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  1. English
  2. Year 8
  3. Poetry
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Compare Poems on a Theme: 'To Autumn' and 'Ode to Autumn'

In this worksheet, students can compare how a common theme of autumn is explored in these two traditional poems.

'Compare Poems on a Theme: 'To Autumn' and 'Ode to Autumn'' worksheet

Key stage:  KS 3

Curriculum topic:  Reading

Curriculum subtopic:  Make Critical Text Comparisons

Difficulty level:  

down

Worksheet Overview

QUESTION 1 of 10

This worksheet will introduce you to two traditional poems on the theme of Autumn. The first is the first stanza from 'To Autumn' by William Blake and the other is the first stanza from 'Ode to Autumn' by John Keats.

 

 

******************


To Autumn


O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stain’d
With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit
Beneath my shady roof; there thou may’st rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe,
And all the daughters of the year shall dance!
Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.

 

- William Blake, 1783

 

 

******************


Ode to Autumn


Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells...

 

- John Keats, 1819

 

******************

 

 

Now answer the following questions.

Both of the poems refer to how much there is to eat and drink during Autumn. Which two of the following quotations mention wine?

laden with fruit

blood of the grape

maturing sun

jolly voice

fruit the vines

In both poems, flowers are important. Which word from the Keats extract suggests that new flowers are still growing, even at this time of year?

Shady roof (Blake) and thatched eaves run (Keats) both refer to what?

the garden in Autumn

a cosy house or cottage

a fruitful harvest

Fruit is frequently mentioned in both poems; which of these phrases comes from each poem?

 Blake poem Keats poem
mellow fruitfulness
laden with fruit
fill all fruit with ripeness
the lusty song of fruits
blood of the grape

In his poem, John Keats says:

For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells

 

The word over-brimmed is archaic (old fashioned). What do you think it means in today's language?

got rid of

filled up to the top

over taken

In William Blake's poem, there is a celebration happening. Tick the four words that work as evidence for this.

apples

tune

Autumn

shady roof

dance!

lusty song

fresh pipe

hazel shells

jolly voice

bees

Re-read this quotation from the John Keats poem:

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

 

Is the word conspiring used in a positive or a negative way in this extract?

positive

negative

The Sun and Autumn are described as conspiring together. Which literary device or technique does this description use?

From this extract in the Keats poem, choose two words which suggest that there is an abundance (lots of) food to go around.

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

swell

gourd

plump

hazel

shells

Match each summary below with the correct poem.

Column A

Column B

Keats' 'Ode to Autumn'
There is so much to go around, it will never end.
Blake's 'To Autumn'
Now is the time to celebrate!
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 1

Both of the poems refer to how much there is to eat and drink during Autumn. Which two of the following quotations mention wine?

CORRECT ANSWER
blood of the grape
fruit the vines
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 2

In both poems, flowers are important. Which word from the Keats extract suggests that new flowers are still growing, even at this time of year?

CORRECT ANSWER
budding
EDDIE SAYS
The word 'budding' suggests that some flowers are still just coming to life.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 3

Shady roof (Blake) and thatched eaves run (Keats) both refer to what?

CORRECT ANSWER
a cosy house or cottage
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 4

Fruit is frequently mentioned in both poems; which of these phrases comes from each poem?

CORRECT ANSWER
 Blake poem Keats poem
mellow fruitfulness
laden with fruit
fill all fruit with ripeness
the lusty song of fruits
blood of the grape
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 5

In his poem, John Keats says:

For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells

 

The word over-brimmed is archaic (old fashioned). What do you think it means in today's language?

CORRECT ANSWER
filled up to the top
EDDIE SAYS
'Over-brimmed' means to fill something right up to the top or brim, so that it spills over.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 6

In William Blake's poem, there is a celebration happening. Tick the four words that work as evidence for this.

CORRECT ANSWER
tune
dance!
lusty song
jolly voice
EDDIE SAYS
Tune, dance, lusty song and jolly voice all tell us there's a celebration.
Using short quotations like this within your writing will provide strong evidence when writing an essay.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 7

Re-read this quotation from the John Keats poem:

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

 

Is the word conspiring used in a positive or a negative way in this extract?

CORRECT ANSWER
positive
EDDIE SAYS
It is positive because the Sun and Autumn are 'conspiring' how to 'load and bless', i.e. how to give lots of food for the people to have at harvest time.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 8

The Sun and Autumn are described as conspiring together. Which literary device or technique does this description use?

CORRECT ANSWER
personification
EDDIE SAYS
It is personification, because neither the Sun nor Autumn can really have these human characteristics.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 9

From this extract in the Keats poem, choose two words which suggest that there is an abundance (lots of) food to go around.

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

CORRECT ANSWER
swell
plump
EDDIE SAYS
Both 'swell' and 'plump' suggest that there is lots of food.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 10

Match each summary below with the correct poem.

CORRECT ANSWER

Column A

Column B

Keats' 'Ode to Autumn'
There is so much to go around, it...
Blake's 'To Autumn'
Now is the time to celebrate!
---- OR ----

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