On the Grasshopper and the Cricket

John Keats

Background

Keats was born in England in 1795 and died of tuberculosis when he was just 25, by which time he had composed an astonishing amount of powerful poetry. This particular sonnet was written when he was 21. It is in the Petrarchan or Italian form of the sonnet with an octave (here quite clearly divided into two quatrains) and a sestet, without a rhyming couplet at the end. Like Milton, who also used this form, he wrote sonnets about many different subjects, not specifically, as early sonnet writers tended to, about love.

The poem was written as a response to a sort of competition between himself and his great friend, Leigh Hunt, as to who could write the best verse, in a short time, on a specified topic. Keats won on this occasion, although he generously avowed that he preferred the other poet’s attempt.

The structure of this poem is extremely important.  Students need to count the syllables of each line and work out very carefully the rhyme scheme.  This is a Petrarchan sonnet, lines 1,4,5 and 8 rhyme with each other.  The word dead, for example, would have been pronounced with more northern English accent, perhaps more similar to modern Scots.

As the rhyme scheme changes there will be some small shifts in tone and meaning.  This especially apparent between lines 8 and 9.  This shift is reflected in the layout of the lines;  they seem to walk across the page – what is the effect of this?

Meter of the poem is important – rhythm and pauses: students need to practise  a reading to subtly emphasise the natural pauses and stresses.  This is a very finely wrought poem so we can fairly assume the poet has made no mistakes with his intentions.

Subject:  what is the difference between a  grasshopper and a cricket?  It`s related to the time of day they are most active: how is this reflected in the poem and why do you think the poet has chosen this subject?

Tone and mood – there are two distinct moods in the poem.  Students should identify them, explain the diction which has evoked them and then explain the effect of the juxtaposition.  They may be guided by the contrast of “hot sun”, with “the frost”. 

Repetition and sound – this is an extremely rich aspect of this beautiful poem.  The first lines of the octave and sestet mirror each other.  Whet effect does this have and why has Keats changed line nine slightly?  What is the effect of the alliterative consonants (for example, “faint with the hot sun”) and the assonance of the vowels (“hide in cooling trees”)?  There are some sounds which reflect the sound of the grasshopper and we hear these in the closing line of the poem.  Perhaps that has an effect of circularity – why is this?

Look for as many striking sound features as possible and try and explain their effects.

Overall, what is the effect of the poem?  What kind of sentiment is Keats trying to communicate and has he done a good job?