Analysis of Loneliness, Nature, and Death in "She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways" by William Wordsworth
The poem "She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways" by William Wordsworth explores the themes of loneliness, nature, and death through the story of a woman named Lucy. The poet vividly describes Lucy's secluded existence, her beauty akin to a hidden violet, and the impact of her death on his own life. Through a series of stanzas, the poem delves into the idea of unnoticed lives, the beauty of nature, and the profound effect of loss. With thought-provoking imagery and emotional depth, Wordsworth captures the essence of solitude, nature's beauty, and the eternal impact of death.
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She dwelt among the untrodden ways William Wordsworth Date: Objectives 1. Introduce the poem. 2. Examine the theme of Loneliness , Nature and Death (This could also be a poem with a special meaning for you or with interesting images) Warm up picture on next page I see, I think, I wonder
Warm-up I see, I think, I wonder.
She dwelt among the untrodden ways By Willam Wordsworth She dwelt among the untrodden ways Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise And very few to love: A violet by a mossy stone Half hidden from the eye! Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky. She lived unknown, and few could know When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, The difference to me!
She dwelt among the untrodden ways By Willam Wordsworth Exercise 1: First Impressions She dwelt among the untrodden ways Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise Pick one line from the poem that stands out to you. And very few to love: A violet by a mossy stone Half hidden from the eye! Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky. Write it down. Explain your choice to a partner, then share with the class. She lived unknown, and few could know When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, The difference to me!
Notes stanza one There was once a girl who stayed in a beautiful area not many people knew of. Nobody complimented her and only a few people loved her. This is all in the past tense so we know straight away something has happened. Questions: Who might have loved her? Why would she have no praise? She dwelt among the untrodden ways Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise And very few to love:
Notes stanza 2 A violet is a symbol of innocence, modesty and mourning because it blooms close to the ground and is hard to see. The single star could be Venus; the mythical Goddess of Love or a bright star. Question: What are the poet s feelings towards this woman? Discover what compliments are here to understand. A violet by a mossy stone Half hidden from the eye! Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky.
Notes Stanza 3 Lucy may not have affected many people but the poet noticed her. It feels like a shame that this bright and beautiful person was not recognised by others however this poem tries to correct that. Question: Is her death a big difference to him? Should anyone have to feel like Lucy must have? She lived unknown, and few could know When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, The difference to me!
Questions: Remember quotes. 1.How is Lucy described by the poet? 2.How does the poem make you feel and why? 3.Would you recommend this poem to a friend and why?
Homework part 2 Learn the first stanza She dwelt among the untrodden ways Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise And very few to love:
She dwelt among the untrodden ways By Willam Wordsworth She dwelt among the untrodden ways Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise And very few to love: A violet by a mossy stone Half hidden from the eye! Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky. She lived unknown, and few could know When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, The difference to me!
She dwelt among the untrodden ways William Wordsworth Date: Objectives 1. F.L.I.R.T. With the poem like a beautiful woman. Form. Language. Imagery. Rhyme/Rhythm. Theme/tone. Warm up picture on next page I see, I think, I wonder
She dwelt among the untrodden ways By Willam Wordsworth Warm-up exercise She dwelt among the untrodden ways This poem has two titles: Beside the springs of Dove, Lament for Lucy A Maid whom there were none to praise And And very few to love: She Dwelt Among the A violet by a mossy stone Untrodden Ways. Half hidden from the eye! Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky. Which is beter in your opinion? Explain your choice and She lived unknown, and few could know reference a line in the poem in When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, your answer. The difference to me!
Notes Form or structure (note everything) How does it look? Do the shape or size of stanzas relate to the poem? Why was it structured this way? She dwelt among the untrodden ways is a small poem with three short stanzas. This mirrors the life of Lucy which appeared simple and was unfortunately short. Question: Can anyone explain what an elegy is?
She dwelt among the untrodden ways By Willam Wordsworth Quick Questions She dwelt among the untrodden ways Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise And very few to love: Do you think the language is A violet by a mossy stone difficult? Half hidden from the eye! Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky. How many words have more than one syl-la-ble? She lived unknown, and few could know When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, The difference to me!
She dwelt among the untrodden ways By Willam Wordsworth Quick Questions She dwelt among the untrodden ways Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise And very few to love: 71 words A violet by a mossy stone 10 multi-syllable Half hidden from the eye! 61 monosyllable Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky. Result looks simple... She lived unknown, and few could know When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, The difference to me!
Notes Language note this down What examples of interesting language can you find? Why has the poet chosen these words? The language also mirrors Lucy s simple beauty. It has ordinary words which can be looked at more closely and have deeper meaning behind them. Question: Are there any words in the poem you find particularly interesting? Any you have opinions on?
She dwelt among the untrodden ways By Willam Wordsworth Quick Questions She dwelt among the untrodden ways Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise And very few to love: Point out one metaphors and one A violet by a mossy stone simile in the poem. Half hidden from the eye! Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky. She lived unknown, and few could know When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, The difference to me!
She dwelt among the untrodden ways By Willam Wordsworth Quick Questions She dwelt among the untrodden ways Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise And very few to love: Point out one metaphors and one A violet by a mossy stone simile in the poem. Half hidden from the eye! Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky. She lived unknown, and few could know When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, The difference to me!
Notes Images How does the poet paint a picture? Is there a metaphor, simile, adjective, or other device which creates an image? The poet uses metaphors and a simile to describe the girl. She is likened to a flower and a star. (Notes from last class.) Question: Are the images effective?
Notes Rhyme and Rhythm Does the poem have a rhyme or rhythm? Are the stressed words important? Are there any sound techniques? The poem sounds like a sweet song or nursery rhyme due to the simple rhyming scheme and complex sound techniques. It is a quatrain with several examples of alliteration, assonance and consonance. Question: Find these examples?
Notes Theme How would you describe the main ideas or message of the poem? What is it trying to tell the reader? By the end of the poem, we feel sorry for this interesting woman who had been neglected and ignored. We may learn the lesson to appreciate others; both those who praise us and those who need praising. Did anyone take anything else away from this poem?
Homework Copy the poem into your notes with images beside it. Remember, the point is to help you learn the poem so choose images you see as being linked to the words.
She dwelt among the untrodden ways By Willam Wordsworth She dwelt among the untrodden ways Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise And very few to love: A violet by a mossy stone Half hidden from the eye! Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky. She lived unknown, and few could know When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, The difference to me!
