WORDSWORTH AS A POET

NAMRATABA ZALA Semester: 1 Roll No.: 27 Enrollment No.:

2069108420170033 Batch: 2016-2018 S. B. Gardi Department

Of English Bhavnagar University

About William Wordsworth

Wordsworth’s poetry exhibits Romantic characteristics and for his treatment towards romantic elements, he stands supreme and he can be termed a Romantic poet on a number of reasons.

Romanticism The Romantic Movement of the early

nineteenth century was a revolt against the classical tradition of the eighteenth century; but it was also marked by certain positive trends. Wordsworth was, of course, a pioneer of the Romantic Movement of the nineteenth century.

Characteristics Imagination Where the eighteenth

century poets used to put emphasis much on ‘wit’, the romantic poets used to put emphasis on ‘imagination’. Wordsworth uses imagination so that the common things could be made to look strange and beautiful through the play of imagination.

Characteristics In his famous “Intimation Ode", it seems

to his as to the child "the earth, and every common sight" seemed "appareled in celestial light". Here he says,

"There was a time when meadow, grove and stream,The earth and every common sight,To me did seemAppareled in celestial light"

Characteristics Nature Wordsworth is especially regarded as a

poet of nature. In most of the poems of Wordsworth nature is constructed as both a healing entity and a teacher or moral guardian. Nature is considered in his poems as a living personality. He is a true worshiper of nature: nature's devotee or high priest. 

Characteristics “Rolled sound in earth's diurnal

course,With rocks, and stones, and trees.” A slumber did my spirit seal

“ Ten thousand saw I at a glanceTossing their heads in sprightly dance.The waves beside them danced, but theyOut-did the sparkling waves in glee: -A poet could not but be gayIn such a jocund company!I gazed - and gazed - but little thoughtWhat wealth the show to me had brought.” Daffodils

Characteristics Subjectivity  Subjectivity is the key note of Romantic poetry. He

expresses his personal thoughts, feelings through his poems. In “Ode: Intimation of Immortality” the poet expresses his own/personal feelings.

 Here he says that he can't see the celestial light anymore which he used to see in his childhood. He says,

"It is not now as it hath been of yore;-Turn wheresoever's I may,

By might or day,The things which I have seen I now can see on more."

Characteristics Humanism The romantic poets

had sincere love for man or rather the spirit of man. Wordsworth had a superabundant enthusiasm for humanity. He was deeply interested in the simple village folk and the peasant who live in contact with nature.

That is it…