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Jessica Rodriguez Essay

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The Romanticism in Wordsworth

Romantic poetry has very distinct details which set it apart from previous poetry. William Wordsworth’s poem, “I Wandered Lonely As A
Cloud,” is full of the Romantic characteristics which were so different during that time.

The poem begins with the speaker “floating” along, as though he or she were a cloud, when he or she spots a “crowd/ …, of golden daffodils”
(Wordsworth, 3,4).

The speaker goes on to describe the daffodils and the lake that is beside them. The images of the daffodils return to mind during a difficult time , and cheers him up. It is important to note that the speaker is speaking in first person. As this is a commonly used technique in romantic poetry, it is easy to assume …show more content…

In the first line of the poem, the speaker is metaphorically referred to as a cloud. Then, the speaker’s feelings are transmitted onto the daffodils, actually giving the daffodils his feelings. By doing this, the reader can associate his or her own feelings in a similar manner. It allows the reader to envision exactly how the speaker is feeling. This type of reverence for nature is a strong characteristic of Romantic poetry.

Another important Romantic element used in this poem is the emotional one in human beings. This poem is full of emotion on the part of the speaker. He even views the daffodils as having such emotion. There is a progressive change, even an emotional maturity, taking place in him based on what is happening in the poem. The speaker speaks first of his loneliness which later turns to joy. Then, while in a depressed state, is able to return to that bliss by the simple remembrance of what he saw.

Romanticism also focuses on the desire to understand what influences the mind. In the final stanza, the speaker’s loneliness is, once again, pushed away by the remembrance of the dancing daffodils. The speaker has discovered that by him associating with nature, he can change the tone of the “inward eye” (21). Memory, as is important in this poem, serves a great purpose. It allows one to simply forget what is happening in one’s life for just a moment, and reflect on something that brought peace and meaning at one

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