Critical appreciation of William Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" or "Daffodils" with special reference to Romanticism

Critical appreciation of Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" or "Daffodils"

Daffodil flower

The Romantic Movement was an artistic and intellectual drive among the writers, thinkers and artists that came to European society towards the end of the 18th century. William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge played a pivotal role in introducing the Romantic Age (1798 - 1832) in English literature in 1798 with their joint publication of Lyrical Ballads and it reached its peak from approximately 1800 to 1850 in most parts of Europe. Romantics were characterized by their emphasis on personal emotions and imagination in addition to individualism, clandestine literature, and paganism. Romantic thinkers were worshipers of nature, were often suspicious of industrialization (the environmental damage industries are doing with nature), the formalism of the Enlightenment and rationalism and frequently glorified the Middle Ages (as the golden era) by portraying them in moralistic, idealized forms. Romanticism was partly a reaction to the Industrial Revolution and its short-term effects.

          After a long time, Wordsworth gained some financial security by publishing the 4th edition of Lyrical Ballads in 1805; it was the first from which he enjoyed the profits of copyright ownership of his works. He decided to switch from the long poem he was working on (The Recluse) and devote more of his attention to publishing Poems in Two Volumes, in which "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" first appeared.

          Wordsworth's poem "Daffodils" (originally named "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud") has been beloved by readers for over two centuries for its simplistic representation of nature. It was one of the masterpieces of the poet. The poem, first published in 1807, celebrates nature as an entity and the power of memory to transport us to happier times. In this critical appreciation, we will explore the themes of Romanticism and Imagism in "Daffodils" and how they contribute to the poem's enduring appeal.

          In "Daffodils," we can see the influence of Romanticism in Wordsworth's celebration of nature. The inspiration for the poem came from a walk Wordsworth took with his sister Dorothy around Glencoyne Bay, Ullswater, in the Lake District on 15 April 1802. The poem begins with the speaker's description (a first-person narration) of a "host of golden daffodils" that he sees "beside the lake, beneath the trees." The image of the daffodils is vivid and striking, and the speaker is immediately struck by their beauty. The poem is full of sensory details that help to transport the reader to the scene. We can see the influence of Romanticism in this emphasis on the sensory experience of nature.

          The speaker goes on to describe how the daffodils "flutter and dance" in the breeze, creating a sense of movement and vitality. The natural world is alive and vibrant, and the speaker is swept up in its energy. The use of personification, in which the daffodils are described as "tossing their heads in sprightly dance," further emphasizes the Romantic emphasis on nature as a living, breathing entity.

          The poem also emphasizes the power of memory to transport us back to happy times. The speaker recalls how the sight of the daffodils "flash upon that inward eye / Which is the bliss of solitude." The use of the phrase "inward eye" emphasizes the power of imagination and memory to create a vivid, sensory experience. The speaker's memory of the daffodils brings him happiness and comfort, even when he is alone.

          This emphasis on the power of memory is another key element of Romanticism. Romantic poets believed that the imagination was a powerful apparatus for creating meaning and beauty in the world. In "Daffodils," we can see how the speaker's memory of the daffodils gives him a sense of connection towards nature, even when he is separated from it.

          Imagism was a literary movement that emerged in the early 20th century, long after Wordsworth wrote "Daffodils." However, we can still see elements of Imagism in the poem. Imagism emphasized the use of precise, sensory language to create vivid images in the reader's mind. In "Daffodils," we can see how Wordsworth's use of sensory details and precise language creates a vivid, striking image of the daffodils.

          For example, the speaker describes how the daffodils "out-did the sparkling waves in glee." This comparison creates a powerful image in the reader's mind, as we can imagine the bright yellow of the daffodils standing out against the sparkling blue colour of the lake. The use of precise languages, such as "sparkling" and "glee," further emphasizes the sensory experience of the scene.

          The poem also uses repetition to create a sense of rhythm and pattern. For instance, the phrase "a host of golden daffodils" is repeated several times throughout the poem, creating a sense of unity and harmony. The repetition of this phrase also emphasizes the importance of the daffodils to the speaker and the beauty of nature that they represent.

          Another key element of Imagism is the use of simple language and everyday objects to create beauty and meaning. In "Daffodils," we can see how Wordsworth uses a very simple image of a field full of daffodils to create a sense of wonder and awe. Here the daffodils are not just flowers, but symbols of the beauty and power of nature that influences human beings to think about everything more natural and simplistic manner.

          The poem also emphasizes the importance of individual experience and emotion. The speaker's experience of the daffodils is deeply personal and emotional. He describes how the sight of the daffodils "fills his heart with pleasure." This emphasis on individual experience is another key element of Romanticism and Imagism.

          In conclusion, "Daffodils" is a powerful and enduring poem that celebrates the beauty of nature. The poem's themes of evocation of nature contribute to its enduring appeal. The emphasis on the sensory experience of nature, the power of memory and imagination, and the importance of individual experience and emotion create a vivid, striking image of the daffodils that have captured readers' imaginations for over two centuries and whenever we read the poem again, we get a sense of delight through the rhythmic dance of daffodils with the flow of air.