WE ARE SEVEN BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH-

ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION-
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH-
William Wordsworth is one of the major literary figures of all
times, in the history of English literature. Wordsworth
collaborated with Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 'Preface to Lyrical
Ballads' marking the start of the Romantic era. William
Wordworth's works are enjoyed by both youngsters and adults
and he surely remains as one of the most important and favoured
poet.

WE ARE SEVEN-
"We are Seven" by William Wordsworth is a very simple
composition that portrays the loving innocence of an eight year
old girl.

SETTING OF THE POEM-

The poem does not specify any physical location. It can be
assumed that the poem is set in the countryside in Britain.

POETIC DEVICES-
RHYME SCHEME-
"I met a little cottage Girl: (A)
 She was eight years old, she said; (B)

Her hair was thick with many a curl (A)

That clustered round her head." (B)

ALLITERATION-
"Yet ye are seven!--I pray you tell"

BALLAD-
The poem has been composed in the form of a ballad.

REPITITION-
"Seven in all,"

"O Master! we are seven."

SUMMARY-
The speaker of the poem begins by asking a simple question of
what should an innocent child know about death. The speaker
then starts by telling that he met a little cottage girl, she was eight
years old and her head was covered in curly hair. The little girl was
very beautiful, she smelled of woodland air and her eyes were
crystal clear, she wore her heart in her eyes, "fair eyes" being an
indicative of the innocence present in the child. The speaker asks
the girl how many siblings does she have, she replies "we are
seven" and looks at the speaker curiously. The speaker then asks
the girl where her sisters and brothers are, she says there are
seven of them, two are in conway dwell (a town), two have gone
to sea, two lie in the church yard while she lives near them in a
cottage with her mother. The speaker then counts the number of
siblings, excluding the two who have died, he asks the little girl
that when two are in Conway, two in sea, then how are they seven
in number. The girl replies that they are seven boys and girls with
two lying in the church yard beneath the church yard tree. The
speaker then argues with the little girl, he says to the girl that she
is alive, she has limbs and can run while two are lying in the
church yard, that makes for five siblings. The girl argues that her
siblings' graves are green, they have grass and moss living on thier
graves, they can be seen side by side and reached if one goes
about twelve steps from her mother's cottage's door. She tells the
speaker that she often visits them, she knits her stocking and
hangs her handkerchief there, she sits on the ground, singing
them songs. Seh tells that often during night time, she takes her
supper and eats while sitting besides her siblings. She informs the
speaker that her sister Jane was the first one to die, she was sick
and moaning in pain when god came and took her with him. She
and her brother John used to play aorund her grave that was
covered with dry grass. She then tells that during winters, she
used to play, slide and run in the snow with John but he got sick
too and was forced to go, he now lies at Jane's side. The speaker
then asks her that when two are in heaven, how many siblings are
they, the girl quickly replies "we are seven". The speaker
irritatingly argues saying that they are dead, their spirits are in
heaven, but the girl adamantly says, "Nay, we are seven".

CRITICAL ANALYSIS-
This beautiful composition by Wordsworth portrays the
innocence, love and the optimism a child has. The poem,
understood from both the views, that of an adult and a child,
provides varying perspectives of the most grieved and feared,
death.

TONE OF THE POEM-

The tone of the poem is calm, sweet and assertive in the dialoges
of the little girl, while it is calm and at times expressing frustration
and irritation in the dialoges of the speaker.

CONCLUSION-
This beautiful poem makes the readers see the perspective of an
innocent child towards death, her love and her ever lasting bond
with her siblings envokes the feelings of happiness, hope and
positivity.