The Golden Transformation Begins
Picture this: you're having a normal evening at home when your husband suddenly gains the power to turn everything he touches into gold. That's exactly what happens to Mrs Midas on a late September evening, and it's the beginning of the end for their marriage.
The poem opens with a peaceful, domestic scene - Mrs Midas is unwinding with wine while dinner cooks. The relaxed atmosphere and warm kitchen imagery create a stark contrast with what's about to unfold. When she spots her husband in the garden snapping twigs that turn golden, her world changes forever.
The destructive nature of Mr Midas is established immediately - he's literally breaking things, which foreshadows how he'll break their relationship. The pear tree metaphor represents their growing life together, but when he casually plucks the pear (knowing it will turn to gold), it shows his complete lack of care for what they've built together.
Key Point: The seasonal setting of autumn symbolises things coming to an end - particularly their relationship.
