Complete biography of the legendary poet William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth was born April 7, 1770, at Cocker mouth, in the Lake District. He was the second son of John Wordsworth, who was a business agent of Sir James Lowther, the earl of Lonsdale. His mother was Ann; She was the daughter of William Cookson, a “linen- draper. Willam’s grandfather had moved from their original in Yorkshire to the Lake District.

The mother of William died when he was only eight and his father five years later. There was almost nothing left for the children’s education. All the children were placed under the guardianship of two uncles, who later reluctantly supported both Wordsworth and his brother Christopher.

Early Education

Wordsworth first attended the excellent grammar school at Hawkshead, near Windemere, of the Lake District, as a boarder. He had branded this period as the “fair seed time” for his soul. Wordsworth here became familiar with the best poetry of the earlier 18th Century through William Taylor, the young headmaster of the school. He also read the works of the recent poets such as James Beattie and Thomas Chatterton. His father had previously required him to learn by heart ‘large portions’ of Spensor, Shakespeare, and Milton.

This time also the vale of Esthwaite and the sorrounding fells played more important part in his life than the poetry of these poets. He could find the nature breathing among the hills doles and groves. He also discovered himself in the midst of an unspoiled little rural community. These were the scenes and their influences that shaped Wordsworth as a poet separated from his beloved sister Dorothy (who devoted the life to William) since their mother’s death and cold- shouldered by his money minded Kinsfold he found in the nature the love that was denied him at home and learned at an early age to feel ‘the self suffering power of solitude’. During his school days, too, came most of the imaginative experiences that there eventually to be recorded in this great autobiographical poem, the prelude.

Cambridge Period:

Wordsworth went to St. John College, Cambridge, in October 1887, on a scholarship. He got the scholarship largely through the influence of his uncle William Cookson who was a fellow of the college, uncle William’s hope was that his nephew would distinguish himself in the college examinations he elected to a fellowship, and in due course in his own case acquire a fat college living unfortunately, though placed in the first class in the college examination held in December 1787, Wordsworth’s later performances in these half-yearly tests were mediocre, especially in mathematics when he decided to spend his third long vacation (1970) in the walking” tour with an undergraduate friend through France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany instead of sticking to his books, he gave any chances he had for a fellowship. He certainly felt no vacation whatever for the Anglican Church. Wordsworth took his B.A. in January 1791. Then he settled in lodgings in London, where his elder brother Richard was now a attorney. The law was a possible career, but Wordsworths secret ambition was to become an officer in army.

French Period

Wordsworth went to France in 1971, for the purpose of improving his qualification as a potential teacher. He spends a year there (at Blois and Orleans, with short visit to Paris). And this stay proved significant in the way other than those contemplated by his guardians. The period was marked by French Revolution.

Wordsworth began a passionate love affair with Anette Vallan, a barber surgeon’s daughter four years older than Wordsworth; it began at Orleans and continued at Blois too. Wordsworth was initiated into revolutionary

Politics by an idealist officer in the local garrison,

By the end of October 1792, Wordsworth was in Paris, anxious to assist in any way possible Girondist cause. He illegitiment daughter Anne Caroline was baptized in Orleans Cathedral… On December 25, but by then Wordsworth his funds exhausted, had gone back to London. England’s declaration was on France (February, 1793) made his return impossible, are the marriage on which Annette was certainly courting, did not take place. They were not to meet again until August 1802 shortly before Wordsworth marriage to Mary Hutchison, later still he contributed not ungenerously, to Caroline’s dowry.

The West Country Period

“Wordsworth had settled at Racedown Lodge in Dorset on October 1795 with his sister, dream of their life for setting up house together. Here, in the depth of the country and in the society of his sister, he recovered his habit of tranquit meditation and recollection, as well as that deep power of joy, that alone enabled him to see into the life of things. While at Racedown he wrote his one and only one play a blank verse tragedy, The Borders meeting with Coleridge.

Wordsworth’s stay in the west country brought him within the orbit of the poet Samual Taylor Coleridge’ Who was then living in Bristol The two men first men in the late summer of 1795, and their acquaintance soon repeated into the friendship, Coleridge had already read Wordsworths early verse and recognised its promise. Now he selected the poet as a great man, the giant Wordsworth the only man to who at all times and in all modes of excellence I feel myself inferior. Wordsworth in later life called Coleridge the most wonderful man he had ever known.

Their qualities were complementary Coleridge ardent, animated, brilliant, unstable, Wordsworth solemn withdrawn introspective deliberate. In their walks and talks attended by Dorothy, each stimulated the other. These three extraordinary people soon become so necessary to each other that when Coleridge set tied at Nether Stowery in Somerset, he persuade the Wordsworth to come and live close by at Alfoxden Park. The year (1793-98) spent there is known as the “Ances Mirabsles’ and it was indeed a ‘wonderful year’ for the three friends. Never before had they rejoiced in such exhilarating inter harge of thought and observation and such rapid unfolding of their respective powers.

Lyrical Ballads was mostly the product of this year. It appeared anonymaesly in 1918. Wordsworth made an advertisement that the poems were “experiments” to ascertain how far the language of conversation in the middle and lower classes of society in adapted to the purposes of poetic pleasure. All but four of the poem included in Lyrical Ballads were Wordsworth’ Coleridge main contribution was The Rime of the Ancient Mainer, which stayed at the beginning of the book.

Though the first edition of the book was sold out in two years if created very little stir. As Wordsworth had foreseen’ many readers were outraged by poems like “Simon Lee” and The Idiot Boy”. But there was general approval for Wordsworth’s lines written.

Few Miles above Tintern Abbey

The second, enlarged edition of Lyrical Ballads appeared January 1801 ( dated 1800) conder the name of Wordsworth along although all Coleridge’s contribution were reprinted and his poem ‘Love’ was added, Coleridge, it seems, found satisfaction in effacing himself so as to magnify his friend.

Winter In Germany

Wordsworth, Coleridge and Dorothy spent the winter of 1798-99 in Germany; Lyrical Ballads was first published in order to meet the expense of this trip. The idea originated with Coleridge who needs to learn German Coleridge succeeded largely in his mission. But Wordsworth and Dorothy died little in bitter cold at the remote little town of Goslar. Wordsworth however in upon himself, turned the isolation to good account by beginning a poem to Coleridge. It was the story of the growth of Wordsworth’s mind. This eventually became the prelude. During this time he also wrote several of his finest lyrics (the ‘Lucy’ series) ‘She Dwelt among the untrodden ways; ‘Strange fits of passion have I known,’ ‘A slumber did my spirit seal, ‘Three years’ She Grow in sun and shower.

Who was Lucy? Nobody knows, probably a creature of Wordsworth’s imagination through perhaps deriving (as Coleridge believed) some substance from broaings on the motions of his own plight should Dorothy die.

The Lake District Period

Wordsworth and Dorothy returned to the Lake District on December 21, 1799. They took possession of Dove Cottage at Grasmere, Westmorland. This is a spot now which thousands of pilgrims visit every year.

In 1802 Wordsworth brought his bride to Gresmere. She was Mary Hutchinson a friend from early school days who had become his loving admirer and Dorothy’s intimate friend. Here at the Dove cottage their children were born.

Life was a daily round of plain living and high thinking walks, talks, reading composition and hospitality.

According to critics, the period (1796-1806) as Wordsworth “great decade” and it is true that nearly all his best work was done by the time. The prelude and “Ode Intimations of Immortality” were completed.

Decline And Death

In 1808 Wordsworth moved to Allanbank the cottage at Grasmere being no longer large enough for the needs of the growing family. Here he stayed until 1811 and then settled at Rydal Mount, which the poet’s home for the rest of his life. Here this poetic power also had declined. It-has been suggested that had stifled his own imaginative life when he renounced to ossify gradually in an atmosphere increasingly.

In 1813 he accepted the post of distributer of stamps for the country of Westmorland, a sinecure that carried a salary of 400 pound a year.

He became poet laureate in 1843, succeeding his friend, Robert Southey.

He died on April, 23, 1850, and was buried in the Churchyard at Grasmere.

Wordsworth and the Universe

Wordsworth was convinced that there are spiritual powers of the universe, though he -could give a rational explanation contemplate this divine reality According to him reason can give no access to his divine world; it is open only to the spiritual faculty in the man. The poet said that, communication between the soul of man and the soul of Nature is possible for both are emanations from the same source divinity.

Wordsworth believed that we can feed our minds by absorbing the natural scenery in a state of “contemplation calm”, if we got to Nature in a mood of “wise passiveness” we can grasp the essential and kinship between man and Nature Moreover nature is the best teacher and it is best among all teachers who can educated man properly. Thus, it can influence and mould the mina of man in the proper way.

Wordsworth’s Poetic Development)

Wordsworth said that his first effort to write verse was made that he was at school. In 1he beginning, he in fact wrote in imitation of Alexander Pope who had dominated the poetic sense of England in the eighteenth century.

When he was studying at the Cambridge he composed “An Evening Walk” and “Descriptive Sketches” (of the Alps). They were published in 1793 and they are regarded as his first serious poetical efforts. In style these poems have little originality but they already show the Wordsworth eye for nature.

The first fruits of his genius were in the Lyrical Ballads (1798) it was a joint venture by Coleridge and himself. Its first edition appeared in 1 788, the second with new poems and a preface in 1800 and a third in 1902.

Coleridge in his Biographia Literaria Chapter XIV describes how Wordsworth and he decided to divide the field between them. “It was agreed that my endeavors should be directed to persons and characters super natural or at least romantic…………….. Mr. Wordsworth on the other hand, was to propose lions, of as his object to give the charm of novelty to things of every day.”

The “Lyrical Ballads’ with their sudden revolt from the artificial literature of the day to the utmost simplicity of the object and diction, were unfavorable received and the hostility of his critics was even crashed by the appearance in the second edition of a preface in which Wordsworth expounded his poetical principles, and by his additional essay on ‘Poetic Diction.’

The volume however ushered in a new age in English poetry. It was certainly an epoch making book and became the prelude to the Romantic Movement. Tintern Abey included in this volume in due of the tricemphs of Wordsworth genius

During the year 1789-99 Wordsworth compose some of his very fine poems which were published in 1800_, along with his contributions to the lyrical Ballads. Among the must note worthy of the new words in this collection were Michall. The old cunberland Beggar, She dwelt among the un-trodden ways, strange fits of passion have I known and nutting Although some of th6m such as Michall and the old Cumberland Beggar are un-even in quality the new poems show Wordsworth less pre-occupied with his theories of poetic diction and the lyrics are striking in their moving restraint and delicacy of touch.

The next serious work that comes from his mighty per was the prelude. It was an autobiography poem in fourteen book which commenced on 1799 and completed in 1805 but not published until 1805 after the death of Wordsworth. The prelude is considered as the record of Wordsworth’s development as a poet. He describes his experience with a fullness, closeness and laborious anxiety that rare in English literature. It was the intention of the poet to make the prelude part of a vast philosophical work entitled The Recluse, but it was never completed. Another section of the same work was the excursion, much which was composed in the following years. Of course it lacks the greatness of finest part-=s of the prelude. This ran into nine volumes, but on the whole it seems to be rather monotonous and uninspired and often prosaic.

In 1807, Wordsworth published two volumes of poem which included many a good poems such as the Solitary Reaper. I wandered lonely as I could. The green linnet and some philosophical poems such as ode the intimation of immortality, resolution and independence, Ode to duty and the sonnets dedicated to National Independence and liberty.

Wordsworth’s later volumes include the white Doe of Rylstone, the Waggoner, Peter Bell Yanom revisited and the Borders, a drama.

Major works of Wordsworth

An Evening Walk (1793)

Descriptive Sketches (1793)

The Borderers (1795-96)

Lyrical Ballads (1798)

Lines written above Tintern abbey (1798)

The Prelude

Rath, Lucy Gray, Nutting, Lucy

Lyrical Ballads (Second – edition) (1800)

Duty (1805)

Intimations of Immortality (12305)

Sonnets dedicated to liberty (1805)

The write Due to Rylstone (1815)

The Excursion

Loadamia (1797)

Dion (1806)

Ode to Lycoris (1817)

Peter Bell (1798)

The wagoner (1805) appeared in (1819)

Ecclesiastical Sonnets (1822)

Memorials on of Tour on the continent

Yarrow Revisited

Poems chiefly of early and late years (1842)

“The singing bard”

The Poetry of William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth, the central figure of the romantic movement in English literature. He is infact the leader-of the new movement. The features of his poetry may be discussed under the following heads.

1- His Treatment on Nature

Wordsworth is regarded as the poet of nature. He is variously called the “harbinger” of nature, the “high priest” of nature or nature’s great devotee or worshipper. His treatment of nature is supreme Nature in his poetry occupies an independent status.

Needless to say, Wordsworth brought into English poetry of the early 19th century rare freshness by dealing with nature in altogether different way. He pursued nature in a way different from that of his predecessor, Pope, unlike Pope he sincerely believed that in town life man had undermined the importance of nature. Constant social intercourse had dissipated their energy and talents. One of his sonnets has beautifully expressed this idea.

“The world is too much with us, late or soon

Getting and spending we waste our powers

Little we see in nature that is ours.”

To Wordsworth nature seems to be living force. For him, nature possessed a soul, a conscious existence and ability to feel joy and love. In the lines written in early spring , he expresses his faith in her power to be happy.

“And it’s my faith that every flower

Enjoys the air it breathes,

Again he writes in the leach gatherers

And all things that love the sun are not of doors.

The sky rejoices in the morning birth”.

Wordsworth developed a complete philosophy of nature. He spiritualised nature and made her a moral teacher. According to Crompton Rickett,” it was Wordsworth’s aim say poet’s to seek for beauty in meadow, woodland, and the mountain and to interpret this beauty in spiritual terms. He is ever spiritualising the moods of nature and winning from them moral consolation.”

The spiritual conception of nature did not develop all of a sudden. The poet described four stages of his love for nature in one of his most celebrated poems, Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey. The poem is regarded as the consecrated formerly of Wordsworth creed. In this poem he stated that there is a divine spirit that pervades all objects of nature. According to him, this spirit rolls through all things.

A motion and a spirit that impels

All thinking things, all objects of all though

And rolls through all things.

This, however, is called the pantheism of Wordsworth a belief in one soul, the supreme or God immanent through the Universe.

Wordsworth’s treatment of nature is mystical. It must be remembered that mysticism is the most salient feature of Wordsworth’s poetry. He was such a poet one who saw whose in ware eye was focussel on visions rarely dreamt by man. He was as a matter of fact not only a poet but also a seer, mystic and a practical psychologist with an amazingly subtle mind and of unusual capacity, for feeling Wordsworth lived a life of excitement and passion and he preached the doctrine of magnificence and glory. It was not the beauty. He himself had caught a vision of that life and felt it and it transformed the whole of existence for him.

To Wordsworth, nature was nothing but a teacher of man. According to him, there is an essential kinship between the soul of man and the in-dwelling soul of the universe He said that, we should go to nature in the right mood, the mood of “wide passivity the serene and blessed mood” and then we shall see into the life of things.

2. As a poet of man:

Wordsworth was not only the poet of nature; he was also the poet of man. According to a critic, “It is by his too close and loving penetration into the realities and simplicities of human life that he himself makes him claim on our reverence as a poet. “He relates in the prelude how he was let through love of nature to honor men”.

Wordsworth followed the same method in dealing with man as he did with nature. He passed from the concrete to the abstract in his treatment of nature. In dealing with man, he was less concerned with individuals than with certain qualities which differentiate men and women from each other but he mentioned those primal qualities or humanity whose man and nature touch and blend. In the Prelude, Wordsworth has described shepherds of the lake hill and the palssmen as part of the wild scenery in which he lived and he mixed up their life with the grandeur of nature and came to honor the most part of her being.

It is noted that Wordsworth did not deal with princes, kings. His poetry had subjects that deal with cum her land beggars, shepherds, leech-gathers and even ideals.

Wordsworth found spiritual dignity is man, from the leech-gathers, he learnt the moral principles of resolution and independence, from Marchel he learnt the virtue of love: From Simon Lee, he derived the moral that “the ingratitude of men hath left me mourning.” As a matter fact Wordsworth is a great champion of humanity.

3. His theory of poetic diction:

In his preface to the 1802 edition of the Lyrical Ballads Wordsworth had propounded his most controversial theory of poetic diction. Writing such a theory the poet had struck a heavy blow on the innate, artificial gaudy phraseology of Pope.

In his preface Wordsworth affirmed that the language of poetry is “a selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation.” He insisted that language used by poets must be real It must be the language actually used by such simple rustic’ folk, not that of the sophisticated Londoners. Wordsworth insisted on selection. In other words the language used by poet must be purified of provin-cialism, collequialism or else it might cause disgust and dislike. So the poet has to make an imaginative selection in orders to use them in poetry.

He also stated that “there neither is nor can be, any “‘essential” difference between the language of prose and poetry.”

Through Wordsworth advocated this theory of poetic diction, yet he always flouted his own rules. It is said of him that he broke his own rules when he wrote well, and he kept them when he wrote ill. There is no good denying that he hardly ever observed his own rules, and the poems in which he most nearly observed them are often among his, best.

4. His Role as a Teacher:

Wordsworth once said “Every great poet 4s a teacher I wish either to be considered as no teacher, or as nothing.” It is apparent therefore that Wordsworth wrote poetry more in order to teach than to answer the urge of his poetic soul. But it is to be remembered that, through his aim was to teach, yet he was pre-eminently a poet. He combined, as every poet does, the function of a poet and a teacher. He though not by giving out moral precepts and maxims, as a moralist or a theologian he thought by presenting before the world a new vision of life.

5. Moral value of his Poetry:

Wordsworth’s poetry is characterized by a robust opinion. He held that life, despite its manifold evils is yet good, and worth-living, According to him, evils are the gateways to goodness. Virtues are developed through sufferings because God, is always present to protect and support’ him. Introduction

To the Cuckoo is fine lyric in which the poet expresses his love for the bird and its song. He remembers how in his childhood he was fascinated by the cuckoo’s song and looked for it in the bushes, trees and the sky. The bird brings back to him his childhood memories. He goes back to his childhood days, as it were and feels that the cuckoo belongs to a world of dreams and innocence.