Description of the Beauty of Nature - Literature review Example

I wondered lonely as a cloud by William Wordsworth Introduction “Daffodils” is another term used to refer to the poem “I wondered lonely as a cloud." William Wordsworth is the poet, born in the year 1770 on April 7th, in Cockermouth, Cumberland. The family of the poet was stable financially irrespective of the death of his mother that occurred when he was eight years old. The poet spent many years in boarding school and later travelled to various parts in Europe (Wordsworth 10). During the French revolution, the author had an affair with a young French woman and together they had a daughter. However, William returned to England on later years and lived with his single as a single man. He later married Mary Hutchison with whom he had five other children (Anstey 11). During his stay in England, William became close with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who was a famous poet. In the year 1973, he launched his career as a poet by publishing the Descriptive Sketches. Despite the fact that Coleridge and William were separated they later reunited. Both Durham University and Oxford University awarded honorary degrees to Wordsworth, and he later resulted to being a Poet Laureate (Sampson 30). William Wordsworth died when he was at the age of 80 years in the year 1850. The poem I wondered lonely as a cloud was written between 1804 and 1807 and was inspired by an event when William and his sister saw a long belt of daffodils. It was published in the year 1807 and then revised in the year 1815. The poem had four stanzas of six lines each and ABABCC rhyme (Gill 14). William Wordsworth Discussion "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" enables the reader to reflect upon on the visions that nature possesses. It is due to the figurative language and also diction that the author employs that makes the reader understand his response to nature. He understands and appreciates nature in a much profound way, different from other members of the society. Every stanza that the writer employs reveals his experience in nature. It is also indicated by the dance that culminates the emotional response of the poet. The opening of the poem is simile that states that he wandered lonely like a cloud / that floats on high (Line 1). The poet uses the simile to refer to himself as part and parcel of the natural landscape. In the present time, the value of nature is not appreciated by many people. It is due to the busy life of many individuals in the efforts of making a living. However, few people still appreciate nature in simple and cheap ways. People set up gardens at their back yards where they are able to interact with nature and also appreciate its beauty (Sampson 34). The diction that the writer employs at the beginning of the poem makes the reader understand the authors understand his state of mind. A cloud has lightweight, free flowing image. The cloud paired with the action “floats” enables the reader of the poem to understand the tranquility and also the lightheartedness of the author with regards to the present state of nature. The term lonely used in the verse does not have any negative connotation (Anstey 13). Any person can get to read the line as peaceful solitude and not loneliness. The writer and indicates that he is not alone; it is indicated in verse 4 "A host, of golden daffodils." People in the present day have also been able to confide in nature, it is considered reliable and not disappointing as fellow individuals. However, it is can be viewed as a two way process where a person needs to take care of nature and in return nature will take care of individuals. Nevertheless, the society of the present day ignores the aspect of nature and in return nature has also hit back with catastrophes such as floods (Wordsworth 16). The writer also applies the use of metaphor. It is in the efforts of comparing a crowd of people to the daffodils. Daffodils are also compared to a host of angles. A visual image of petals of the flowers that shimmered like golden halos is indicated by the use of the terms “host” and also “golden." The aspect of imagery is also used in the future stanzas of the poem. It is indicated as a light in the senses of emotions and visuals. The writer also proceeds in giving the natural landscape of the humanistic characters. It is made clear by the description of the flowers as “dancing in the breeze” in line six (William 23). The writer makes an introduction with the daffodils dancing and it personifies the flowers. It also creates a relationship that is figurative and illustrates the writer’s synthesis with the aspect of nature. "Fluttering" used in the line six is also used to personify the daffodils, the diction enables the lines to flow with a musical eloquence. It also enables the aspect of imagery of the dance. The dance of the daffodils and also references to light are applied in repetition and enables the unification of the links in every stanza. It is also applied as a repetitive structure in the poem (Anstey 13). A wealthy imagery is indicated at the beginning of the poem when the author makes the use of the verse “That floats on high oer vales and hills” and also “I wandered lonely as a cloud." The hills and vales through which the narrator uses are evident. The daffodils as a host cover the landscape. The verse “Fluttering and dancing in the breeze” illustrates that the audience can feel the breeze that results to the movement of the flowers, and when a person understands the scent of daffodils, one can smell the flowers. With the reference to the theme, the words that are used as “crowd and lonely” used at the beginning of the poem. The narrator drifts to figurative language and also had an encounter with the natural world and also its beauty. The writer is not lonely, and the crowd of the daffodils is having a good time. The writer appreciates the joy as the poem proceeds (Gill 16). The second stanza was added on the revised poem which was done in the year 1815. Similar to the first stanza, the second stanza employs the use of imagery. The aspect of daffodils is build up on the basis of the crowd. It is done by the comparison of the night sky to the field of flowers. The verse “They stretched in never-ending line” is also employed in the stanza. Due to the usage of the words never-ending and also continuous suggests that there exist an infinite number of daffodils upon the crowd. The statement “Ten thousand saw I at a glance,” enhances the feeling of infinity. It makes the impression that there are also many flowers that are outside the field of vision of the poet (Sampson 36). The aspect of the theme in the poem is also indicated in the second stanza. The writer of the poem moves from the issue of loneliness to the aspect of community. It is illustrated by the verse that states “Tossing their heads in sprightly dance” (Anstey 14). The stakes are higher in the second stanza; the narrator becomes unaware on the present movement of the daffodils, and he concentrates on the vastness in the natural world. The imitation indicates it in the movement of stars by the golden flowers which were small in size “Continuous as the stars that shine” (Wordsworth 18). The imagery of the previous stanzas is build up by the initial lines of the third stanza. It helps in returning the awareness of the reader to the initial location of daffodils that were along the sides of the lake. In the third stanza and the latter stanzas in the poem the attention of the reader is directed to the inner world of the writer. On the consequent time, the delight of the writer after seeing the daffodils is realized and change a person’s thinking (William 25). The theme of the poem is also indicated in the fourth stanza, the movement from loneliness to communion with nature. The poem integrates the society and nature; the two aspects are meant to interrelate and live together as one cannot do without the other. In the stanza, the speaker is removed from the stanza because of its bulk in the poem on the contrary looks with the inward eye and has bliss of solitude. The speaker in the stanza is not alone because he has experienced the natural world in much profound way. In the same sense, an aspect of solitude is different from loneliness. Loneliness is a factor that can be eliminated when individuals learn how to confide in nature (Anstey 15). The narrator indicated the aspects of wondering as a cloud that is floating above the hills and the valleys. He came along a field of daffodils along the lake. The poet indicates the dances of the flowers that were stretched along the ends of the shore. Despite the fact that the waves in the lake were dancing on the lake the daffodils out did the waves (Sampson 27). The company of the flowers made the poet feels happy and joyful; the writer stared at the flowers not realizing the amount of wealth the scene would help him gain. It is the simple things that make people happy. Nature offers a countless number of the simple things. On any occasion that the poet felt pensive or vacant the scene would come up on the inward eye of the poet. His heart was filled with pleasure. People in the modern society should understand the simple things that make them happy (Gill 17). The poem happens to be one of the most famous among the loveliest poems written by William Wordsworth. It revisits the aspects of memory and nature. It is also eloquence, simple and musical. The plot of the poem is simple and depicts the wondering of the poet and thus discovers the field of daffodils. When the poet is bored, lonely or restless the memory of the field of daffodils makes him happy and offers him comfort. The technique that the writer applies makes an inherent unity between human beings and nature. Thus, the writer remains successful in making the reader have the feeling that he is experiencing nature (Sampson 37). The rhyming scheme is also another issue to be considered in the poem “daffodils." The rhyming of the poem is ABAB. A depicts the crowd and cloud and B depicts daffodils and hills. The ending is rhyming couplet CC that depicts breeze and trees. The stanzas employ the use of “Enjambment”, and it results to the poem being continuous and also flow of expressions without alterations. The figure of speech applied in the poem also needs to be mentioned. The first line implies the aspect of personification and also simile. The writer states that him (poet as a cloud) looked down at the mountains and valleys and hence appreciate the daffodils, it is the personification. The cloud that is not living poses qualities of human beings. He also stated "ten thousand saw him at a glance." It is an exaggeration and also hyperbole that aims in describing a scene of thousands of daffodils (Wordsworth 20). The title of the poem is also another issue to be mention. The title daffodil is a simple word that enables every reader to remember the spring season. The spring season can get used by people in the modern society and enjoy the beauty of nature. The daffodils have a yellow color and also have a yellow color as well as amazing shape. They appear beautiful in the eyes of every person. The flowers are used as symbols of happiness and joy. The theme of the poem is the collection of emotions that got their inspiration from the nature. The aspect of nature gets ignored due to the busy life that every person lives. The daffodil stands for the rebirth or another beginning of human beings and their realization of the blessings of nature (William 26). Imagery is also another aspect depicted in the poem. The poem makes the use of fields, stars, lakes and trees and the writer makes the use of daffodils and compares them with the Milky Way galaxy. Descriptive language is also applied in the poem. The poems wording happens to be simple and also melodious (Sampson 27). Therefore, the reader of the poem can understand the theme in the poem with ease. The understanding of the poem enables an individual to retrieve the happiness that nature offers and also find a place in nature where one can confide in to eliminate stress that is got from daily life that is hectic (Anstey 19). The main theme of the poem, “I wondered lonely as a cloud” being enjoying nature in its particular elements. The author of the poem urges people not to be afraid of wandering as well as wasting time through filling their senses with the wonder and beauty of the nature. According to the poem, it is clear that nature is spiritual uplifting as well as soul cleansing for a person who pursues understanding it. The poet is essentially appealing human beings that taking time to revitalize through taking a walk as well as enjoying things such as daffodils dance in the breeze, people would get along in a great way, and the quality of their lives would greatly improve (Gill 19). As it was in the poet’s era, people are still taking some time to explore nature in such of happiness. People in the world today have slowly come to understand the great power that exist in the nature’s exploration and, therefore, travels from one corner of the globe to enjoy nature. Wildlife and some other natural features such depressions are the leading natural factors that have been making people visit particular places and nations. Beaches have also played a vital role where people go to enjoy and appreciate nature. It serves the poet’s belief that nature is soul cleansing and spirit uplifting since attending to beaches makes people enjoy and have much fun. In other words, nature is still highly appreciated in the world today (Sampson 40). Conclusion Throughout the poem, the writer displays an accurate tone and also offers a description of the wonders as well as the beauty of nature. The author illustrates by issuing an example of the uplifting of the human spirit by the nature. Wordsworth also did an accurate job in illustrating the nature and also other multiple facets. The writer relates the whole aspects of happiness and how something as little as daffodils can result to the happiness of a person. It enables a person to think above the monotonous lives that individuals have and understand the things that can make them happy. Individuals in the modern society should embrace what nature offers and experience its beauty. Thus, lives will be bearable, and people will experience happiness on their daily lives. Feelings of mood less, bored, lonely, restless and also stressed can get replaced by happiness obtained from nature. Works Cited Anstey, Sandra. William Wordsworth. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. Print. Gill, Stephen. William Wordsworths the Prelude: A Casebook. Oxford [u.a.: Oxford Univ. Press, 2006. Print. Sampson, Ana. I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud-and Other Poems You Half-Remember from School. London: Michael OMara Books Limited, 2009. Print. Wordsworth, William, and WORDSWORTH WILLIAM. I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud. Montreal, Quebec: Lobster Press, 2006. Print. Wordsworth, William. Selected Poems. New York: Gramercy Books, 2007. Print. Read More