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Lines Written in Early Spring

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117 views

Lines Written in Early Spring

Uploaded by

jessepigman859
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LINES WRITTEN IN EARLY SPRING

Introduction: Lines Written in Early Spring is a lyric composed by William


Wordsworth in the early spring, 1798, while on a walk in the village of Alford. In
the poem Wordsworth talks about the beauty of nature. He finds joy and pleasure
in nature around him. However, such natural joy is nowhere to be found in man.
The poet expresses his lament for the gap that man has created between
humanity and nature. Infect, the poem reflects Wordsworth’s displeasure at the
industrialization urbanization due to the Industrial Revolution that began in
England in the second half of the 18th century. According to him, industrialization
has destroyed the link and harmony of man with nature.
Summary: The poem is written in six stanzas of four lines each. In the 1 st stanza
the poet recalls the time when he sat reclining in a grove in a sweet mood. The
blended notes here are the songs of the birds and the sounds of natural elements
that have combined together into a beautiful melody. The poet was in that sweet
mood when pleasant thoughts brought sad thoughts to his mind as he thought
about the activities of man. Thus, the poet felt at the same time the emotions of
joy as well as sorrow.
Then the poet refers to the relationship between Nature and Man. He points out
that the human soul that runs through him, runs also through all the objects of
nature. But the other creatures of nature enjoy the beauty and charm of nature
and live a joyful life, while man is unable to enjoy that beauty. It is because, man
has snatched the relationship with nature. The poet was sad to think about the
state of humanity, ‘what man has made of man’. According to him, man, by
disconnecting itself from the harmonies and beauties of nature, has brought itself
to a state of disorder and chaos.
The poet saw in the green bower the creepers like Periwinkles wreathes of its
tender bough round the tufts of Primrose. He believes that every flower enjoys
the air it breathes. The creeper’s act seems to indicate the love existing among
natural objects. The poet voices his belief that every flower feels happy in the
natural surroundings in which it grows. The spirit of joy seems to spread from
nature to its objects like flowers.
The poet also observes the birds hopping and playing round him in a joyful mood.
He says that he could not guess or measure their thoughts, but even their
smallest movement seemed to contain a thrill of pleasure. It seems to the poet
that every object enjoys the joy and thrill.
The poet further sees that the branches of twigs spread out their leafy arms to
catch hold of the air blowing around them. The poet thinks that there is pleasure
too.
Thus, all objects of nature seemed to be inhaling the air of happiness and peace
from their surroundings, as if nature provides all of them with a sense of joy. On
observing such natural joy in everything around him, the poet believes that it
might be a holy or heavenly plane to make every object happy. So, the poet raised
the question that if the joy that is imparted to all object by nature is nature’s holy
plan, then the poet has the reason to lament what man has made of man. The
poet is sad about the state of humanity for distancing itself from nature, it has
lost natural joy that is part of nature’s divine plan. The poet believes that the
attitude of hostility, rivalry and jealousy prevailing among human being, because
of which they do all wrongs and injustice to one another. The poet hints at the
fact that Nature gives joy, but man makes life unhappy through his misdeeds and
through his neglect of joy and love found in nature.
Structure: The poem is comprised of six stanzas containing four lines each with
the rhyme scheme of ABAB.
On the other hand, many different poetic devices are used in the poem. Poetic
devices are used to enhance the meaning and poetic beauty of a poem. In the
poem five different poetic devices are used-
Personification- When human qualities are bestowed upon something that is not
human is called personification. In the poem nature as well as flowers and
budding twigs are being personified.
Alliteration- when the same consonant sound is repeated in a single line of a
poem, it is called alliteration. Some examples of alliterations used in the poem
are-
‘What man has made of man’ / ‘And ‘tis my faith that every flower’
Hyperbole- a deliberate exaggeration or over statement is called hyperbole. Eg.
‘a thousand blended notes.’
Imagery- When a picture is created in the mind of a reader while reading a poem
is called imagery. Eg. ‘The birds around me hopped and played’ / ‘I heard a
thousand blended notes’
Rhetorical Question: It is a question which is asked without expecting an answer.
This is because the question to the question will be obvious to the reader or
listener. The rhetorical question asked in the poem is- ‘What man has made of
man’

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