Analysis of Wordsworth's Poem 'Daffodils': Nature and Solitude
Explore the beauty of William Wordsworth's poem "Daffodils" which vividly describes a serene encounter with nature, specifically daffodils beside a lake. The poem reflects the poet's deep connection with nature and the joy it brings, emphasizing the bliss found in solitude and the lasting impact of natural beauty on one's soul.
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DAFFODILS DAFFODILS By William Wordsworth
I Degree General English Poetry Prepared by V. Lydia Vedam, M.A., M.Ed. Lecturer in English, JMJ College For Women, Tenali.
About Wordsworth Wordsworth stands supreme as a nature poet. Born at Cockermouth(England) in the year 1770, he spent his childhood amidst nature. He was sent to St. John s College, Cambridge, 1787. After his return from France he stayed with his sister and Coleridge. He got married in 1802.
I wandered lonely as a cloud I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and That floats on high o'er vales and hills, hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they Outdid the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed and gazed but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. And dances with the daffodils.
Mood of the Poem Daffodils: The poem goes through a gradual shift..from wandered lonely and pleasures fill. This in actual reflects Wordsworth s life. The feeling of loneliness was marked by the death of his brother John. Dorothy had been a great sister to Wordsworth and also Wordsworth got married in the same year 1802 (his second marriage). These life events were actually responsible for Wordsworth s actually happiness in his life and thus correlates with Daffodils.
The poem was written in the year 1802. It was first published in Poems in Two Volumes, in 1807. The very starting line of the poem I wandered lonely as a cloud informs the poets profound sentiments of being left alone. It was actually the death of his brother John that led him to loneliness . We should remind the readers that this poem was not a result of imagination. Dorothy, Wordsworth s sister provides us an explanation of the occasion which inspired Wordsworth to produce this masterpiece: When we were in the woods beyond Gowbarrow park, we saw a few daffodils close to waterside. Thus the poem is a result of actual visualization rather than imagery .
William Wordsworth was an avid(passionate) observer of nature. In this poem, he describes the impression a cluster of daffodil flowers created in his mind when he saw them while taking a stroll beside a lake hemmed(surrounded) by some trees.
STANZA 1 .. The The beauty beauty of of the the daffodils daffodils lifted lifted his his mind mind and and his his spirit spirit. . His His imagination imagination and and his his poetic poetic instincts instincts came came to to the the fore(nearest) fore(nearest). . He He could could see see himself himself as as a a cloud cloud floating floating past past the the golden golden- -coloured coloured daffodils daffodils on on the the ground ground where where some some trees trees stood stood beside beside a a lake lake. . The The flowers flowers were were swaying(swinging) swaying(swinging) in in the the breeze breeze. . This This gentle gentle movement movement enhanced enhanced their their attraction attraction. .
STANZA STANZA 2 2.. .. The The daffodils daffodils were were numerous numerous in in number number. . They They seemed seemed to to stretch stretch in in an an endless endless line line. . The The poet poet felt felt as as if if they they were were like like the the twinkling twinkling stars stars in in the the Milky Milky Way Way. . Clearly, Clearly, the the poet poet has has been been profoundly profoundly enchanted(delighted) enchanted(delighted) by by the the daffodils daffodils beauty, beauty, accentuated(highlighted) accentuated(highlighted) by by their their alternating alternating swaying swaying movements movements. . The The flowers, flowers, appearing appearing full full of of life life and and beauty, beauty, have have un un- -fettered fettered (loosen) (loosen) the the poetic poetic imagination imagination of of Wordsworth Wordsworth. .
STANZA 3.. STANZA 3.. The The waves waves in in the the lake lake swayed swayed too, too, pushed pushed by by the the breeze breeze. . But But the the beauty beauty of of the the daffodils daffodils was was far far more more enchanting enchanting than than that that of of the the waves waves. . The The poet poet could could not not take take his his eyes eyes off off the the golden golden daffodils daffodils. . He He remained remained enthralled enthralled (fascinated) (fascinated) by by their their beauty beauty. . He He began began to to wonder wonder what what a a great great bounty bounty of of nature nature he he had had stumbled stumbled (fascinated) (fascinated) upon upon. .
STANZA 4.. STANZA 4.. This This pleasant pleasant encounter encounter with with the the daffodils daffodils by by the the lake lake remained remained dormant dormant (passive) (passive) in in the the poet s poet s sub sub- -conscious conscious mind mind. . When When he he was was lonely lonely or or his his spirits spirits were were low, low, the the memory memory of of his his encounter encounter with with the the daffodils daffodils would would surface, surface, plunging plunging his his mind mind with with immense immense pleasure pleasure. . Thus, Thus, the the scene scene remained remained as as a a priceless priceless treasure treasure and and an an in in- -exhaustible exhaustible (endless) (endless) source source of of joy joy for for the the poet poet. .
