Kashyap Patel

3/5/17
Pd. 8
Mr. Asmussen

A Poets Concern

William Wordsworth, an English poet, wrote many poems that reflected his views that

were crafted by growing romantic ideologies and his sentiment towards nature. Wordsworth

crafts his poems to reflect his place in the world as well as the impact that humanity was having

on the environment in the time period. His values were influenced by the powerful notions of

English Romanticism during the time period which were overpowering the previous classical

ideals that permeated through the ideologies shared by people at the time. Three poems that

reflect Wordsworth powerful opinions on Mother Nature are My Heart Leaps Up, Composed

upon Westminster Bridge, and The World Is Too Much With Us. Through these poems,

Wordsworth's romantic elements express his love of the natural world, the peaceful calmness of a

city, and his desire for humanity to be reconnected to the natural world which is his ultimate

concern.

Wordsworth conveys his strong love of the natural world through his poem, My Heart

Leaps Up. His love of the natural world forms the foundation for his concern with humanitys

detachment from nature. His adoration of nature is evident when he states, my heart leaps up

when I behold / A rainbow in the sky. His heart is personified to convey the strong emotions he

feels for the natural world. In addition, the rainbows beauty symbolizes the beauty and wonder

in the natural world. In the poem, Wordsworth also describes his commitment to his love of

nature throughout his life. His statement, The Child is father of the man, signifies the powerful

effect of the rainbow throughout his entire life. The natural world has truly allured Wordsworth
over his entire life and has made him contemplate the importance of nature in the world. Finally,

the poem highlights Wordsworths desire to be faithful to nature. He states that he wishes his

days to be bound each to each by natural piety. He believes that his ardent appreciation of

nature should be religiously shared by more of humanity, which has disconnected from nature

during the previous classical era. Therefore, Wordsworth has loved the natural world throughout

his life and he wishes to be zealously faithful to its beauty while he can.

Composed upon Westminster Bridge is Wordsworths written reflection of the charm of a

sleeping city prior to the sunrise. Overall, this poem compares Wordsworths love of nature with

his love with the aesthetic of a sleeping city. In Wordsworths words the view is, A sight so

touching in its majesty. The city evokes feelings of love and beauty in Wordsworth similar to

his thoughts on the natural world. The city is a beautiful representation of the natural world prior

to the sunrise, it embodies The beauty of the morning; silent, bare. Wordsworth then goes on to

contrast the sights of the city with the natural world. They both evoke a similar feeling of

calmness and divinity that Wordsworth prizes in nature. Wordsworth describes this unique,

intense feeling with his line, Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! Thus, even with all of his

emotion towards the natural world, Wordsworths feelings upon the Westminster Bridge are

exclusive and particular to the sights of the city. The immense stillness and potential of the city

provokes his deep emotions that are only mirrored by Mother Natures creations. This is

Wordsworth expressing the ability for Mans creations to elicit similar, or even stronger, feelings

to those of Mother Nature, thus the reconnection of humanity and nature is not so difficult and is

very much possible. Finally, the sleeping city represents an immense amount of potential. Once

the sun rises the city comes to life, bustling with people all full of purpose and desire. Likewise,

the natural world springs to life when the sun rises and is full of animals with the purpose of
trying to survive. These mirrored worlds are like a mighty heart that is lying still. The

similarity of these words coming to life prove that reconnecting with nature is not as impossible

as some may think. Wordsworths true concern for humanity separating itself from nature can

thus be resolved as illustrated by the similarities that can be drawn to a peaceful city.

Despite the citys close representation of nature, Wordsworth is still concerned by the

growing disconnect between nature and humanity. He expresses this deep concern greatly in the

poem, The World Is Too Much With Us. Due to his adoration of both Mother Nature and the

peaceful city, Wordsworth believes it is of critical concern for humanity to revitalize our natural

roots. This comes at a time when romantic ideals are beginning to overpower the previous

classical principles that dominated human thinking. However, Wordsworth still believes this is

too little. Little we see in Nature that is ours, represents the belief that we have separated too

far from nature. From the classical ideas of symmetry and order, we have diverged from our

roots and this strayed from elegance of the natural world. However, with the birth of romanticism

and its foundation of the arts and natural order, humans are starting to converge back to natural

principles. His poems reflect this with the use of symbolic language and strong imagery. Despite

this, however, Wordsworth believes that we are out of tune with the natural world and more

work must be put in to reignite this flame. Therefore, Wordsworths primary concern pertaining

to the disconnect between humanity and nature is improving; however, in his opinion, additional

work must be put in to harmonize the beauty of human society and the natural world.

Thus, Wordsworth appreciates both the artistic charm of Mother nature in addition

to the stillness of a calm city. However, he is concerned by Mans increasing separation from our

natural foundation and believes that a reconnection must be made. Through his three poems, it is

evident that this was a major concern his life which was influenced by the romantic doctrine
spreading at the time. Therefore, William Wordsworth admires the beauty of nature and the city

and wishes for all of humanity to share this passion for Mother Nature.

Works Cited:

Asmussen, Ryan. English Romantic Poets, 1,

Elk Grove Village: Elk Grove High School 2015, IBooks

Appendix:

My Heart Leaps Up

My heart leaps up when I behold

A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the man;
And I wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

Excerpt From: English Romantic Poets:. v1.0. iBooks.

Composed upon Westminster Bridge, Sept. 3, 1802

Earth has not anything to show more fair:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty;
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theaters, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendor, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!

Excerpt From: English Romantic Poets:. v1.0. iBooks.

The World Is Too Much With Us

The world is too much with us; late and soon,

Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. Great God! Id rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathd horn.

Excerpt From: English Romantic Poets:. v1.0. iBooks.