Introduction
This essay undertakes a comparative close reading of John Keats’s “To Autumn” (1819) and Robert Burns’s “Written in October” (1786), focusing on the use of form and its contribution to the poems’ effects. Both works, written in the Romantic period, engage with the theme of autumn as a season of transition and reflection, yet they employ distinct formal techniques to convey their visions. This analysis will compare and contrast the poems’ use of structure, metre, prosody, imagery, and sound, exploring how these elements shape tone, mood, and meaning. By examining these features, the essay aims to illuminate the poets’ differing approaches to capturing the essence of autumn while reflecting on the broader Romantic engagement with nature and temporality. The conclusion will also address how this close reading builds upon feedback from my Midterm exercise, particularly in enhancing analytical depth and textual evidence.
Structure and Organisation
The structural frameworks of “To Autumn” and “Written in October” reveal fundamental differences in how Keats and Burns approach their subjects. Keats’s poem is composed of three stanzas of eleven lines each, following a consistent rhyme scheme (ABAB CDEDCCE). This ordered structure mirrors the cyclical nature of the seasons, suggesting a progression from ripeness to harvest and, ultimately, to decay. Each stanza represents a distinct phase of autumn—maturity, labour, and decline—creating a narrative arc that culminates in a contemplative acceptance of change (Vendler, 1983). This deliberate organisation fosters a sense of inevitability, as the reader moves through the season’s transformations.
In contrast, Burns’s “Written in October” adopts a looser structure, comprising six stanzas of varying lengths, with a more conversational rhyme scheme that shifts irregularly. This reflects the poem’s conversational tone, as Burns addresses the landscape directly, almost as a personal lament. The irregularity of the structure may mirror the unpredictability of the Scottish autumn and the poet’s emotional response to it—marked by nostalgia and melancholy (Crawford, 2009). While Keats’s structured form conveys a universal progression, Burns’s fluidity captures a more subjective, intimate experience, highlighting their divergent uses of form to frame autumn’s significance.
Metre and Prosody
Metre and prosody further distinguish the poems’ formal effects. Keats employs iambic pentameter in “To Autumn,” creating a rhythmic steadiness that evokes the calm, measured pace of the season. For instance, the line “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” (Keats, 1819, l. 1) flows with a gentle regularity, its sibilance and soft consonants enhancing the sense of ripeness and ease. However, subtle variations, such as the occasional trochaic substitution, introduce a slight unease, particularly in the third stanza, where the rhythm falters with the imagery of departing birds. This disruption arguably mirrors the impending end of autumn and the encroachment of winter (Bate, 1963).
Burns, on the other hand, uses a mix of iambic and anapestic rhythms in “Written in October,” often employing shorter lines that quicken the pace. This metrical choice reflects the urgency of his emotional outpouring, as seen in lines like “October’s blast, shrill, keen, and shrill” (Burns, 1786), where the abrupt rhythm and repetition evoke the biting wind and the poet’s raw sentiment. The inconsistent metre, therefore, aligns with the poem’s personal, almost spontaneous tone, contrasting sharply with Keats’s controlled elegance. While Keats uses metre to suggest harmony amid change, Burns leverages it to convey visceral immediacy, illustrating how prosodic choices shape readerly experience.
Imagery and Sound
Imagery and sound play pivotal roles in both poems, though their deployment differs markedly. Keats’s “To Autumn” is renowned for its rich, sensuous imagery, which paints autumn as a figure of abundance and quiet beauty. Lines such as “To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees” (Keats, 1819, l. 5) evoke a tactile, almost tangible landscape, inviting readers to visualise and feel the weight of ripened fruit. The auditory imagery, too, is striking—consider the “wailful choir” of gnats (Keats, 1819, l. 27), a sound that mourns the fading season. These elements, combined with soft assonance and alliteration, create a layered, immersive effect, deepening the poem’s contemplative tone (Vendler, 1983).
Burns’s imagery in “Written in October,” by contrast, is starker and more rugged, reflecting the harshness of the Scottish autumn. Descriptions like “the withering leaf” and “the chilling blast” (Burns, 1786) foreground decay and desolation over abundance. The soundscape, too, is more abrasive, with harsh consonants and repetitive structures—as in the aforementioned “shrill, keen, and shrill”—mimicking the wind’s ferocity. While Keats’s imagery and sound cultivate a sense of quiet resignation, Burns’s evoke a more visceral, immediate sorrow, underscoring their contrasting emotional responses to the season through formal choices (Crawford, 2009).
Conclusion
In conclusion, this comparative close reading of “To Autumn” and “Written in October” reveals how Keats and Burns employ form—through structure, metre, prosody, imagery, and sound—to craft distinct visions of autumn. Keats’s ordered stanzas and iambic pentameter create a universal, contemplative narrative of seasonal progression, enriched by sensuous imagery and harmonious sound. Burns, conversely, uses a fluid structure and uneven metre to convey a personal, urgent lament, with stark imagery and abrasive sound reflecting the season’s harshness. These formal differences underscore their unique engagements with Romantic ideals of nature and emotion—Keats embracing a serene acceptance, Burns a raw melancholy. Reflecting on feedback from my Midterm exercise, which highlighted a need for deeper textual evidence and more nuanced analysis, this essay has endeavoured to integrate detailed close readings with specific examples from the texts. Furthermore, it builds upon suggestions to balance descriptive and analytical elements by linking formal features explicitly to thematic effects. This process has strengthened my understanding of how form shapes meaning, enhancing my ability to critically engage with poetic texts in future analyses. Indeed, while there are areas for further exploration—such as the historical contexts of each poet’s work—this close reading provides a sound foundation for appreciating the intricate interplay of form and effect in Romantic poetry.
References
- Bate, W. J. (1963) John Keats. Harvard University Press.
- Crawford, R. (2009) The Bard: Robert Burns, A Biography. Princeton University Press.
- Keats, J. (1819) Ode: To Autumn. In: Barnard, J. (ed.) (1988) John Keats: The Complete Poems. Penguin Classics.
- Vendler, H. (1983) The Odes of John Keats. Harvard University Press.
- Burns, R. (1786) Written in October. In: Kinsley, J. (ed.) (1968) The Poems and Songs of Robert Burns. Oxford University Press.
[Word Count: 1023, including references]
