How does Keats convey the theme of death and rebirth through death in “Ode to Autumn?”

Among the six wonderful odes of Keats to autumn occupies a distinct place of its own, for it is, in execution, the most perfect of his odes. Keats explores the themes of life in death and death in life in ‘Ode to Autumn’ through the imagery, metaphoric language and philosophical ideas used in the poem. 

The concept of death is subtle, it is implied as an underlying tone of the poem. Autumn itself signifies ‘shedding off’ which metaphorically stands for death. Autumn is a part of the year as old age is of life. Keats has accepted autumn and connotatively old age as natural real life changes. The human forms to which autumn takes shape in the second stanza is then moving on to the real activities taking place around, in the third stanza.

To Autumn portrays Keats’s attitude as almost in appreciation or awe of the inevitability of change and death due to the re-birth that follows as shown with the unexpected lively sounds of crickets and red breasts whistling. The poet uses different imagery to show the gradual time

change. 

The ‘soft dying day’ is compared to the ending of the season. The small insects and crickets sing a “wailful choir” at the end of the day/season. Peace is in the soft music of nature as there i contentment in the old age while being nostalgic about youth (“where are the songs of Spring?”) then rebirth occurs and this cycle begins once again. Change is both beautiful and

natural.

Although the poem contains only three stanzas, Keats has been successful in expressing the beauty, charm, the symphony of autumn and ageless human activities in the lap of nature. The poem blends living and dying, the pleasant and unpleasant because they are inextricably one; he

accepts the reality of mixed nature of the world.