Concetti Chiave
- The poem expresses wonder and amazement at natural phenomena, like a rainbow, enduring throughout human life.
- The phrase "the child is the father of the man" is pivotal, with interpretations related to religious symbolism or the life cycle.
- This line could reference Jesus as both son and father, or the generational cycle where children become parents.
- The poet's final wish is for his days to be united by natural piety, highlighting human interconnectedness.
- "Piety" is linked to the Roman concept of pietas, emphasizing love and compassion shared between individuals.
Central concept of the poem
In this poem, written by one of the most important authors of the romantic age in England, William Wordsworth, it’s expressed the concept that, while human life is spending and man grows up, there will be forever the astonishment for a natural phenomenon like a rainbow in the sky. In this poem there is also a very important line where the poet says that “ the child is the father of the man “: there are different interpretations of the line. In fact this line could refer to Jesus that is the son of God and at the same time father of the whole human genre, or could refer to the cycle of the life where the son becomes father and his sons become fathers too.
Final desire of the poet
At the end of the poem there is also the wish of the poet that wants that all his days will be bound by the natural piety: with this image he wants to express the concept that men should be bound each to each. Besides the word “ piety “ refers to the Roman concept of pietas, the love and the pity between two people.
Domande da interrogazione
- What is the central theme of William Wordsworth's poem?
- How does the line "the child is the father of the man" contribute to the poem's meaning?
- What is the poet's final wish in the poem?
The central theme of the poem is the enduring wonder of natural phenomena, such as a rainbow, and how this astonishment persists throughout human life as one grows up.
The line "the child is the father of the man" suggests different interpretations, such as the religious reference to Jesus or the life cycle where a son becomes a father, highlighting the continuity and growth inherent in human life.
The poet's final wish is for all his days to be bound by natural piety, expressing the desire for human connections to be intertwined with love and compassion, akin to the Roman concept of pietas.