Comment on Keats' Treatment of Nature in “To Autumn”

Introduction : “To Autumn” (1820) is a well-known poem, written by one of the most renowned Romantic poets of the Romantic Age, John Keats (1795–1821). The poem beautifully explores the beauty, richness and peacefulness of nature in autumn.

Keats’ Treatment of Nature : Keats presents his love for nature through several important aspects and poetic ideas. These are discussed below.

• Richness of Nature

• Sensuous Beauty of Nature

• Realistic Portrayal of Nature

• Personification of Autumn

• Harmony Between Nature and Man

• Musical Beauty of Nature

• Peaceful Atmosphere of Nature

• Natural Cycle of Life

Richness of Nature : Keats presents autumn as a season of great richness and plenty. The trees are full of fruits and the fields are full of crops. He calls autumn the

“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.”

Sensuous Beauty of Nature : Keats describes nature in a way that appeals to our senses. We can see the ripe fruits, feel the warmth and hear the sounds of autumn. This sensuous description makes the beauty of nature easy to imagine.

Realistic Portrayal of Nature : Keats presents nature in a simple and realistic way. He does not mix his own sadness or personal feelings with the beauty of autumn. He simply observes the “mists”, “soft-dying day”, “stubble-plains” and “barred clouds” and lets nature speak for itself. This shows that Keats loves nature for its own beauty.

Personification of Autumn : Keats presents autumn as a living person. He presents autumn as a person who works, rests and watches the harvest. He writes,

“Thee sitting careless on a granary floor"

Thus, autumn becomes a living and attractive figure in the poem. This makes the season lively and interesting.

Harmony Between Nature and Man : Keats shows a close relationship between nature and human life. The farmer works with nature and enjoys the fruits of the harvest. Nature gives people food and happiness through its richness.

Musical Beauty of Nature : The poem is full of beautiful sounds from nature. Keats mentions the songs of birds, the buzzing of insects and the sound of the lambs. These sounds create a natural music in the poem.

Peaceful Atmosphere of Nature : Nature in the poem is calm, quiet and peaceful. There is no violence or sadness in the autumn landscape. This peaceful atmosphere gives the poem a gentle and pleasant feeling.

Natural Cycle of Life : Keats shows that nature always changes with time. Autumn follows summer and winter will come after autumn. Thus, he presents nature as a continuous cycle of growth, change, maturity and renewal.

Conclusion : In conclusion, it can be said that John Keats’ “To Autumn” beautifully explores the beauty, richness and harmony of nature. Through vivid natural pictures, he presents autumn as a season of fullness, peace and maturity.