WILLIAM WADSWORTH

EARLY LIFE Second of 5 children Father (Law Agent and Rent Collector), Family Rich Mother died when Wadsworth was 8 Attended Hawkshead Grammar School

ADULT LIFE Loved to Hike Did a walking tour of France, Swizerland, and Germany, after graduation, Wales Graduated from St. Johns College in Cambridge Loved the French Revolution Had a child out of wedlock, became broke, returned to England Could not return to France for 9 years due to war Reunited with his Sister Dorothy who became his friend and housemaid until she mentally and physically could no longer clean Met poet Coleridge and the two worked together on writing for many years Wadsworth, Coleridge, and Dorothy went on a trip to Germany, made Wadsworth homesick, Coleridge was inspired Received an inheritance, married Mary Hutchinson and had 5 children, 2 died William’s brother dies, and Coleridge ignores Wadsworth after marriage In 1813, Became Distributor of Stamps of Westmorland and never had to worry about money again Reunited with Coleridge Durham University granted an honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree in 1838, Oxford followed

HIS WRITING -Wrote 3 books of poems -Known for lyrical ballads -Mostly wrote short poems -Unhappy to be known for short poems, he set out to write an extremely long poem that had to be published in 3 parts -He revised several times until his death -Most known for Paradise Lost Became poet Laureate He died, wife published more of his work