‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ by William Wordsworth

Close analysis of the poem

Task: considering tone and mood

How would you describe the feeling ‘bittersweet’? Try to put this into your own words, and then
consider moments/events that you think could be described with this word.
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Possible moments/events that might fit this description:

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Task: considering context

Prior to reading the poem, complete some research into the Industrial Revolution in England.
You should make notes on:

 how the revolution affected cities

 how the revolution affected the countryside
 the reaction of the Romantics to the revolution.

Task: overall structure

Read the poem once, then reread it. On your second read through, write a one sentence
summary of each stanza which mentions both content and mood.

For example:

Stanza one describes the speaker’s experience as he lies in the quiet countryside, thoughtful
and increasingly pensive.

Stanza Summary of content and mood

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 ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ by William Wordsworth
Close analysis of the poem
Task: overall mood and purpose

How would you describe the overall development of ideas in the poem? Are any stanzas similar in
mood?

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Considering your answers to the above questions, what do you think Wordsworth might be trying
to say about a. nature b. humanity c. what was happening in his world at the time?

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c. .............................................................................................................

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 ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ by William Wordsworth
Close analysis of the poem
Task: questions

Answer the following questions in as much detail as you can to explore Wordsworth’s use of
language, structure and imagery. Make your notes on your copy of the poem.

Stanza 1

1. Which words create the impression that nature is full of variety, yet still
harmonious?
2. How specific is Wordsworth about his feelings at the end of the stanza? How
might this affect readers?

Stanza 2

1. What does nature seem capable of doing in the second stanza?

2. What is the effect of the personification here?
3. What do you think Wordsworth means when he is sadly contemplating ‘what man
has made of man’?
4. Which word emphasises the extent of his sadness and why?

Stanza 3

1. What associations does the colour green have? Can this be applied to nature as a
whole?
2. What effect might the word ‘every’ add to the final two lines of the stanza?

Stanza 4

1. What consonants are repeated in this stanza and what do they add to the tone?
2. The speaker considers how he ‘cannot measure’ the thoughts of the birds. On a
wider scale, what might he be considering about nature?

Stanza 5

1. The metaphor for leaves in the opening line of this stanza creates what kind of
image?
2. The speaker says he ‘must think, do all I can’ to believe the trees get pleasure
from experiencing the breeze. Do you think this is hopeful or doubtful?

Stanza 6

1. How might you consider this final stanza in light of the context of the Industrial
Revolution?
2. Do you feel Wordsworth provides a message in this poem? If so, what? If not, what
are readers left with?

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