Evaluate Keats as a poet of sensuousness with reference to his poem “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 and richness of autumn through vivid sensuous images.

Keats as a Poet of Sensuousness : Keats is called a poet of sensuousness because he gives strong pleasure to our senses. He describes nature in such a way that we can almost see, hear, smell, taste and touch it. Keats expresses his sensuousness in “To Autumn” through various elements. They are:

• Visual Beauty of Nature (Sense of Sight)

• Musical Beauty of Nature (Sense of Hearing)

• Sweetness of Nature (Sense of Taste)

• Fragrance of Nature (Sense of Smell)

• Warmth and Softness of Nature (Sense of Touch)

• Vivid Sensuous Imagery

• Sensuous Language and Music

• Natural Abundance

Visual Beauty of Nature (Sense of Sight) : Keats creates beautiful pictures of autumn through colourful images. We see ripe fruits, flowers, fields and the golden sunlight. He describes,

“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”

which gives us a clear picture of the beautiful autumn landscape. The whole poem looks like a beautiful painting of nature.

Musical Beauty of Nature (Sense of Hearing) : Keats also presents the sounds of autumn. We hear the songs of birds, the buzzing of insects and the bleating of lambs. He writes

“And gathering swallows twitter in the skies”

to show the pleasant sound of birds. These natural sounds create a soft and pleasant music.

Fragrance of Nature (Sense of Smell) : The poem gives us a feeling of the sweet smell of autumn. The ripe fruits, flowers and fresh fields suggest a pleasant fragrance. Thus, Keats also appeals to our sense of smell.

Sweetness of Nature (Sense of Taste) : Autumn is presented as a season full of ripe and delicious fruits. Apples, grapes, gourds and hazelnuts suggest sweetness and rich taste. These images make us imagine the taste of autumn.

Warmth and Softness of Nature (Sense of Touch) : Keats presents the warm and soft feeling of the autumn season. The warmth of the sun and the softness of ripe fruits create a pleasant physical feeling. Thus, the sense of touch also becomes important in the poem.

Vivid Sensuous Imagery : The poem is full of vivid sensuous images. Expressions like “mists and mellow fruitfulness” create a rich picture of autumn. These images make nature appear alive before our eyes.

Sensuous Language and Music : Keats uses soft and musical words throughout the poem. Words like “mellow”, “soft” and “budding” create a pleasant sound. His beautiful language gives the poem a sweet musical quality.

Natural Abundance : Keats shows autumn as a season of great richness and plenty. Fruits become ripe, flowers bloom and the fields are full of crops. This picture of natural abundance makes autumn attractive and joyful.

Conclusion : To sum up, it is vivid that John Keats’s “To Autumn” perfectly explores the sensuous beauty and richness of autumn. Through the five senses, vivid imagery and musical language, Keats makes nature beautiful and enjoyable. Thus, the poem proves that Keats is truly a great poet of sensuousness.