Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Do you think we can know for sure that autumn is a woman in Keats's poem? Does it make a difference what gender he/she is?
- Do you agree with critics who claim that this poem doesn't really have much to say? Is there a "message" in "To Autumn"? If so, what is it?
- Why do so many people think the poem is pretty darned perfect?
- Does the end of the poem provide any resolution? Is there any "conflict" to speak of in the poem?
- Does this poem challenge any of the traditional associations that people have with autumn, or does it reinforce them? Explain.
- Does "To Autumn" feel spontaneous, as though Keats jotted it down furiously after taking a walk, or does it feel meticulous and planned?
- Why is the poem considered to be one of the "great odes"? Could you make an argument that it's not an ode at all?