Concetti Chiave
- Wordsworth found inspiration in the natural beauty of the Lake District and believed in the French Revolution, but financial constraints forced him to leave France and his beliefs.
- His collaboration with Coleridge on "Lyrical Ballads" was pivotal, emphasizing poetry as an expression of spontaneous feelings and focusing on children's connection to nature.
- Wordsworth's Romantic Manifesto advocated for poetry in common language, accessible to all, portraying poetry as an outpouring of emotions.
- Nature, for Wordsworth, is multi-faceted: a peaceful countryside, a source of inspiration, and a life-force enabling communication with humans.
- In "I Wondered Lonely as a Cloud," Wordsworth explores meditation and imagination, finding pleasure in nature's simplicity and his inner reflections.
Childhood and Inspiration
He was born in the Lake District, an area where he was inspired by its natural beauty. In France he believe in French Revolution, and was in love with Annette Vallon, but lack of money forced him to leave France, so he was disappointed because he had to leave also his political beliefs and Annette. His friendship with Coleridge was important to romantic poetry, because they both wrote Lyrical Ballads, which contained the PREFACE, Wordsworth’s romantic manifesto, contains his idea of poetry as spontaneity of feelings. Wordsworth wrote poems on children’s feelings, because the child was closer with nature, differently from the adult, that has lost his harmony with nature. So he believes in the pre-existence of the soul and that the soul after birth loses its harmony, knowledge.
In lyrical ballads Wordsworth contributed on common events written in a common language, while Coleridge on exotic and fantastic nature.
Romantic Manifesto of Wordsworth
In the Wordsworth’s PREFACE, THE ROMANTIC MANIFESTO, there are his poetical ideas:
• He wanted to create a poetry accessible to all men, so he write with a common language and of ordinary themes.
• He is a poet who speak to another man, he has a more imagination, so he wants to tell to another man every thing he knows.
• Poetry is an explosion of poet’s feelings.
What is the Meaning of Nature for Wordsworth?
Nature can mean many things to Wordsworth:
• Nature as the countryside, where mountains, lakes and other things are opposed to the city’s noise. The scene is populated by nature, not by men.
• Nature as a source of inspiration
• Nature as a life-force and man seems to communicate with the nature .
I WONDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD
This poem is often called daffodils ( a yellow flower with a long stem, common in spring). Wordsworth was working in the Lake District with her sister Doroty, but in this poem he says “I wandered lonely as a cloud”, LONELY, but lonely because he is in meditation, he tries to be in contact with nature so he feels alone. He looks all these daffodils moved by the wind, he compares them initially to a crowd, then to the stars that shine and move their heads in a dance. Then he compares them also to the waves but he feels that the comparison with the stars is better. At last, he says “pensive mood”, so he says again he’s in meditation, on his couch, on his sofa. And the daffodils flash upon his inward eye (for the romantic there’s an internal eye, the imagination), so he feels pleasure.
The last stanza is the most important because emotion recollected in tranquility, his creative act happens in a process of: contemplation, loneliness at home, pensive mood, and poetic creation.
The language is very common.
His condition of loneliness is positive because he wants to be in contact with nature, he wants to reach infinite.
Domande da interrogazione
- How did Wordsworth's early life and experiences influence his poetry?
- What is the significance of Wordsworth's "Romantic Manifesto" in the PREFACE to Lyrical Ballads?
- How does Wordsworth perceive nature in his poetry?
- What role does solitude play in Wordsworth's creative process?
Wordsworth's early life in the Lake District inspired his love for nature, which became a central theme in his poetry. His experiences in France, including his political beliefs and relationship with Annette Vallon, also influenced his work, although financial constraints forced him to leave these behind.
Wordsworth's "Romantic Manifesto" in the PREFACE outlines his poetic ideals, emphasizing poetry as an expression of spontaneous feelings, written in common language about ordinary themes, making it accessible to all.
Wordsworth views nature as a source of inspiration, a life-force, and a contrast to urban life. He believes nature facilitates communication with the soul and is essential for poetic creation, as seen in his poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud."
Solitude is crucial for Wordsworth's creativity, allowing him to meditate and connect with nature. This process of contemplation and emotional recollection in tranquility leads to poetic creation, as illustrated in the final stanza of "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud."
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