesting. The breeze of winnoing is lifting her hair. She is not represented as a grumpy reaper, but rather as a soft woman, drowsing in the poppy field, taking rest from her work. Autumn is patiently waiting for the day to end. This stanza indicates the end of the day as well as of life. But the end is soothing and not scary. In fact, death implies the restoration of life.

Being in the Present

All throughout the poem, the poet gives hints at enjoying the present. Only present matters. Even in the darkest of times, beauty can be found. The poet says that autumn has its own song. Even if it’s less sung, the song still has an appeal of its own. The poet indicates every aspect of life has its own song. Try to find beauty in it and sing along.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—

Being in the present is the best thing one can do. Then he will enjoy life to the fullest. The poet exemplifies the idea with the song of nature found during autumn. “Hedge-crickets sing”, “The red-breast whistles” and “swallows twitter”, the autumn nature is singing its song. People just need to find it.?

The poem progresses from bright morning to darkening dusk, symbolizing life progressing to death. But as the day is ending with softness, lightness, and warmth, so will life. It’s not the end but rather the renewal of life. The poem fascinatingly portrays the aspects of life and more strikingly the idea of accepting life as it is.?

Accepting the Course of Life

With simple diction, Keats has conveyed a very important message. It has made the poem unique and memorable. He asks everyone to be welcoming of what life has to offer. The acceptance will make life worth living, and make it exciting.

The poet depicts the true nature of life and death to bring out the simplicity lying within them. Only if a person is welcoming of both, he can enjoy every moment. That’s why he asks everyone to accept life as it is and to move forward.

Conclusion

Among keats’ odes, ‘To Autumn’ is written in a very simple language and it offers much warmth and positivity. It celebrates life and ignores negativity. Keats’ intention was to show the beauty of living and even dying. Death is not something to be feared, not the opposite force of life, rather an integral part of life itself.?

The poet invites everyone to sing along to the song of autumn which can be interpreted as a song of life. To celebrate every bit of living and accepting death with the same warmth. This attitude to the course of life would make living worthy.