Analysis of Wordsworths Poetry - Literature review Example

BMA-ANGD-C16.53 Arafat Sulaiman Wordsworth and Coleridge: Lyrical Ballads 8 December 2010 Zsolt Komaromy Analysis of the poem we are seven by William Wordsworth 1. Wordsworth’s poetry William Wordsworth once said that poetry is, ‘a spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.’ This statement very acutely explains the reason for his use of simple words and diction in his poetry. For him poetry was a mode of communicating with his readers and enlightening them about his personal perspective about life. John Purkis says that he possesses, ‘…an eye and a heart which could intuitively penetrate living things to see one life in all.’ This comment explains the power of Wordsworth’s ideas that he depicts in his poems i.e. he has the power to make common occurring of life seem to be of great importance through his words. Wordsworth wrote the poem ‘we are seven’ at the age of 18 when he was going on a journey with his best companion Coleridge. ‘Wordsworth’s most deeply held conviction is his belief that the scope for poetry was often best provided by memory.’ As we also observe in this particular poem that the little girl that he talks about is actually someone he had met on his journey in a similar setting. As stated, ‘We Are Seven was inspired by a little girl he met in the area of Goodrich Castle.’ The poem comprises of sixteen four lined stanzas with the exception of the last stanza that consists of five lines. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABAB. The poem is in the form of a conversation between a stranger and a little girl. The technique of writing the poem in a dialogue form enhances the beauty of the poem as it helps in retaining the interest of the reader, as he is curious about the end result of the conversation. 2. Significance of the Title The title of the poem hints about a sense of security that is related to the knowledge of having strong family bonding as observed from the word ‘We’. It has a tone of finality to it. The two letter word hold a lot of meaning as it also indicates the element of stubbornness and conviction of belief that nothing can change the reality i.e. we are seven. Number ‘seven’ can in itself be a reference to ‘Shakespeare’s seven stages’ of a man’s life as the readers later observes that this poem also draws a contrast between the perspective of life from the eyes of a child and an adult and shows the manner in which a person loses his idealism in order to grow up. 2.1. Context and Summary of the Poem The poem is basically about a conversation between a man and a little girl about her family and loved ones. The stranger inquires about her brothers and sisters and the girl replies that we are seven. This reply leads to the formation of the whole conversation that takes place in the poem. The little girl in all her innocence gives her replies in the form of riddles i.e. taking extra time in explaining her thoughts and this further gives the poem a lyrical quality that the readers enjoy immensely. Anne ferry states about the opening of the poem that it is a, ‘didactic opening and story-telling manner’ as observed from the first line of the poem, ‘A simple child… what should it know of death.’ The poet not only poses a question to the readers in the very beginning but also states the general point of view about the knowledge of a child about life. Wordsworth through his poem is elaborating on the wisdom that is there in little children even in their innocence. He basically draws a contrast between children and adult men that the former in all their idealism are more realistic as compared to their elders. They accept realities of life such as death as a part of life yet they do not believe that death has separated them from their loved ones. It is observed that the hint of strong bondage that the title of the poem hints about is actually the strong bond that the little girl shares with her absent and dead siblings. The poem also reflects the cynicism that taints an adult man’s perception of life as the harsh realities makes him realize that life is nothing but an examination hall where his existence is that of a puppet and he has to bid his time here until he dies. However the grown man also has the sense of not exposing a child to the realities of life because it is better for an individual to live a life of ignorance till he is able to because once he is exposed there is not turning back. Moreover In order to retain a balance in life it is necessary that a man keeps an individual’s perspective in check because he has no right to diminish someone else’s idealism as it is also observed in the case of the elder man. This means that rather than forcing the little girl to accept the harsh reality he did not press the point and allowed her to live in her utopian world where her siblings are a part of her life even though they are dead as stated in the poem ‘’Twas throwing words away.’ Although it is the child’s sheer stubbornness that stops him from correcting her point of view yet it was the right decision. Hence Wordsworth sticks to his point of view that the child is more realistic in her perception of life than the adult man. 3. Analysis of the poem 3.1. Setting The setting of the poem is in a courtyard of a church. As in many other works of Wordsworth the characters of the poem have a close connection with nature, as the setting itself is rustic as it is apparent from the words, ‘little cottage Girl.’ Moreover the poet is again observed to be emphasizing on the relationship that man shares with Mother Nature. 3.2. Use of Language and Diction The diction is simple and has a smooth flowing rhythm when reciting the poem. John Purkis comments on Wordsworth’s use of simple language that the impression of his use of language is, ‘probably one of childishness and simplicity; we seem to have strayed in to a non-adult world.’ However the use of simple language is another intriguing aspect of Wordsworth’s poetry and this further beautifies the depiction of his interpretation of life. 3.3. Use of Imagery In this poem the poet has used various imageries such as of sea, colors, disease and death to depict his opinion of the connection between life, man and death. It is stated in the poem, ‘And two are gone to sea.’ Sea in this line is symbolic of the distance that is there between the girl and her siblings yet at the same time it is also symbolic of the depth of their love for each other. The use of green color in the poem represents life and well being while the white color of the snow symbolizes surrender to death or fate. Death and disease imagery is apparent in the lines, ‘In bed she moaning lay/ Till God released her of her pain.’ The moaning of the girl shows the suffering and the pain a disease curtails. 4. Themes The major themes of this poem include the theme of death, nature, innocence and wisdom, and life. 4.1. Death Death in this poem is a recurring theme as the whole poem is about the loss of an individual’s loved ones and presents the readers with two perspectives of the child and the stranger about death and loss. In the case of the little girl it is observed that even at such a young age she has accepted the bitter reality of death i.e. it separates her from her sister and brother as she says, ‘two of us in the church-yard lie.’ However for her their absence does not means that her love for them has lessened. She accepts their absence yet her being near their graves is symbolic of the power of love. Hence Wordsworth uses the theme of death in order to explain the power of love; love that the little girl has for her siblings. Moreover it is a love that is not even affected by the distance that death has created between them. On the other hand is the perspective of the stranger who like rest of the pessimistic human beings thinks that since the girl’s two siblings have died so it means that they are five instead of seven as he says, ‘If two are in the church-yard laid/Then ye are only five.’ However the conviction of the little girl’s belief makes him realize that nothing would change her opinion and he also realizes that love is such a strong emotion that is not even affected by death. 4.2. Nature Wordsworth’s love for Mother Nature and his depiction of the connection between man and nature is a very important and common aspect of his poetry. He believes that nature not only has the soothing effect on the senses of human beings but it is also a mode of escape from the problems in ones life. In this poem the poet has used some of the aspects of nature to depict life and death. The greenery and the trees in the poem are metaphorical representation of life. While on the other hand use of snow and the words like ‘grass was dry’ symbolize death. He uses the words like ‘rustic, woodland air’ which gives a quality of freshness and hope even when he is talking about the harshest reality of life that is death. 4.3. Innocence and Wisdom This is a very important theme of the poem because even though it might appear to be paradoxical in meaning yet it stands true in the context of this particular poem. The reason for this is that although the child is an embodiment of innocence yet at the same time the manner in which she deals with her siblings’ deaths represents her wisdom or understanding of death as a part of life. Moreover such wisdom of acceptance of death is absent in the adult man in the poem. Hence through the girl Wordsworth wants his readers to realize that there is no point of trying to deny the existence of death or becoming cynics about life because whether one accepts it or not it is going to come one day. So it is better to accept death and live your life just like the little girl with optimism and hope because life goes on. 4.4. Life John Beer says, ‘Wordsworth draws upon the resulting conciliation between mind, heart and nature and the particular emphasis on heart.’ This is a very apt description of Wordsworth’s interpretation of life because for him life and death exist side by side. Heart is symbolic representation of life. Although this poem is about death yet it is observed that there is an underlying meaning of hope and optimism. The contrast between the ‘graveyard’ and the habit of little girl of spending most of her time by those graves is symbolic of Wordsworth’s understanding of life and death. He wants his readers to understand that one does not hinder the other. Death is a part of life and is the ultimate end of man yet it does not means he should stop living instead he should live his life to the fullest as time is too short. Moreover he uses the theme of life to instigate the enthusiasm of hope in his readers as life is not black and white it is a colorful portrayal of happiness, grief, joy and pain. 5. Conclusion The poem ‘we are seven’ is an amalgamation of hope, life and death. It is a beautiful depiction of the fact that it is just a matter of perception of life for a human being that holds the power of making him able to see the bright and the positive side or the negative and the darker side of life. Moreover although the cliché’ ‘ignorance is a bliss’ holds true to its meaning in this poem as well as observed in the case of the little girl yet at the same time for the man to neglect the brighter side of life or lose optimism is a mistake and the sooner human beings realize their fault the sooner they will be able to spend a life of bliss and happiness although the realities of pain and suffering would not change. Reference: Beer, John. Wordsworth and the Human Heart. London: The Macmillan Press Ltd. 1978. Book. Ferry, Anne. The Title to the Poem. California: Stanford University Press. 1996. Book. Purkis, John. A Preface to Wordsworth. London: Longman Group Ltd. 1970. Book Ruzicka, Jarmila. uhh.hawaii. n.p. 2005. Web. 8 December 2010. Sarkar, Kumar Sunil. William Wordsworth: A Companion. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. 2003. Book Wordsworth, William. The poetical works of William Wordsworth, Volume 1. Boston: Little Brown & Co. 1854. Book. Read More