ode to autumn-1.pdf

Page 1 of 2 Sensuousness in “Ode to Autumn” The term ‘sensuous’ usually refers to the enjoyment and delights borrowed from the senses. Sensuousness is that quality which is derived from fiv...

Page 1 of 2 Sensuousness in “Ode to Autumn” The term ‘sensuous’ usually refers to the enjoyment and delights borrowed from the senses. Sensuousness is that quality which is derived from five senses- sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. It is a way of perception through five senses. A sensuous poet uses those word pictures that help the reader to understand the sights and sounds expressed or suggested in a poem.John Keats is best known for his use of such images that appeal to human senses. For this reason, he is often called a sensuous poet. In the three stanzas of “To Autumn” Keats presents three different sets of images appealing to three different senses. “To Autumn”, thus, very strongly reflects Keats’ sensuousness. The first stanza of “To Autumn” mainly appeals to the sense of taste. The poem opens with a rich picture of Autumn in the mind. “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom friend of the maturing sun;” Here autumn is a season of “mellow fruitfulness”. The vines, laden with the clusters of the thatch roofed country houses. The juicy grapes appeals to the sense of taste of the readers. Similarly, the apples, the gourd, the hazelnuts and honey bring water to the mouths of the readers. Though these images at first appeal of the sense of sight, they ultimately appeal to the sense of taste. The second stanza appeals to the sense of sight. Keats personifies ‘Autumn’ and presents it as a country woman to convey an idea about Autumn’s occupations. Autumn, in the shape of a woman, is seen on a granary floor, sitting carelessly while her disordered hair is soft lifted by the winnowing wind. Sometimes, she is found in deep sleep on a half reaped cropland.At some other time, she is found to wade across a hilly brook taking the load of a gleaner on her head. She is also found to work patiently with her cider-press to collect juice from the fruits.  Page 2 of 2 Thus, autumn has several occupations that can be seen with our eyes. In other words, Autumn is a woman appeals to our sense of sight very vividly. The third stanza deals with the sense of hearing. The poet says- “Where are the songs of spring? Ay, where are they? Think not for them, thou hast they music too,………” In describing autumn, the poet alludes to the season of spring. Autumn does not have the song of spring. But she has her own music. There is the wailful choir of small gnats, which directly appeals to our sense of hearing. Then there are lambs ‘bleating, the songs of the hedge-crickets, the whistles of redbreast, the twittering of the swallows that appeal directly, to the sense of hearing. In conclusion we can say that in this poem, Keats uses various sense perceptions to catch the beauty of the season. Keats also uses clear cut images which appeal to our sense of taste, sight and hearing. “To Autumn” is, thus, a highly sensuous poem. In his ode “To Autumn” Keats describes the richness and wealth of nature during the time of Autumn in such a way that it proves the strength of his sensuous imagination. So, we can say that Keats is a sensuous poet.