Wordsworth
Imagine
• You are walking through the countryside or park in the Spring.
• Make a list of what you might expect to see.
Context
• On April 15th, 1802 Dorothy Wordsworth went for a walk with her brother, William Wordsworth.
• William Wordsworth was a famous poet.
• Dorothy wrote this journal entry for the day…
Classification
• This piece of writing came from Dorothy’s journal entry.
• However, is there anything poetic about her writing?
• Can you identify phrases or words that seem poetic?
• Does she use any poetic devices?
Did you notice?
• Similes – “rested their heads upon these stones as on a pillow”
• Personification – “heads”, “reeled” and “laughed”.
• Metaphor – “There was a long belt of them”
Now read William Wordsworth’s poem.
I wandered lonely as a cloudThat floats on high o'er vales and hills,When all at once I saw a crowd,A host, of golden daffodils;Beside the lake, beneath the trees,Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shineAnd twinkle on the milky way,They stretched in never-ending lineAlong the margin of a bay:Ten thousand saw I at a glance,Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but theyOut-did the sparkling waves in glee:A poet could not but be gay,In such a jocund company:I gazed---and gazed---but little thoughtWhat wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lieIn vacant or in pensive mood,They flash upon that inward eyeWhich is the bliss of solitude;And then my heart with pleasure fills,And dances with the daffodils.
First Impressions
• How is the poem similar to Dorothy’s journal entry?
• How does it differ from Dorothy’s journal entry?
Did you notice?
• Dorothy refers to “we” throughout her journal entry.
• What pronoun does William use?
• Why do you think he made this choice?
Context
• Wordsworth was known as a lake poet as he mainly wrote about the Lake District where he was born and lived most of his life.
• Wordsworth was known as a romantic poet. They favoured intuition over reason and the countryside over cities.
• Wordsworth also believed in using "language near to the language of men“. He believed poetry should use language that everyone understands.
Inspiration
• Here are some images of the lake district that inspired Wordsworth.
Inspiration
Discuss
• “ I wander as lonely as a cloud” should be credited to Dorothy and William Wordsworth not just William?
• It is always wrong to copy someone else’s work and should never be allowed.
Email your view to Michael Walsh.
Parody
• Wordsworth’s poem has been the subject of many parodies like this one.
• Parody is when you copy the style of a poet but exaggerate for comic effect?
• What is it about this poem that makes it the focus of parodies?
Writing Task
• Write a letter from Dorothy to William. Imagine she has read the poem for the first time.
• What might she say to him?
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