"Autumn" is a Romanticism poem because its is figuratively about nature and autumn. As a characteristic of Romanticism poetry, "Autumn" has a standard iambic pentameter and is very rhythmic and easy to read. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow literally wrote about a rich, fancy, and golden kingdom with "bright silks" in his poem. Figuratively Longfellow is talking about the season of autumn and how the colors are very "rich" and "bright" as the leaves turn colors and decorate the trees and the ground. After all "the wind, scatters the golden leaves" around during autumn. The "red harvest moon" that is above the farmers in the kingdom is another representation of autumn as the red harvest moon occurs in the fall. The moon appears to be an orange-ish color because of the way the light reflects from the atmosphere. In the fall, the farmers are harvesting their crops and the dust that is kicked up from the soil eventually floats up into the atmosphere, altering the color of refracted light from white to orange. That is why it is called the harvest moon. Adding to this representation of autumn, Longfellow adds that the farmers ask for a "blessing of the farms" during the harvest moon, which symbolizes the desire for a good harvest of crops to make money and support their families.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a Romanticism author. I know him from writing "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" which is another Romanticism poem because it celebrates freedom, but Longfellow takes his inspiration from the myth and legend that Paul Revere was and immortalized the man in the poem. "Autumn" is a Romanticism poem because of the symbolic nature theme as well as implies different symbolic meanings with the poem. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow celebrates American nature with his ode to autumn and to the harvest time. With his "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" he celebrates America's past, people, and freedom. He is a Fireside Poet because his poetry has that warmth and inviting to the American people characteristic. Autumn is a happy time as farmers are harvesting their crops and the leaves are falling, and everything looks beautiful.
Cooley, Keith. "Orange Moon." Moon Facts and Information. Web. 09 Dec. 2011.
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. "Autumn." Bartleby.com. Web. 09 Dec. 2011.
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