Personal Response to Wordsworth
Response to ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ by William Wordsworth
The speaker in this poem talks about a time when he meandered through the valleys and hills and stumbled across a crowd of daffodils in a field. He describes in detail the seemingly never-ending sight of the daffodils throughout the poem, and compares their beauty to that of the glistening lake, ultimately deciding that the daffodils win because they are more gleeful in appearance. The poem finishes with the poet describing what he has gained from his experience. He expresses how when he is feeling lonely or sad, he will remember the happiness and bliss that he associates with the daffodils, and be at ease. The poet compares himself and his sense of loneliness to a drifting cloud in the sky, conveying his close identification to the nature around him. His isolation is emphasised by the contrasting ‘crowd’ of daffodils. This technique of continuously comparing the speaker to a natural object, and personifying the daffodils as human beings implies a deep-rooted connection between nature and man. The poem also illustrates how people fail to appreciate the simplicity of the natural beauty around us, as we go about our daily routines. ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ is a very relatable poem, allowing the reader to connect with the feeling of happiness and contentment experienced by the poet. His detailed description makes me feel like participating in the dance of the daffodils! I liked the concept of imagining yourself as part of the nature. I personally found that the daffodils symbolise living a life rich in experience and sensation, portrayed by their light-hearted and sprightly dancing. I found myself happily failing into a trance when reading this poem, where I too experienced this wonderful memory, and all the emotions associated with it.
The speaker in this poem talks about a time when he meandered through the valleys and hills and stumbled across a crowd of daffodils in a field. He describes in detail the seemingly never-ending sight of the daffodils throughout the poem, and compares their beauty to that of the glistening lake, ultimately deciding that the daffodils win because they are more gleeful in appearance. The poem finishes with the poet describing what he has gained from his experience. He expresses how when he is feeling lonely or sad, he will remember the happiness and bliss that he associates with the daffodils, and be at ease. The poet compares himself and his sense of loneliness to a drifting cloud in the sky, conveying his close identification to the nature around him. His isolation is emphasised by the contrasting ‘crowd’ of daffodils. This technique of continuously comparing the speaker to a natural object, and personifying the daffodils as human beings implies a deep-rooted connection between nature and man. The poem also illustrates how people fail to appreciate the simplicity of the natural beauty around us, as we go about our daily routines. ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ is a very relatable poem, allowing the reader to connect with the feeling of happiness and contentment experienced by the poet. His detailed description makes me feel like participating in the dance of the daffodils! I liked the concept of imagining yourself as part of the nature. I personally found that the daffodils symbolise living a life rich in experience and sensation, portrayed by their light-hearted and sprightly dancing. I found myself happily failing into a trance when reading this poem, where I too experienced this wonderful memory, and all the emotions associated with it.