William Wordsworth is regarded as one of the top three
poets in English literature, along with William Shakespeare and John Milton. He
is the pioneer and founder of the Romantic Movement in English literature. Few
poets have devoted their lives so entirely to the promotion of poetry.
Wordsworth is particularly renowned for emphasizing the significance of nature
in his works. To him, nature did not merely represent the natural world but
much more than that.
Wordsworth’s poetry is significant because it presents a
constant portrayal of nature. Nature is not just a part of life but has its own
existence and life. Nature is not just trees, water, and picturesque
landscapes, but also has a spirit and an existence of its own, apart from human
beings. Wordsworth believes that people should not forget this aspect of nature
and should communicate with it by considering it as their own counterpart.
We all know that nature can inspire poet to write poetry.
However, Wordsworth believes that nature can have a highly active influence on
a poet’s life rather than having a passive one. According to him, it can help
to create powerful emotions in the mind of a poet and when the poet think of it
can create powerful poetry. Wordsworth believes that it has happened to him
that after experiencing a beautiful event or scene in nature, he returned home,
recollected the emotion in tranquility and composed very good poems. In fact,
Wordsworth thinks that nature can play a very active role throughout the entire
poetic process.
Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey” is an excellent poem that
mainly deals with memory and nature. This poem is a reflection of the change of
emotion in the poet. Five years ago, he visited the place, and he visited there
again. He notices a significant change between these two visits. When he first
visited, he experienced and made some wonderful memories in his youth. He did
not think much about the relationship between humans and nature; rather, he
just experienced and enjoyed the beauty of nature in that place. However, after
five years, he comes to understand that there is a certain kind of bond and
emotion attached to the place in his mind. He is also aware that during his
current visit, he will discover new aspects upon seeing the place again. He has
described things in a very simple yet beautiful manner and believes that people
should foster a relationship with nature.
Wordsworth’s poem “It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and
Free” is a remarkable piece of poetry. In fact, it is a sonnet and perhaps the
best sonnet written by him. It is an emotional poem in which he reflects on
nature in a very calm and peaceful manner. It was a beautiful evening, and the
place was very quiet and peaceful, like a nun. The poet realizes that the
beauty of the place evokes a sense of heavenly bliss in his mind, and he
perceives nature as divine. In this poem, the poet finds a relationship between
nature and God, and he believes that nature is an essential component of God.
Wordsworth brought a new trend to poetry and had a
significant influence on the Romantic poets who followed. While some of them
appreciated his ideas, others did not. Byron, Shelley, and Keats were among the
other Romantic poets who contributed their own styles. Coleridge, a close
friend of Wordsworth, also differed with him regarding the role of nature in
both human life and poetry. However, it is undeniable that William Wordsworth
was a pioneer in emphasizing the role of nature in both human life and poetic
expression.
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