For example, at the end of four of the lines, the use of assonance also contributes to the languid sensation offered to the reader:.
" thatch-eaves-, " cottage-trees", " for the bees" and " will never cease".
This is in addition to the use of double vowels, which also evokes a sluggish feeling:.
"load", "round" and "gourd".
Also in the first stanza, the poet presents a new concept of autumn to the reader by articulating what the season does:.
Autumn is a "Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun, Conspiring with him", devising ways for the trees, and vines to bear fruit and flowers. The technique used here is personification; autumn is given a human quality of conspiring/scheming. Through this the reader can relate to its behaviour and therefore understand and appreciate it.
The reader is also introduced to autumn as a season that brings life (another theme) and hope, "filling fruit with ripeness" and providing "flowers for the bees". The word "bless" accentuates this due to the symbolism of religion (i.e. God gives life). Words such as "mellow", "apple", "core", "plump" and "swell" also enhance the life and innocence of autumn, not only in terms of meaning, but also in terms of pronunciation (e.g. p-lum-p). This gives a penetrative sense to the poem.
The theme of life is also shown in the poet's grammatical uses. In the first stanza, for example, the poet uses the present participle of verbs such as "maturing", "conspiring" and "budding" to evoke continuation/living. The infinitive of verbs, such as "to load", "to bend", "to swell" and "to set" are used to denote "now"/living. The poet's use of enjambment also evokes a sense of continuity:.
" more, // And still more-.
This stanza, as a whole, is crammed full of descriptions and imagery to enhance the reader's feeling of the autumn season. The extensive use of these images is referred to even by Keats" himself with the use of the word "clammy" on the last line of the stanza, with reference to the beehive, as well as suggesting an excessive dose of description.
