Winter As A Positive Connotation In Robert Southey's Winter

In Robert Southey’s “Winter”, the poet depicts winter as a positive connotation. Although

is made out to seem like the old, grumpy man, it is a grandfather-type who enjoys the unity that

the season brings.

In the beginning of the poem the poet says, “A wrinkled crabbed man they picture thee,”

meaning all the people that see winter imagine him as a mean old man but if you stop to look

around you see the closeness and bondage the season brings. Winter sits atop his great armed

chair watching the children celebrate Christmas but he also sees the bad things winter brings. He

talks about, “Or circled by them as thy lips declare some merry jest or tale of murder dire.”

saying basically he surrounds the people as they sing happy songs