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Wordsworth's Poetical Works Summary

and Analysis of "Lines Written in Early
Spring"
Buy Study Guide

In this poem Wordsworth describes a bittersweet moment. The speaker

reclines in a beautiful grove surrounded by the "blended notes" of nature,
and yet, even as he enjoys the scene, it inspires a melancholy mood and
the speaker begins to have dark thoughts about humanity:

I heard a thousand blended notes,

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 In that sweet mood when pleasant

thoughts Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

Nature has connected itself to the speaker's soul, leading him to sadly
consider "What man has made of man." Even as he does this, however, he
takes in the beautiful scene that surrounds him:

To her fair works did Nature link

The human soul that through me

ran; And much it grieved my heart

to think

What man has made of man.

Through primrose tufts, in that green

bower, The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;

And 'tis my faith that every flower

Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and played,

Their thoughts I cannot measure: --

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But the least motion which they
 It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

At the end of the poem the speaker looks more closely at the seemingly
jubilant birds, plants, and other creatures of nature, trying to decide whether
or not they are really full of pleasure. He decides that they are. In the last
stanza, he asks whether, if it is true that nature is full of pleasure, he then
has a good reason to be sad about "what man has made of man":

The budding twigs spread out their

fan, To catch the breezy air;

And I must think, do all I can,

That there was pleasure

there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,

If such be Nature's holy plan,

Have I not reason to lament

What man has made of man?

Analysis

"Lines Written in Early Spring" has a rather simple form: it is composed of only
six four-line stanzas, and is written in iambs with an abab rhyme scheme for
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each stanza. The simplicity of the poem is representative of the bulk of the
and style of the Romantic Movement came from a complete rejection
of the flowery, lofty style that was popular in previous years.

The connection with nature in this poem is very apparent. Wordsworth

strengthens the bond by placing the speaker in the middle of nature, all
alone except for the plants and animals around him. He also personifies
nature, giving her the ability to make decisions, to link herself to his soul, and
to experience pleasure. Nature, in this poem, does everything right; it is man
who has failed by rejecting nature.

Another interesting aspect of this poem is the fact that the perfection of
nature saddens the speaker. Melancholy sets in almost immediately
because of the striking contrast between nature and humanity. The
speaker seems to feel that it is his responsibility to ponder the mistakes
of humanity. This is especially evident in the question posed in the last
stanza.

The speaker suggests that man can simultaneously be a part of nature and
rational, in control of himself, and in control of his surroundings. The
speaker is a thoughtful being, a philosopher of sorts, and is certainly
reasonable, and yet he is at peace with nature in a way that would likely
strike many of his contemporaries as odd.

Cite this page

STUDY GUIDE NAVIGATION

Wordsworth's Poetical Works

Summary

Character List
Glossary

Themes

Summary And Analysis

"A slumber did my spirit seal"

"Composed upon Westminster Bridge"

"I wandered lonely as a cloud"

"It is a beauteous evening"

"Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey"

"Lines Written in Early Spring"

"London, 1802"

"My heart leaps up when I behold"

"Ode; Intimations of Immortality"

"The Solitary Reaper"

"The Tables Turned"

"The world is too much with us"

"Three years she grew"

"We Are Seven"

The Lakeland

Poets Related

Links Essay

Questions

Quizzes - Test Yourself!

Quiz 1

Quiz 2

Quiz 3

Quiz 4

Citations

RELATED CONTENT

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Study
Guide
 Wordsworth’s Poetical
Works Questions and
Answers
The Question and Answer section for Wordsworth’s Poetical Works
is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the
novel.
Q: What was
A: What is your question here?
Asked by Treyvon Mark M #1057714
Answered by Aslan on 10/9/2020 2:51
AM

VIEW ALL ANSWERS

Q: What was the solution in Ode intimations of immortality?

A: In the second stanza the speaker says that even though he can still
see the rainbow, the rose, the moon, and the sun, and even though
they are still beautiful, something is different...something has been
lost: "But yet I know, where'er I go, /...
Asked by Treyvon Mark M #1057714
Answered by Aslan on 10/8/2020 6:59 PM
 VIEW ALL ANSWERS

✖
Q: WHAT IS THE THEME OF THE
POEM
A: What specific poem are you referring to?
Asked by P. S #1051496
Answered by Aslan on 9/26/2020 5:44 PM

Study Guide for Wordsworth’s Poetical Works

Wordsworth's Poetical Works study guide contains a biography of William
Wordsworth, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters,
and a full summary and analysis.

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Essays for Wordsworth’s Poetical Works

Wordsworth's Poetical Works essays are academic essays for citation.
These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis
of William Wordsworth's poetry and prose.

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Wordsworth's Poetical Works e-text contains the full text of William
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