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This Week in Literary History: John Keats Writes “To Autumn”

Literary Hub· 14 septembre 2026

This first appeared in Lit Hub’s Literary History newsletter—sign up here. On September 19, 1819, after walking along the River Itchen in Hampshire, England, the 24-year-old poet John Keats—who had, earlier that year, completed “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” “Ode to a

Résumé

Keats' Inspiration

On September 19, 1819, the English poet John Keats, aged 24, wrote the poem To Autumn after taking a walk along the River Itchen in Hampshire, England.

This date marks the poem's creation, which later became one of his most celebrated works.

Keats was already known for completing other famous odes earlier that year, such as Ode on a Grecian Urn and Ode to a Nightingale.

The poem To Autumn is part of a collection of six odes Keats wrote in 1819, a period often called his 'Great Odes' year.

The poem reflects Keats' deep appreciation for nature and its seasonal cycles, capturing the essence of autumn in vivid imagery.

Hampshire, where Keats walked, is a county in southern England known for its rural landscapes, which likely influenced the poem's themes.

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