It is a beauteous

evening, calm and free

William Wordsworth
Let’s discuss…
1. How does nature affect your emotions?
2. Describe your ideal sunset.
3. Do you think nature has the power to inspire
or change one’s perspective on life?
 William Wordsworth
● William Wordsworth was born on
April 7, 1770 in Cockermouth
Cumberland.
● His mother died when he was 8
years old.
● He went to Cambridge University.
● He died on April 23, 1850.
● His poems are generally simple and
undecorated
● Part of the Romantic movement.
Romantic Poetry and the Sublime
● The poem reflects the idea of the "sublime“.
= a feeling of awe and wonder when faced
with something powerful and vast
● often associated with nature
● Romantic poets, like Wordsworth, often

wrote about the sublime to express the

power and grandeur of nature.
IT IS A BEAUTEOUS EVENING, CALM AND FREE

1 It is a beauteous evening, calm and free,

2 The holy time is quiet as a Nun
3 Breathless with adoration; the broad sun
4 Is sinking down in its tranquility;
5 The gentleness of heaven broods o'er the Sea;
6 Listen! the mighty Being is awake,
7 And doth with his eternal motion make
8 A sound like thunder—everlastingly.
9 Dear child! dear Girl! that walkest with me here,
10 If thou appear untouched by solemn thought,
11 Thy nature is not therefore less divine:
12 Thou liest in Abraham's bosom all the year;
13 And worshipp'st at the Temple's inner shrine,
14 God being with thee when we know it not.
Summary
"It is a beauteous evening, calm and
free" is a poem about the beauty of
nature and the peace and tranquility
that it can provide. The speaker reflects
on a beautiful evening, describing the
calmness and freedom of the natural
world. The speaker also expresses a
sense of awe and wonder at the beauty
of the scene, and suggests that the
beauty of nature has the power to
inspire and uplift the human spirit.
The title
beautiful
It is a beauteous evening, calm and free

Peaceful and serene

Form • Italian / Petrarchan Sonnet

• Octave – Describes how reverent and peaceful

the setting makes him feel.
Sestet - The girl and her childlike faith feels this
way all the time.

• Iambic Pentameter
• Rhyme Scheme: ABBA ACCA DEF DFE
• Lyrical
Setting: A calm, beautiful evening with a sunset.
Tone: Peaceful + Reverent

associated with
beautiful freedom and ease
1 It is a beauteous evening, calm and free,
time of evening prayer service
2 The holy time is quiet as a Nun
Simile + Personification: The sunset hour is personified as a nun
whose love of God/creation has taken her breath away.
Suggests that the time of day maintains a reverent silence.
The speaker is in awe.
 Profound love.
Religious connotation.
There is no wind.
3 Breathless with adoration; the broad sun
peacefulness
4 Is sinking down in its tranquility

Enjambment and line break between line 3+4:

Emphasises the emotion associated with being
breathless or awestruck.
 Contemplates deeply. The
evening sky over the water
calm sky / looks solemn. Suggests God
reference to God is watching over the world.

5 The gentleness of heaven broods o'er the Sea;

6 Listen! the mighty Being is awake,

Personification - The sky is personified as a gentle

spirit watching over the ocean.
 Alliteration – emphasises
the motion of the sea
7 And doth with his eternal motion make
Creates a dramatic pause and emphasises 'everlasting'
8 A sound like thunder — everlastingly.
God, the sea, and nature go on forever. God is everywhere.

Simile - The sound of the waves (produced by

God's power is compared to thunder.
The Octave
Describes how reverent
and peaceful the setting
makes him feel.
 Companion walking beside the speaker.
Volta! Loving His daughter (Caroline)?

9 Dear child! dear Girl! that walkest with me here,

Sincere/serious
10 If thou appear untouched by solemn thought,

The girl doesn't seem to be in awe of the

beautiful environment.
 Even if you don't seem
inspired it doesn't mean
your you're less spiritual/holy,
11 Thy nature is not therefore less divine:
Allusion – prophet
you lie The presence of God in life constantly
12 Thou liest in Abraham's bosom all the year;

Perhaps she does not look awestruck

because her childlike faith spirituality is
constant.
 Allusion - The inner
worship sanctuary of the Tabernacle
13 And worshipp'st at the Temple's inner shrine,
The child experiences the presence of the divine even when adults don't.
14 God being with thee when we know it not.

Metaphor - The child's access to the sanctuary

implies the closest connection with God.
The Sestet
The girl and her childlike
faith feels this way all the
time. Her spirituality is
impressive.
Holiness and Nature
• The speaker is admiring the
peaceful and majestic beauty of
nature at sunset.
• He describes it in reverent
terms.
• He sees the presence of God in
the vast sky and sea
• The poem uses religious
imagery to link the beauty of
nature to God.
• The speaker addresses a child
who does not seem as
awestruck by the evening’s
beauty as he is.
• He highlights that for children,
feeling close to God is an
everyday occurrence.
• Children maintain a natural
sense of faith and wonder.
• He believes children are the
most holy and reverent of God’s
creatures.
Childhood & Faith
Essay
Topic With close reference to the poem, critically
discuss the relationship between nature and
divinity in “It is a beauteous evening, calm and
free,” examining how the speaker’s perception of
nature reflects his belief in God.