In contrast to the scientific rationalism and
empiricism of the Enlightenment, Romanticism revived
medievalism and emphasized emotions and individualism.
William Wordsworth was one of the most important figures in
British Romantic poetry in the early nineteenth century. His
poems celebrated the glories of Nature and the human spirit
while using the simple language of the common man. “The
self”, “memory” and “place” were three remarkable key
themes in his poetry. Although they seem highly
Interrelated, I will try to explore them separately throughout
my essay in order to emphasize their importance in the
attainment of Wordsworth‘s emotional compensation and
poetic development.
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If one considers that poetry has to be regarded as self-
expression, and as the realization of the relation between a
poet and his world, then it is no surprise that “the self”
becomes its central matter. Following romantic ideals,
Wordsworth was very concerned with exploring the intangible
experiences of Nature that contributed to his self poetic
development. In fact, the expansion of the concept of “the
self” has become increasingly prominent in Wordsworth’s
revisions of his epic autobiographical poem entitled
“Prelude». The 1805 version started as “the mind of man is
framed even like the breath and harmony of music” while the
1850 version began much differently as “Dust as we are, the
immortal spirit grows like harmony in music”
Though both express similar ideas, they differ in their focus.
He first observes himself as a mortal man confined by
experience, then he realizes that “the self” is no longer
bounded by time and particular experiences.
Becoming aware of the immortality of mortals, Wordsworth
overcomes his personal and spiritual loss .He eventually
manages to decipher the process of human growth and the
compensation it brings about. This new vision of the self
helped the poet to move from a state of loss, confusion and
disillusion to an eventual state of tranquility, recovery and
even recompense.
It is obvious that the crisis of the self is extremely
necessary for the poet to go on and opt for imaginative
compensation. At this level no one can deny the essential role
of “memory” in Wordsworth’s self-recovery and salvation.
Memory helps the poet to revive the past, maintain
connections and have access to the “intimations of
Immortality.” For instance, in poems like "Line Composed a
Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" and "I wandered lonely as a
cloud" Wordsworth is very happy in nature ,but he becomes
even happier when he realizes that he never actually has to
leave his memories behind. Once he has returned to the daily
gloom of the city, he will be able to remember the time he
spent among nature and make himself happy again: "And then
my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils."
As Wordsworth begins to consider his own mortality memory
is again a huge comfort, because he realizes that even after his
death , he will be able to live on in the memory of his family
and friends. Wordsworth is especially heartened to know that
his sister Dorothy, with whom he spent countless hours, will
remember him fondly, carrying him with her wherever she
goes.
Because there is no doubt that for a romantic poet nature is the
right place to be, Wordsworth devotes thousands of lines of
poetry to celebrate “The Lake District” where he grew up and
spent most of his life. “The lake District” formed part of his
identity as a “wanderer among the woods and fields ‘,
a “mountain youth” and a “northern villager “, as he refers to
himself in his poetry.Wordsworth’s intellectual development
owes a great deal to the region in which he was born. Thus,
locations in his poetry are remarkably layered with memories,
emotions and stories. In fact, the importance of “the place” for
him is not only limited to his native land but it also includes
London, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.
His experiences at Cambridge and other places played an
essential part in reinforcing his love of his native country
where, as he writes: “If we meet a face, we almost meet a
friend”.
As a conclusion, Nature was by far the biggest
theme in Wordsworth‘s writing as it offers him an invaluable
opportunity to develop his poetic self and reach his spiritual
maturity. It provides him with “the touch of gold which
transforms into lightness and radiance the most commonplace
details” as Geoffrey Durrant writes in his book entitled
“William Wordsworth”.
