Daffodils William Wordsworth 1770 - 1850

William Wordsworth was the first great poet of the romantic period. He was sent to school. He toured the countryside. He was influenced by the nature and country people. This nature love influenced his writings. In 1787, he got his degree then toured Europe. With his sister Dorothy, he published his first book, lyrical Ballads. In 1802 William married Mary Hutchinson. In 1843 Wordsworth was crowned Poet Laureate.

Daffodils" (1804) 1 I Wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. 2 Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the Milky Way, They stretch'd in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. 3 The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: 4 For often, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

Vocabulary:_
1. Wandered: - To go from place to another place without any purpose. 2. Floats: - Go up in the air. 3. O'ver:- Over. 4. Vales: - Valleys. 5. Crowd: - A large number together without order. 6. Host: - Great number. 7. Daffodils: - Yellow flowers. 8. Beneath: - Under. 9. Fluttering: - Moving gently. 10. Breeze: - Light gentle wind. 11. Twinkle: - Shine with a trembling, sparkling light. 12. Milky Way: - Area of the sky lit by a numberless stars. 13. Margin: - Edge. 14. Bay: - A part of the sea enclosed by a wide curve of the shore. 15. Tossing: - Throw up, raised up. 16. Sprightly: - Lively. 17. Outdid: - Did better than. 18. Glee: - Joy. 19. Gay: - Happy. 20. Company: - Number of persons that man go together with. 21. Jocund: - Cheerful, merry. 22. Gazed: - Look for along time. 23. Oft: - Often. 24. Couch: - Bed. 25. Vacant: - Not occupied with thoughts. 26. Pensive: - Thoughtful. 27. Mood: - State of mind. 28. Flash: - Appear suddenly. 29. Inward eye: - The eye of the mind. 30. Bliss: - Heavenly happiness. 31. Solitude: - Loneliness.

Paraphrase:

The poet describes the great beauty of daffodils that reminds him of the great love feelings of the past. In the first stanza the poet walks aimlessly as a cloud when suddenly saw a great many numbers of daffodils everywhere beside the lake, under the trees. The daffodils as if dancing and moving along the side of the water. In the second stanza the poet describes the daffodils as the shining stars in the sky. The daffodils are stretched along his view beside the lake that has no end as the stars that light the Milky Way. The daffodils relieve his pressure. Wordsworth mentions that whenever he is down, he recollects the daffodils and at once he is relieved. He also uses his imagination in expressing his liking and preference to the nature.

Commentary:
The poem consists of four stanzas. The rhyme scheme is (ab ab cc). The poet is describing the daffodils and is writing about himself. He is writing about nature also. There is a Simile and personification on I Wandered lonely as a cloud. The poet assumes himself to be a cloud floating in the sky There is a metaphor \ personification on When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; The is a personification on Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Comparison of daffodils to dancing humans.

Alliteration
Alliteration: lonely as a cloud (line 1). Alliteration: high o'er vales and Hills (line 2). Alliteration: When all at once (line 3). (Note that the w and o have the same consonant sound.) consonance: golden Daffodils (line 4).

Alliteration: Beside the Lake, beneath the trees, There is a contrast lonely crowd