William Wordsworth Honors English 4

Anticipatory Activity

Biographical Background/Early Life Childhood-spent hours upon hours exploring the Lake District in northwestern England’s countryside. Mother died when he was at the age of 7. His father was unable to raise all 5 of his children, so he sent his son William to schooling at Hawkshead. Here, he formed an extreme attachment to the countryside.

Biographical Background/Writings Wordsworth along with his friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge began to launch the Romantic Movement. Formed a writers community. Strongly against the use of formal diction and complex subjects. Instead used simple language to demonstrate subjects mostly taken from nature.

Biographical Background/Sadness and Finding Peace " Sad and hopeless at times Death was a large part of Wordsworth’s life. Not only did he lose his mother and father at young ages, he also lost two of his children to early deaths. He found peace and love in nature to help him cope with these losses.

Biographical Background/Death Wordsworth died on April 23, 1850 of pleurisy,an inflammation of the pleura which surrounds the lungs. He was buried at St. Oswald’s Church. His widow Mary published his work, “Poem to Coleridge”, which although failed to generate high interest in 1850, became regarded as a masterpiece later on.

Memorable Quotes "Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your teacher." "For I have learned to look on nature, not as in the hour of thoughtless youth, but hearing oftentimes the still, sad music of humanity."

Composed upon Westminster Bridge Turn to page 790

Composed upon Westminster Bridge "Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802" is an Italian sonnet, written in iambic pentameter with ten syllables per line. Although most scholars agree that the poem was actually written on July 31, 1802 despite the poem’s title. The poem was written about an experience that took place during a trip to France with Wordsworth's sister, Dorothy Wordsworth. He was going to France to visit a former lover with whom he'd had an illegitimate child. The two had woken up early to catch a coach to the port of Dover, where they will cross over to Calais, France. The poem took place around 5 or 6 in the morning.

Composed upon Westminster Bridge While reading.... Keep an eye out for personification, tone, and theme of the poem. The poem is also divided into three distinct sections, try to identify them.

Composed Upon Westminster Bridge Find three examples of personification in the poem. What is Wordsworth's tone toward the scene? Cite specific words and phrases. The poem can be divided into three phases of thought, identify them. And give each a title.

Composed Upon Westminster Bridge Describe Wordsworth's view of London How is his view of the city different from many other Romantic poets? Can the theme of the poem apply to a person? In other words, does a person change as a result of his or her environment or in relation to time of day or another factor?

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud - Inspired by an event in April 15, 1802, in which Wordsworth and his sister encountered a long belt of daffodils - Glencoyne Bay, Ullswater, in Lake District - Written on 1804 and published in Generally regarded as Wordsworth's most famous work - Classic of English romanticism within poetry

Understanding of the Poem 1st Stanza - What type of view would you have as a lonely cloud? - What parts of nature are portrayed? - What are the daffodils doing? 2nd Stanza - The daffodils are conveyed as _____. - Where are the daffodils located?

Understanding of the Poem 3rd Stanza - Relationship with the waves? - How does Wordsworth (poets in general) feel with such scenery - What has Wordsworth realized? 4th Stanza - What mood is Wordsworth in? - How do the memories of the daffodils affect him?

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud - Praising nature for its beauty and bliss - "golden daffodils" - "stars that shine and twinkle" - "sprightly dance" - "sparkling waves in glee"

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud - Expressing gratitude - "jocund company" - "wealth the show to me had brought" - "bliss of solitude" - "heart with pleasure fills"

Evaluation

Ending Activity