This Week in Literary History: John Keats Writes “To Autumn”
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.
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.
An ode is a type of lyrical poem that expresses strong emotions, often praising a person, place, thing, or idea. Keats wrote six odes in 1819, including To Autumn, which are now considered masterpieces of English Romantic poetry. The Romantic period in literature (roughly 1785–1832) emphasized emotion, nature, and individualism, contrasting with earlier, more formal styles. Keats, who died at age 25 in 1821, did not live to see his work gain widespread recognition. His odes, including To Autumn, were published anonymously in 1820 and later attributed to him. Today, Keats is remembered as one of the key figures of the Romantic movement, alongside poets like William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
*To Autumn* is structured in three stanzas, each exploring different aspects of the season. The poem personifies autumn as a close companion to the sun, describing the abundance of harvest and the ripening of fruits. Keats uses vivid sensory imagery, appealing to sight, sound, and touch, to evoke the richness of autumn. For example, he writes about the 'moss'd cottage trees' and the 'winnowing wind' that scatters the grain. The poem also reflects on the cyclical nature of life and time, themes common in Keats' work. Autumn, in the poem, is both a time of fruition and a gentle reminder of the approach of winter and the end of life's cycles.
