William Wordsworth John Muir AUTHORS, BACKGROUND, AND POEMS
Romantic Poet: poems celebrate nature for its beauty and moral power. Focus’s on the English countryside, lessons learned from natural setting, encourages the reader to become closer with nature. BIOGRAPHY: WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
Published a small collection of poems in 1798, Lyrical Ballads= 1 of the most important poetry collections Use “the real language of men” Proto-environmentalist “We murder to dissect” WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
Born in Scotland, immigrated to U.S., then traveled observing nature. His strict religious upbringing led him to question the fundamental believes, instead finding spiritual fulfillment in the wilderness and a theology of immanence. Lived in da woods bc yolo JOHN MUIR
He roamed California, observing the wonders of the natural landscape. His poems are popular bc of their contrast between hard concise scientific description of nature and a beautiful loose flowing description focusing on the greatness. Promoting the preservation of wilderness. JOHN MUIR
( ) Huntington, New York. Quaker parents Work: journalist, teacher, clerk, volunteer nurse in Civil War Leaves of Grass 1855, self published, seen as scandalous bc of sexuality and desires. Homosexual Him + Emily Dickinson greats of 19 th centaury Uses grand, effusive verses, capturing energy and enthusiasm of America. “I contradict myself? So I contradict myself. I am large. I contain multitudes.” WALT WHITMAN