The Lucy Poems Themes

Grief and Loss

Though he is not inclined toward grand displays of emotion, the speaker
relays his grief over Lucy's death. She died young, and he never could
have anticipated such a sudden loss. The speaker first hints at loss in
"Strange fits of passion have I known" before announcing her death in
"She dwelt among the untrodden ways." In a sense, the youth and
innocence of his beloved are what make her death both seemingly
appropriate and torturous. Having died young, her memory had no time
for corruption in Wordsworth's mind. From his perspective, she will always
remain a recently matured, graceful, and innocent figure, though the grief
over her loss is immense.
Youth and Maturity
In his contemplations of love for Lucy, the speaker often returns to the
fact of her youth. In "Three years she grew in sun and shower," he
remembers watching her grow up from girl to woman in a short amount of
time. He devotes much time to describing how her body changed, her
impulses lessened, and her intelligence grew. Finally, this maturity seems
odd in regards to her death. In death, she appears so much younger still.
"A slumber did my spirit seal" describes the seeming absurdity of such a
premature death, though she was not a child.
Loyalty Through Memory
Throughout this cycle of poems, the speaker relays his memories to the
reader. Lucy is a powerful image of his past that still haunts him in the
present. In a sense, the speaker attempts to prolong and continue his
devotion to her in life by so ardently preserving her memory. To him, this
is an act of loyalty. Thus memory becomes the key to understanding
poems like "She dwelt among the untrodden ways." The speaker is forever
linking this time in his life when he knew Lucy with his truest self and his
greatest memories. In "I travelled among unknown men," he goes one
step further, comparing his fidelity to England and commitment to
remaining in his homeland forever to his love for Lucy and his
commitment to preserving her memory.
Eternal Love
While Lucy may have died young and before the speaker ever had a
chance to have a life with her, she remains his beloved. Through
recollections of her, the speaker conveys how lovely she was and how her
memory has impacted his life. Lucy's existence solidified his loyalty to his
home country of England, making the speaker a great lover of both a
woman and his native land. While the age of the speaker is unknown, the
speaker nonetheless relays the passage of time through his travels. This
creates the impression that he is no longer a young man himself, and thus
has been carrying a torch for his beloved Lucy for many years now.
Romanticism
The poem is a typical example of Romantic poetry. The way nature is
glorified as a serene, magnificent place is a hallmark of this period. in
addition, Lucy's portrayal as a virtuous, beautiful country girl also
suggests that she had this character because she lived in a place that was
far away from society. In Romantic works, society is often depicted as a
source of corruption.
Self-Awareness
The speaker demonstrates a sharp self-awareness throughout the cycle of
poems. In "Strange fits of passion have I known," he may be enamored
with his lover but he is also aware of his deep fears and anxiety over the
thought of losing her. He takes the image of the dropping moon to be a
wake-up call, making him reflect upon how much he loves Lucy. Later in
the cycle, he talks about how his travels abroad made him appreciate his
homeland more and that he would honor his love for Lucy and his country
by never leaving again. In the final poem, he acknowledges that his spirit
had been asleep when thinking that Lucy would never really die, and now
he must accept the reality that she is gone.
Innocence and Fragility
Lucy is frequently compared to various natural elements that are fragile: a
rose, a violet, a fawn, etc. She is an innocent creature who lives quietly
and peacefully away from society, yet nature itself ultimately destroys her
by taking her away very young. She plays a passive role in the poem
cycle, suggesting that she had no real power over her life and that she
was always subject to the indifference of other people and ultimately the
cruelty of nature.

The Lucy Poems Summary and Analysis of

"Strange fits of passion have I known"
Summary
Stanza 1: In the first stanza, the speaker describes how he has
experienced a feeling to which he refers ambiguously as “strange fits of
passion.” He claims that he would only share these experiences with his
lover and no one else, while nonetheless confiding in the reader.

Stanza 2: The speaker reveals that he had a lover who looked “fresh as a
rose” every day. He describes how at some point in the past, he made a
trip to her cottage. The speaker describes a nocturnal setting with the
poem’s first reference to the moon.

Stanza 3: The speaker continues to describe his journey that evening. He

gazed upon the moon as well as the meadow he was crossing. His horse
continued to ride faster and faster toward his lover’s cottage, bringing him
closer to the beloved paths that would lead him to his lover.

Stanza 4: The speaker continues the narrative by describing the presence

of an orchard, seemingly bringing him closer to his lover’s home. He
climbs the hill leading to her cottage. As he does so, the moon appears to
both lower in the sky and approach the speaker. With every step, the
speaker is brought closer and closer to his lover.

Stanza 5: The speaker marks a somewhat sudden shift in his narrative by

referring to a dream. He describes sleeping in a sweet dream that nature
had blessed him with, but it is not clear at first whether he is referring to
his night ride as dreamlike or is drifting off to sleep as he rides. In the
second half of the stanza, he clarifies that in any case, he managed to
keep his eye on the moon that continued to descend in the sky.

Stanza 6: The speaker continues his narrative by stating that his horse
edged closer to Lucy’s cottage, step by step. As the cottage grows near,
the speaker relates that the moon that had been descending slowly
suddenly dropped from view behind the cottage.
Stanza 7: The speaker responds to the shock of seeing the moon
disappear from sight. He states that all kinds of thoughts can possess a
lover’s mind. Some are joyful, while others seem to come from nowhere
and may be less than promising. Upon this realization, he cries out loud in
a moment of desperation. He wonders out loud how he would feel if his
beloved Lucy were to die.

Analysis
In the first stanza, the speaker sets a romantic, mysterious tone from the
poem’s outset. The use of the word “strange” tells the reader that the
speaker cannot quite understand these fits of passion—they are as much
a mystery to him as they are to the reader. Furthermore, the word
“passion” is ambiguous in meaning. As the poem clearly makes
references to love, one might say that the speaker has experienced
extreme feelings of love and sensual desire that he would only dare
whisper in his lover’s ear. Ironically, the speaker creates an intimate
ambiance between his lover and himself, all the while sharing this
intimacy with the reader. Alternatively, the passion may refer to anxiety
or fear of losing his love. The use of the past tense with “befell” suggests
that the speaker is telling the story of a past time in his life, further adding
to the mystery. It is unclear whether the speaker is referring to a single
episode or a recurring feeling.

The second stanza establishes the romantic nature of the poem. The
speaker begins to describe the existence of a lover. His use of the past
tense with the word “loved” makes the reader wonder if the lover is still a
part of his life. It is impossible to know how far back in time the speaker is
describing. The simile of “fresh as a rose” portrays his lover as a beautiful
and virtuous woman. With the mention of “bent,” one is given a sense of
not only movement toward the woman’s home but also the speaker’s
gravitational pull toward the object of his love. The “evening-moon”
creates further mystery, as one wonders why he was going to see her at
night. The moon reference also creates a dream-like tone that later leads
the reader to question if the speaker indeed had such an experience, or if
he is describing a dream about his lover.
The third stanza continues to build the setting and atmosphere of the
poem. The speaker fixes his eye upon the moon as if it were a compass
leading him to his lover. The mention of the “wide lea” makes the speaker
seem small and vulnerable in the vastness of the natural landscape, with
only the light of the moon to guide him. The mention of his horse’s
“quickening pace” adds anticipation. The speaker is eager to see his lover,
and the reader is eager to learn where the narrative leads. With every
step, the horse brings the speaker closer to the land that signifies his
lover’s home.

In the fourth stanza, the mention of “the orchard plot”—as opposed to

“a”—appears to signify that the speaker is approaching a part of his
lover’s property and thus her cottage. The same is true for the mention of
“the hill,” indicating a hill that the speaker has likely climbed many times.
We are in familiar territory, and his lover is just around the corner. For the
first time, the reader learns that her name is Lucy. The speaker's
characterization of the moon shifts in this stanza. The mention of it
“sinking” gives a somewhat ominous vibe to the poem. It appears larger
and larger to the speaker—once again connoting proximity to his lover—
but it also suggests a disappearance. The moonlight guides the speaker,
and without it, one feels he will lose his way. One questions if a loss of
some kind is near or if the speaker will lose, figuratively speaking, the
compass of his life which is Lucy.
In the fifth stanza, the speaker’s mention of sleeping in a sweet dream is
at first puzzling for the reader. The speaker may be suggesting a
dreamlike feeling he had while riding to the cottage, brought upon by the
nocturnal setting. He describes the dream as nature’s “boon,” or blessing,
while giving nature a sense of importance by capitalizing the word.
Alternatively, one might say that he was falling asleep as he rode and
actually began to dream. In any case, he believes that nature is kind and
gentle by blessing him with something that is dear to him—perhaps Lucy
herself. By the second half of the stanza, he makes it clear that he kept
his eye on the moon as he rode and therefore never lost sight of where he
was going. The moon, however, is depicted as descending still. This
mention continues to suggest a gradual loss of something while creating a
somewhat ominous tone.

The poem reaches a climax in the sixth stanza. The speaker’s horse draws
closer and closer to the cottage, never losing momentum along the way.
“Hoof after hoof” gives the reader the feeling that he too is drawing closer
to the cottage, like the speaker and the horse. The speaker is in a familiar
setting, as indicated by familiar paths, the orchard, and the sight of Lucy’s
cottage. This momentarily puts him in a place of happy calm. However,
the mention of the moon abruptly wakes the speaker—and the reader—
from the gentle, dreamlike ambiance of the poem. With the words “at
once,” the speaker is given a sudden jolt during his ride, while the reader
is jolted by the sudden shift in narrative. The slowly descending moon is
described as dropping behind the cottage. The speaker no longer has
moonlight to guide him, and the ominous tone hinted at earlier with the
descending moon image is now strongly set in place. The sudden dropping
of the moon further implies the loss of something dear to the speaker.

In the seventh and final stanza, the speaker explains that the lover’s mind
is capable of thinking up all kinds of thoughts. The poem has so far shown
all the beautiful images that love conjures in one’s mind. However, the
speaker also acknowledges that some thoughts may be “wayward.” These
thoughts may appear out of the blue and with no real justification. The
connotation of this word implies that this kind of thought may be negative
and damaging to one’s hope. The latter half of the stanza describes the
titular strange fit of passion that the speaker experienced. Upon seeing
the moon disappear, the speaker has his own wayward thought that
wakes him up from the glowing, secure feeling of love he has been
feeling. He suddenly considers the prospect of losing Lucy, and the idea
makes him cry out loud in fear and despair. Somehow, the image of the
dropping moon signifies a loss. He has lost his direction and his light. If
Lucy is the light of his life, he now fears he may lose her as well. One
realizes in retrospect that her earlier comparison to a rose was a kind of
foreshadowing, as roses eventually wilt and die. The "strange fit of
passion" may therefore extend beyond feeling love for Lucy and may also
refer to the anxious thought of losing her one day.

The Lucy Poems Summary and Analysis of

"She dwelt among the untrodden ways"
Summary
Stanza 1: The first stanza begins with the speaker describing a maiden
whose identity is not yet specified. He relates how she lived in a remote
place where few people ever went. The speaker emphasizes that she lived
by the springs of Dove—an actual location in England. Despite the
peaceful description of her surroundings, the speaker reveals that she was
never praised and was unloved—a lonely figure.

Stanza 2: The speaker begins to describe the maiden in greater detail. He

compares her to a violet concealed by a mossy stone that no one really
cared to notice. He further compares her beauty to that of a star—
particularly, a single brilliant star shining in the sky. In a few words, the
speaker conveys the power of the maiden’s beauty.

Stanza 3: The third stanza repeats the fact that the maiden lived
unrecognized. Due to her solitude, few people could possibly know when
she ceased to exist. For the first time, the speaker reveals that the
maiden in question is Lucy and that she is no longer alive. This sad fact
tortures the speaker, who implies throughout the poem that he loved her.
Analysis
The tone of the first stanza is both melancholy and loving. The speaker
begins the poem by mentioning an anonymous woman. Within the context
of the Lucy Poems, the reader may surmise that the speaker is referring
to Lucy. However, by beginning the poem with the pronoun “she,” the
speaker seems to infer that his description of the young maiden could be
true for other maidens as well. Her life, in other words, mirrors those of
other young women in similar circumstances. The mention of “dwelt”
immediately sets the poem in the past, leading the reader to question
where the maiden is at present. “Untrodden ways” highlights the location
of the maiden’s dwelling, emphasizing that she lived in a place where few
people ever step foot. Nonetheless, the speaker mentions a real location—
the river Dove in England—to specify where she lived exactly. While most
scholars agree that Lucy was not based on a single woman from
Wordsworth's life, the exact location lends an air of mystery to the
subject’s real identity while also cementing the idea that such a sad story
could be true for many English women of the countryside. The word
“springs” also suggests purity, casting the maiden in a virtuous light. The
second half of the stanza reveals that no one ever praised this woman and
that very few people ever loved her. The tone shifts to somewhat loving at
this point, as the speaker appears sympathetic toward her. At the
moment, it is not clear whether he loves her. Curiously, the reader is left
to wonder how the speaker knows this information about the woman,
especially if she lived in a place where very few people ever go. In some
way, he managed to notice her when others failed to do so.

In the second stanza, the speaker conjures images typical of Romantic

poetry. By comparing the maiden to a flower, the reader immediately
understands the depth of her beauty. (The comparison to the violet also
parallels the speaker’s comparison of Lucy to a rose in “Strange fits of
passion have I known”). However, the mention of the violet by a mossy
stone also implies that, like a small flower obscured from view by a mossy
rock, the maiden also went unnoticed. She was “half hidden” from the eye
of the public, suggesting that she was very alone despite her beauty and
purity. It was easy to overlook her, like a diamond in the rough. The
speaker’s further comparison to a star gives the maiden a heavenly
quality. This angelic depiction also has a foreboding undertone,
insinuating that the maiden is too lovely for the mortal world and may not
even be alive. The simile reveals that she is not only beautiful—she is the
single loveliest star in the sky. Nothing else can compare.

The third stanza begins with a repetition of the fact that Lucy went
unnoticed in life. This depiction of beauty and frailty going unnoticed is a
prominent theme in Romantic works. Lucy’s description further suggests
that she went unrecognized because she was an innocent country girl and
not a woman of the city—another Romantic example of the purity of
nature versus the corruption of society. Because she was pure, Lucy
suffered. The second half of the stanza reveals the sad truth that Lucy is
in fact dead. She was so isolated that very few even noticed her passing
or could tell exactly when it occurred. The sudden shift to the present
tense with the mention of her grave brings the speaker to confide in the
reader that, while Lucy may not have mattered to others, she mattered to
him. The “difference” of her being gone now brings him to despair. The
poem essentially illustrates the life cycle with its early references to
nature and the conclusion that Lucy is no longer alive. The ballad is
therefore also an elegiac poem.

The Lucy Poems Summary and Analysis of

"I travelled among unknown men"
Summary
Stanza 1: The poem begins with the speaker describing his travels. He
explains that he once travelled among men unknown to others—in other
words, among people in foreign lands. He travelled extensively, as the
places he visited were beyond the sea of his homeland. The speaker
concludes the stanza by stating that he did not realize his love for England
until he travelled to other places.

Stanza 2: The speaker goes on to describe his voyage as a melancholy

dream, marking an abrupt shift in tone. He claims that his travels
occurred in the past, and he does not intend to leave the shores of
England a second time. He does not wish to leave again as he still feels he
loves England more and more as time goes by.

Stanza 3: The speaker details how he enjoyed being in England in the

past. He specifies that he was happy in the mountains of the country
where he felt the joy of his “desire.” In the second half of the stanza, it
becomes clear that the object of his desire was a woman who would turn a
wheel—perhaps a spinning wheel—beside the fireplace. The poem’s tone
becomes nostalgic once again.

Stanza 4: The speaker continues to address England directly, describing

the passage of time. He explains how the morning light revealed Lucy’s
cottage, while the nights concealed it. He emphasizes that Lucy played
there, evoking a sense of joy in her life. He concludes the stanza and the
poem by saying that England’s green fields are also the last place that
Lucy saw, insinuating that she passed away there.
Analysis
The speaker has a somewhat nostalgic tone in the first stanza. With the
mention of “unknown men,” the reader understands that the speaker
travelled beyond his homeland to a foreign place where men are unknown
—presumably, to English people. In the second half of the stanza, the
speaker addresses England directly as if it were a person. He claims that
he did not know how much he loved this country—his presumed homeland
—until he travelled abroad. The use of the word “bore” implies a certain
heaviness—a heart that is full of love for England.

In the second stanza, the shift in tone builds a sense of foreboding,

implying that the travels abroad are somehow linked to a sadness the
speaker carries. Indeed, “melancholy dream” is a kind of oxymoron as the
word “dream” often has a positive connotation. For reasons unknown, the
speaker’s travels were tinged with sadness. The speaker uses a
convincing, firm tone when stating that he will not leave England again
because he feels he loves the country more and more. Curiously, he uses
the word “still” when describing this sentiment. The diction implies that
there might be a reason why he shouldn’t love England as he did before,
yet he still does.

In the third stanza, the speaker’s reference to nature is typical of

Romantic poetry. Nature is described as a safe haven where he was
once happy living in the mountains. This implies that being away from city
life is partly what brought him calm. He then elaborates on his joy by
describing a “desire” which is revealed to be a woman. He uses
affectionate language when he explains how he not only loved her, but
truly cherished her. The mention of a wheel may be considered both literal
and figurative. She may have used a spinning wheel while seated by the
warmth of the fire—a calm image of a woman living a simple domestic
life. Figuratively speaking, the wheel may represent the circle of life, when
considered within the context of the poems as a cycle. It was revealed in
“She dwelt among the untrodden ways” that the speaker’s beloved Lucy
is now dead. Thus, if the woman sitting before the fire is Lucy—which the
reader presumes her to be—the wheel may represent the circle of her life.
In the fourth stanza, the speaker romanticizes both nature and England
itself. The depiction of time as described through the mention of morning
and night once again makes a reference to the life cycle—the sun rises
and the sun sets, just as people live and die. The idea of sunlight
revealing the place where Lucy spent her days gives her life a bit of hope
and joy—in stark contrast with the otherwise solitary life described in
earlier poems of the cycle. The speaker says that she “played” in her
“bowers,” suggesting that in spite of her solitude, she still managed to
feel some happiness during her life. However, when the sun set, her home
was concealed from view, casting her existence into darkness. The
speaker ends the poem on this somber note, stating in a bittersweet tone
that England’s green field—a symbol of life and beauty—was the last sight
Lucy surveyed. His beloved therefore died looking at the vibrant
countryside around her that ironically symbolized vitality.

The Lucy Poems Summary and Analysis of

"Three years she grew in sun and shower"
Summary
Stanza 1: The stanza begins with the speaker narrating in the third
person. The speaker describes a female growing “in sun and shower”—in
a natural setting. Nature is then personified and quoted as finding the
girl so beautiful that it decided to take her and make her its own.
Stanza 2: Personified Nature continues to explain how it plans to nurture
the growing girl. It will be her guide, setting rules for her and allowing her
to indulge in impulses as well. The girl will be closely connected to all
things in nature, living among them in harmony. Nature will further have
the power to oversee the girl’s actions and choose when her decisions and
desires should be kindled and when they should be restrained.
Stanza 3: In the third stanza, Nature begins to portray the girl as a free
spirit. Nature describes her as dynamic, comparing her movements to
those of a fawn. She is given an almost superhuman strength as she is
depicted leaping across fields and hiking through mountains. At the same
time, Nature claims that she will also learn to experience and understand
calm.

Stanza 4: Nature describes the girl in a peaceful setting. The clouds are
depicted as pillows offering her rest and comfort, and the willow tree
offers her shade. When storms may arise, she will be able to see grace
and exude it—she will be molded into a maiden who can weather a storm
with poise and compassion.

Stanza 5: Nature expands on the earlier vivid references to natural

elements. It claims that the maiden will be close to the stars, and she will
listen closely to the secrets of the universe. She will hear the beautiful
sound of running water and understand their murmurs as they whisper
their truths to her.

Stanza 6: In this stanza, Nature elevates the maiden to the status of a

fully mature and idealized woman. The energy of life that pulses through
her will make her stand tall and fill her heart with joy. Nature states that it
will instill such thoughts in Lucy’s mind and live with her happily in the
small valley that is her home.
Stanza 7: The initial speaker concludes Nature’s monologue. He states
that after describing its desires for Lucy, Nature's work was done. He then
cries out that Lucy’s “race”—her life—was run too soon, telling the reader
that she died young. Once she died, she left the speaker the natural
environment she once inhabited, as well as the memory of all she was and
experienced, but will never be or feel again.

Analysis
Unlike the previous poems in the "Lucy" cycle, this poem features a
personified nature as a main speaker. The initial speaker recounts how a
young girl grew up in the nurturing environment of “sun and shower”—
creating an image of a child who thrives. After three years, however, the
speaker claims that Nature—personified as a proper noun—spoke up
regarding the young girl. Nature is quoted as comparing the girl to a
flower, just as flowers also need sun and rain to thrive. It claims that she
is so beautiful that it wishes to “take” her. The description of a “child”
portrays the girl in an innocent light. The use of the word “take” initially
suggests an aggressive move—as if nature wanted to possess her through
kidnapping, or even end her life. However, the last two lines make it clear
that Nature did not intend to kill her but still wanted to possess her. It
wanted to take the girl under its wing and make her even more
extraordinary by grooming her into a lovely “Lady” of its own creation.

The second stanza depicts nature as a parent or teacher figure. This

representation is typical of Romantic literature, suggesting that nature
can educate us by showing us how to live. Nature claims that it will be
“both law and impulse,” indicating that it will guide the girl through her
impulses while also helping her curb them to follow the laws, or rules, of
life. The mention of various natural elements shows the girl’s oneness
with nature. She will live in the wild, in harmony with her environment.
Nature regards her as one of its creations. Interestingly, there is a
reference to “earth and heaven,” insinuating that the girl is still mortal
like any living being. One may question if the reference to heaven
pertains to her angelic qualities or perhaps serves as a kind of
foreshadowing regarding her eventual death. In any case, Nature states
that the girl will feel an “overseeing power” guiding her, ensuring that any
desires that should be kindled are tended to while others that should need
restraint are held back. Nature will govern her as she discovers life.

In contrast to the second stanza, the third stanza depicts the girl as
active, spontaneous, and more independent. Nature seems to say that,
although it will keep a close eye on her, it will also allow her to express
herself and embrace her vitality in full. She will be as “sportive” as a fawn,
leaping across the meadows. She will have the energy and the drive to
climb mountains. At the same time, her energy and movement are
contrasted with silence and calm. Nature’s mention of “breathing balm”
implies that she will also learn the importance of slowing down, breathing,
and finding calm after going on adventures. Muteness will be good for her
spirit and is necessary to existing happily in nature. Despite her vitality,
she is capable of being tamed. As in the previous stanzas, natural
elements are contrasted (earth/heaven, sun/shower) but also shown to be
in harmony. All these elements coexist and together encompass life.

The vivid descriptions of natural elements in stanza four are characteristic

of Romantic poetry. Nature is the poet’s muse, and the young woman in
the poem—the speaker’s beloved Lucy—is the embodiment of this muse.
She is intertwined with nature, depicted as resting calmly in the clouds or
finding shade under a willow. She is as vital and inspirational as all the
elements of nature to the Romantic poet. The “storm” may represent the
trials of life, inferring that the woman will learn to handle conflicts
gracefully and come out the other side with her dignity intact. By
weathering such storms, she will grow into a young maiden and will no
longer be a little girl. Thus, life experience will help her mature and show
“silent sympathy,” or compassion, to those around her. Alternatively, the
storm may serve as a metaphor for the poet’s creative process. The muse
must learn to go with the motions of the storm, allowing itself to be tamed
and governed just as Lucy is by nature.

In stanza five, Nature casts the maiden in a celestial light as she is

described as communing with the stars. Personified Nature portrays
Lucy's connection to the stars as an intimate bond, once again implying
that somehow she may be linked to the afterlife. She is depicted as being
so in tune with Nature that she is privy to its every rhythm—from the glow
of the stars to the movement of the rivulets. The reference to rivulets, or
running water, also evokes an image of purity. Nature claims that the
maiden will “lean her ear,” or listen closely, in secret places where such
clear and beautiful water dances. The sound the water makes is like a
murmur, allowing the maiden to have a conversation with it. Her
closeness to the water’s beauty will allow her to soak up that loveliness
herself, once again putting her in harmony with nature.

The use of the word “vital” in the sixth stanza’s first line highlights the
energy of the poem. The maiden is portrayed as alive, strong, and full of
joy. Ironically, the reader learns for the first time that the maiden
described is indeed Lucy, and the reader knows that she has actually
passed away and thus no longer bears any vitality. Nonetheless, Nature
builds her up to be larger than life, taking on a large stature like a
goddess or supernatural being. The mention of her “virgin bosom”
swelling further accentuates the idea of a virtuous woman being filled with
joy and reminds the reader that Lucy is an innocent and proper maiden.
Nature then adds that it will give Lucy reason to think happy thoughts,
enabling her to live serenely in her valley in perfect coexistence with all
the natural elements. If one views this stanza through a Romantic lens,
one might say that Lucy and her environment are idealized as
uncorrupted and pure—away from the evils of society. Lucy is the
embodiment of spiritual and even physical enlightenment.

The last stanza marks the end of Nature’s monologue regarding its
admiration for Lucy. The speaker does not indicate how long Lucy lived,
but he makes it clear that Nature at some point made decided to end her
life. It gave her a calm, peaceful life and yet it was cruel enough to take it
away from her when she was young. The energy of Lucy’s movements
described earlier in the poem contrasts here with the image of the “race”
that was run too soon—one can picture Lucy burning out from exhaustion
after running free. By passing away, Lucy has left the speaker to ponder
the reason for her short life. While Lucy’s solitude is sometimes depicted
in a pleasant light, the speaker’s loneliness is weighed down by the pain
of losing her. He is left with a “calm and quiet scene,” yet he is tormented.
There is no joy to be found in being in the very spot where Lucy lived. He
is haunted by the memory of what “has been”—whether they be his own
experiences or hers. Whatever good may have once existed in that place
will never exist again. If Lucy is viewed as the poet’s muse, one might say
that the source of inspiration has died and he will never be able to create
as he once did. The idealistic descriptions mentioned earlier in the poem
thus contrast with the stark reality which is revealed at its conclusion.

The Lucy Poems Summary and Analysis of

"A slumber did my spirit seal"
Summary
Stanza 1: The speaker recounts in a somber yet lucid tone how his spirit
had been in a dreamlike state, sealed off from reality as if it were asleep.
During this time, he did not fear anything in the way a person normally
would—insinuating that he had no worries about his beloved. He goes on
to explain that he did not feel any fear as his beloved seemed to be
ageless and therefore immortal.

Stanza 2: In a calm and somber tone, the speaker reveals Lucy’s present
condition. He describes how she no longer possesses the vitality portrayed
in earlier poems. She no longer has any senses, and she has no life force
whatsoever. She has now returned to nature; she is aging with the rocks,
stones, and trees and has become one of them.
Analysis
As the last poem in the "Lucy" cycle, this poem has an elegiac tone and
feels like a kind of requiem. The speaker has acknowledged that Lucy is
indeed gone, and he explains his ignorance about the fact of her mortality
by stating that his spirit was sealed off from reality. He was so enchanted
by his beloved Lucy that he seemed to live in an alternate reality where
she lived in eternal happiness on this earth. Her early passing has thus
woken him up from this sleep, giving him a jolt of painful reality. The
mention of “earthly years” indicates that the speaker somehow regarded
Lucy as supernatural. He truly believed that time did not affect her—she
was more heavenly than earthly, untouched and unaffected by any mortal
concept of time. Ironically, this heavenly quality also meant that she was
indeed mortal—he was right to think that she was not of this earth, but
sadly this also meant that eventually, she belonged to the next world.

The speaker has a calm and decisive tone in the second stanza. There is
none of the excessive sentiment that we find in the earlier poems of the
cycle. The speaker understands fully that Lucy is gone, but one can feel
that he is still stunned and saddened by this fact. His succinct words imply
these feelings. In sharp contrast to the vibrant Lucy of the earlier poems,
Lucy is now depicted as lifeless. She has no energy left in her. She cannot
hear the whispers she once heard in the running water or see the
stunning natural landscape where she once lived. The third line of the
stanza depicts her as part of the very earth she once inhabited. She is
“rolled” into the earth, just as other dead creatures are. The mention of
the planet’s “diurnal course” also indicates that she was subject to the
passage of time like all other creatures. She was not ageless after all, for
time eventually passed and marked the end of her life. Interestingly, the
speaker no longer compares Lucy to fragile natural elements such as
flowers or animals. While plants and animals decompose, rocks, stones,
and trees—despite being subject to the passage of time—do not age or
die in the same manner. Thus, by stating that she is now in the company
of rocks, stones, and trees, the speaker is suggesting that she has now
cemented her place in the earth and has become a permanent part of it.
She may be gone, but she is now eternally part of nature.

The Lucy Poems Symbols, Allegory and

Motifs
The Moon (Symbol)
In “Strange fit of passion I have known,” the poet is on a journey to Lucy’s
cottage as the moon slowly sinks in the sky. When the light disappears
entirely and the moon sinks from view, the entire tenor of the poem
suddenly changes and the journey screeches to a halt with the poet’s
sudden fear of Lucy’s unexpected death. The moon thus becomes a
symbol of Lucy’s brilliance, illuminating the poet’s life. Darkness falls for
him when she actually does die.
The Shrinking Violet (Symbol)
In “She dwelt among the untrodden ways,” Wordsworth makes ample use
of symbolism to create a portrait of Lucy. He portrays her as "a violet by a
mossy stone / Half hidden from the eye!” This figurative language
contrasts with the more literal descriptions of her in the same poem as a
woman who was unknown in life and unnoticed in death.
The Mossy Stone (Symbol)
In “She dwelt among the untrodden ways,” the violet is half-hidden by a
mossy stone. While the stone may represent things or people in life that
overshadow true beauty, it may also symbolize a tombstone. Thus, the
mossy stone becomes yet another symbol of death in a collection of
verses that perpetuate images about the life cycle.
Sleep (Symbol)
In "A slumber did my spirit seal," the image of sleep symbolizes death.
While the speaker talks of being in a dreamlike state that prevented him
from accepting the reality of Lucy's mortality, the image of slumber
nonetheless serves as a reference to Lucy's passing.

Lucy Herself (Symbol)

There has been much speculation about who the real-life inspiration of
Lucy might have been, while others adhere to the perspective that Lucy is
entirely what she seems to be: an ideal of a woman rather than a real
person. Throughout the poems, Lucy takes on the advantages of a perfect
memory that seems to exceed even the idealization of the memory of an
actual person. An interesting aspect of the "Lucy Poems" is that, although
the poet suggests that his life forever changed following Lucy’s death, the
language of his memory is no way elegiac and never strives to reach for
grand exhibitions of emotion. The poems are, in fact, remarkably austere
and emotionally restrained given the profound effect the poet claims
Lucy's loss had upon him.

The Lucy Poems Literary Elements

Speaker or Narrator, and Point of View
The poems in the collection are narrated by a first-person
narrator. As a result of this narration technique, the reader
is given an intimate understanding of the speaker's
thoughts.
Form and Meter
The poems are written in an iambic pentameter. All of the
poems have an ABAB rhyme scheme, with the exception of
"Three years she grew in sun and shower" which follows an
AABCCB rhyme scheme.
Metaphors and Similes
"Fresh as a rose in June" in "Strange fits of passion have I
known" (simile): In one of many nature comparisons, Lucy
is likened to the freshness and vitality of a summer rose.
This also suggests her fragility and eventual mortality.
"A violet by a mossy stone" in "She dwelt among the
untrodden ways" (metaphor): Lucy is compared to a violet
whose beauty is obscured by a stone. In life, beautiful
things—or people—may be overshadowed and
underappreciated, just as Lucy was.
"Fair as a star" in "She dwelt among the untrodden
ways"(simile): Lucy is compared to the loveliest shining
star in the sky, further suggesting that she has a celestial
quality and is therefore mortal.
"A lovelier flower/ On earth was never sown" in "Three
years she grew in sun and shower" (metaphor): A
personified nature claims that Lucy is the most beautiful
flower on earth.
"Sportive as the fawn" in "Three years she grew in sun and
shower" (simile): Lucy's vitality is demonstrated through
this image of her leaping freely as a fawn would.
Alliteration and Assonance
"A second time; for still I seem" in "I travelled among
unknown men" (alliteration)--The "s" sound creates a soft,
melodic sound that reflects the contentment of the
speaker.
"The sinking moon to Lucy's cot/Came near, and nearer
still" in "Strange fits of passion have I known" (alliteration):
The repeated "s" sound in "sinking," "Lucy," and "still"
creates a gentle, harmonious effect.
"In one of those sweet dreams I slept" in "Strange fits of
passion have I known" (alliteration): The "s" sound creates
a gentle, dreamlike tone once again.
"Hoof after hoof" in "Strange fits of passion have I known"
(assonance): The repeated "o" vowel sounds mimic the
sound of the horse trotting along.
"Half hidden from the eye" in "She dwelt among the
untrodden ways" (alliteration): The repeated "h" sound
makes the words difficult to pronounce together, showing
how Lucy being hidden from view was perhaps
uncomfortable and unfortunate for her.
"To love thee more and more" in "I travelled among
unknown men" (assonance): The long "o" sound in "more"
flows well and creates the image of a perpetuating love.
"This Child I to myself will take" in "Three years she grew in
sun and shower" (assonance): The quick succession of long
"i" sounds in "child," "I," and "myself" makes the line
awkward to pronounce, mirroring the awkwardness of
nature claiming Lucy as its own.
"By silent sympathy" in "Three years she grew in sun and
shower" (alliteration): The repeated "s" sound creates a
gentle effect, mirroring Lucy's graceful demeanor.
"A slumber did my spirit seal" in "A slumber did my spirit
seal" (alliteration): The repeated "s" sound creates a soft,
dreamlike atmosphere.
Irony
In "Three years she grew in sun and shower," nature takes
Lucy under its wing to make her the most beautiful
creature that ever existed. It describes her repeatedly as a
vital being, only to let her die prematurely.
In "Strange fits of passion have I known," the speaker
states that he would only whisper his thoughts in a lover's
ear. Yet, he is sharing this statement with the reader and
allowing the reader to be privy to all his intimate thoughts
and feelings.
Genre
lyrical ballad; Romantic poetry
Setting
Mostly the English countryside, as well as inside the mind
of the speaker.
Tone
Somber and pensive, with touches of passion and anger.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Lucy and the speaker are the protagonists, antagonized by
nature and death.
Major Conflict
The speaker has to deal with the loss of his beloved Lucy.
While he is tormented by her passing, he also seems to
revel in her memories. The vicious cycle of alternating
sadness and joy when thinking of her makes it difficult for
the desolate speaker to move on in his life.
Climax
The poems reach their climax when it is revealed that Lucy
died while still young and that the poems were written in
her memory and to preserve her presence.
Foreshadowing
In "Strange fits of passion have I known," the slowly
descending moon creates a foreboding tone and seems to
signify something bad to come. By the poem's conclusion,
the speaker wonders what he would do should Lucy die. In
the following poem, "She dwelt among the untrodden
ways," it is revealed that she has indeed passed away.
The frequent references to Lucy as a flower or animal
throughout the poem cycle foreshadow her mortality, as—
like all living creatures—she must also die one day.
Understatement
In the first three stanzas of the poem "She Dwelt among
the Untrodden Ways," the narrator claims Lucy's death
would have not affected anyone since she was not a
remarkable person. This is an understatement, as the
narrator admits that his life was forever transformed upon
her death.
Allusions
Metonymy and Synecdoche
"Unknown men" in "I travelled among unknown men"
represents people in foreign lands outside of England.
Personification
In "Three years she grew in sun and shower," nature is
personified and given a significant voice.
In "Strange fits of passion have I known," the orchard-plot
and the hill represent Lucy's land and therefore her home.
Hyperbole
In "She dwelt among the untrodden ways," the lines, "Fair
as a star, when only one /Is shining in the sky" exaggerate
Lucy's beauty by making her the fairest woman of all.
Onomatopoeia
"Hoof after hoof" in the poem “Strange fits of passion I
have known” may be considered an onomatopoeia for the
sound of a horse trotting.