“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”
"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by William Wordsworth takes readers on a reminiscent journey reflecting upon visions of nature. The diction and figurative language used illustrates the poet's response to nature. He uses each stanza to share his experience in nature through the image of a dance that culminates in the poet's emotional response.
Wordsworth opens with reference to himself through simile as a part of the natural landscape, "I wandered lonely as a cloud / That floats on high" (Line 1). The diction used in the opening simile puts the reader in the poet's state of mind. A cloud is a lightweight, free-flowing image. Cloud paired with the action "floats", lets the reader experience the tranquility and lightheartedness the author feels in the presence of nature. "Lonely" in this verse does not carry a negative connotation; one can read this line as peaceful solitude as opposed to loneliness. Wordsworth observes that he is not alone, viewing "A host, of golden daffodils" (4). Wordsworth is using a metaphor to compare the daffodils to a crowd of people or a host of angels. The words "golden" and "host" create a visual image of the flowers' petals shimmering like golden halos. The imagery is one of light in a visual and emotional sense, which will be repeated in various forms in future stanzas. The poet proceeds to give the natural landscape humanistic qualities, describing the flowers as ".. dancing in the breeze" (6). The introduction of the daffodils' dancing personifies the flowers and creates a figurative relationship that illustrates the poet's synthesis with nature. The daffodils are also personified as "fluttering" (6), the diction makes the lines flow with a musical eloquence and enhance the imagery of the dance. The daffodils' dance and references to light are employed as a repetitive structure and unifying link for each of the stanzas.
Wordsworth continues to relay his experience in nature as he expounds upon the affiliation between the
Wordsworth opens with reference to himself through simile as a part of the natural landscape, "I wandered lonely as a cloud / That floats on high" (Line 1). The diction used in the opening simile puts the reader in the poet's state of mind. A cloud is a lightweight, free-flowing image. Cloud paired with the action "floats", lets the reader experience the tranquility and lightheartedness the author feels in the presence of nature. "Lonely" in this verse does not carry a negative connotation; one can read this line as peaceful solitude as opposed to loneliness. Wordsworth observes that he is not alone, viewing "A host, of golden daffodils" (4). Wordsworth is using a metaphor to compare the daffodils to a crowd of people or a host of angels. The words "golden" and "host" create a visual image of the flowers' petals shimmering like golden halos. The imagery is one of light in a visual and emotional sense, which will be repeated in various forms in future stanzas. The poet proceeds to give the natural landscape humanistic qualities, describing the flowers as ".. dancing in the breeze" (6). The introduction of the daffodils' dancing personifies the flowers and creates a figurative relationship that illustrates the poet's synthesis with nature. The daffodils are also personified as "fluttering" (6), the diction makes the lines flow with a musical eloquence and enhance the imagery of the dance. The daffodils' dance and references to light are employed as a repetitive structure and unifying link for each of the stanzas.
Wordsworth continues to relay his experience in nature as he expounds upon the affiliation between the