William WordsworthWilliam Wordsworth

Father of the RomanticsFather of the Romantics

1770-18501770-1850

Lake DistrictLake District

Younger YearsYounger Years

• Grew up in Cockermouth, Grew up in Cockermouth, Lake Lake DistrictDistrict scenic mountain region scenic mountain region

• Attended CambridgeAttended Cambridge

• Went on Walking Tour to France and Went on Walking Tour to France and SwitzerlandSwitzerland

• Loved the French Revolution- gave it Loved the French Revolution- gave it to manto man

• Wanted to stay with Annette Valon- Wanted to stay with Annette Valon- got her pregnant, but had to come got her pregnant, but had to come homehome

Map of Map of Lake Lake DistrictDistrict

Wordsworth at the Lake Wordsworth at the Lake DistrictDistrict

Lyrical BalladsLyrical Ballads• The The BibleBible of Romantic lit! Gives formula of Romantic lit! Gives formula

for writing Romantic poetryfor writing Romantic poetry

• Spontaneous overflow of powerful Spontaneous overflow of powerful feelingsfeelings

• Everyday languageEveryday language

• About everyday manAbout everyday man

• Feelings more important than the Feelings more important than the storystory

• Contained 23 poems he wrote with Contained 23 poems he wrote with Coleridge (WW wrote 19)Coleridge (WW wrote 19)

Marriage and LifeMarriage and Life

• Married Married Mary HutchinsonMary Hutchinson, a childhood , a childhood schoolmateschoolmate

• Had 5 kidsHad 5 kids

• 2 died in childhood2 died in childhood

• Coleridge married Mary’s sis Sara 3 years Coleridge married Mary’s sis Sara 3 years before WW and Marybefore WW and Mary

• 18 YEAR RIFT with Coleridge, ended in 179518 YEAR RIFT with Coleridge, ended in 1795

• Died at Rydal Mount April 23, 1850Died at Rydal Mount April 23, 1850

WW in later years with LYRICAL BALLADS, the book that made him famous

DorothyDorothy

• Lucy poemsLucy poems

• Dorothy and WW lived out their older Dorothy and WW lived out their older years in the Lake Districtyears in the Lake District

• Lived longer than the other Romantic Lived longer than the other Romantic poetspoets

• The Original NATURE poet was The Original NATURE poet was inspired by the inspired by the SIGHTS and SIGHTS and SOUNDSSOUNDS

Posters based off of his LifePosters based off of his Life

My Heart Leaps Up

when I behold a rainbow in the sky:

So was it when my life began; so is it now I am a man: so be it when I shall grow old,

or let me die!

The Child is father of the Man;

And I could wish my days to be

Bound each to each by natural piety.

• Out of the mouth of babesOut of the mouth of babes

• If a man is too “old” to enjoy nature- If a man is too “old” to enjoy nature- then he is LOST.then he is LOST.

• Paradox- (Opposite but true) Paradox- (Opposite but true)

• ““The Child is the Father of the The Child is the Father of the Man”Man”

• What do you think it means?What do you think it means?

Explanations of the ParadoxExplanations of the Paradox

• Possible meanings:Possible meanings:

• Natural wisdom of the child often Natural wisdom of the child often exceeds that of the manexceeds that of the man

• JOY in nature is the best part of being JOY in nature is the best part of being alive and human. Lose the JOY and alive and human. Lose the JOY and lose the life!lose the life!

The World is too much with usThe World is too much with us• The world is too much with us; late and soon, The world is too much with us; late and soon, • Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;

— — • Little we see in Nature that is ours; Little we see in Nature that is ours; • We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! • This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon; This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon; • The winds that will be howling at all hours, The winds that will be howling at all hours, • And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers; And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers; • For this, for everything, we are out of tune; For this, for everything, we are out of tune; • It moves us not. Great God! I’d rather be It moves us not. Great God! I’d rather be • A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; • So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, • Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; • Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; • Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.

AnalysisAnalysis• Man has been so preoccupied with making Man has been so preoccupied with making

money, he has become materialistic and has money, he has become materialistic and has lost his enjoyment in nature. lost his enjoyment in nature.

• Stop and smell the roses phraseStop and smell the roses phrase

• Pretty woman- she makes him take off his Pretty woman- she makes him take off his shoes on the grass and CONNECT with shoes on the grass and CONNECT with Nature!Nature!

• Even the pagans who worshipped Greek gods Even the pagans who worshipped Greek gods like Proteus connected better with nature.like Proteus connected better with nature.

• Our obsession with “getting and Our obsession with “getting and spending” has made it impossible to spending” has made it impossible to appreciate the simple beauty in the appreciate the simple beauty in the world around usworld around us

Click on black box to play movie

Pagan society Pagan society did not view did not view nature as just a nature as just a bunch of bunch of “resources”, “resources”, rather as a rather as a manifestation manifestation of the gods. of the gods. They respected They respected nature and nature and would not have would not have abused it for abused it for economical economical gain.gain.

Proteus Rising from the Sea

QUIZQUIZ

• 1. Where did he grow up that gave 1. Where did he grow up that gave him inspiration?him inspiration?

• 2. What was this nature poet inspired 2. What was this nature poet inspired by?by?

• 3. Explain the paradox “The Child is 3. Explain the paradox “The Child is the Father of the Man”.the Father of the Man”.

• 4. What seems to be Wordsworth 4. What seems to be Wordsworth obsession in “The World is Too Much obsession in “The World is Too Much With Us”?With Us”?

• Romantic lyrics focus on the speaker’s Romantic lyrics focus on the speaker’s personal development. What lessons personal development. What lessons from Wordsworth’s growth might from Wordsworth’s growth might readers adopt?readers adopt?

• 6. How did pagan society view 6. How did pagan society view nature?nature?

• 7. Why would Wordsworth want a 7. Why would Wordsworth want a return to such a society?return to such a society?

• 8. Name the “Bible” of Lyric Poetry 8. Name the “Bible” of Lyric Poetry that Wordsworth wrote with Coleridge.that Wordsworth wrote with Coleridge.

• 9-10. List 2 things found in the formula 9-10. List 2 things found in the formula for good lyric poetry.for good lyric poetry.

• Extra CreditExtra Credit

• Name the childhood friend that Name the childhood friend that Wordsworth married.Wordsworth married.

The End…..The End…..