William Wordsworth, His Poetry, and Sense of Nature

English literature has divided into several age which each age has their own characteristic and masterpiece. The masterpiece including poetry, poems, sonnets, drama and etc. Because of that English literature also has many popular poets. Poet is a person who write a poetry. One of those popular poets is William Wordsworth, one of the poets of Return to Nature age. William Wordsworth is a poet who has good sense in nature. He has produced lot of popular poetry and make him a popular poet. This essay is going to talk about William Wordsworth's life, his first attempt to be a poet and his inspiration, his sense of nature, and his works.

First is about Wordsworth childhood until he entered a University. According to Meiklejohn (1887), Meiklejohn said that William Wordsworth was born at Cockermouth, which located at Cumberland. John Wordsworth was the name of William Wordsworth father, his father was a law and worked for Sir James Lowther, who in the future become Earl of Lonsdale. As a young boy Wordsworth has stiff, moody and violent temper. His mother past away when Wordsworth was a very little boy, and his father when he was fourteen years old, young Wordsworth grew up without enough care from his parents. According to Albert (1979), John Wordsworth only inherited a little money and most of the money must be billed to Lonsdale. But Lonsdale did not want to pay the debt to Wordsworth, afterwards Wordsworth financed by his two uncle and schooled at Hawkshead near Lake Windermere. Furthermore, in 1787 he proceeds to St John’s College which located at Cambridge and graduated in 1791, at the university his literary works was quite ordinary. So, Wordsworth childhood until he entered university was not happy at all.

Second is about Wordsworth life after he graduated from University. According to Fletcher (2003), Fletcher said that after graduated from Cambridge, Wordsworth was not sure with his job he felt that he did not good enough for the church, not interested in law and he even though that he had a capacity for military career but he did want to do that. At the first, he lived in London in a year with nothing to do, and then decided go to France to learn language. The Revolution of France was on early stages in 1792, in his book “Prelude” Wordsworth has left best statement about eager anticipations of a new world of social justice driven by another English Liberals youth and himself. When the Revolution passes into a cruel bloodshed period, he was strongminded to put forward himself as a front-runner of moderate Girondins, the government was held extensive massacre for this party but Wordsworth was save few months later because of his uncle stopped his allowance which forced him to back to England after one year nonappearance. Wordsworth back to lived without doing nothing for several years, after back to England with the fear of the execution from the France king he was joined European power coalition against France but he got shocked because seeing his own country is filled with corrupt despotism against cause of humanity as what seemed to him. The complete degeneration of Revolution into anarchy and tyranny bring him into moral confusion but he was rescued partly by new communication with nature and partly by his sister Dorothy, a woman who have the most sensitive with nature but have strong character and awesome sense. From this time Wordsworth live with his sister fir the rest of his life and his poetic success was influenced by his sister loyalty. So, these are about what Wordsworth did after graduated from University

The third is about Wordsworth first attempt to be a poet and his motivation. According to Fletcher (2003), Fletcher said that when Wordsworth live with his sister, he began to write a poetry and he receipt a small inheritance from a friend that made him possible to devote his life for art. Few years later his resources are multiplied because of the new Lord Lonsdale wants to pay off debts that owed by the predecessor to Wordsworth’s father. In 1795 Wordsworth and his sister proceed to move to Dorsetshire, at the other side of England, two years later, Wordsworth make association with Coleridge to make “Lyrical Ballads” which contain of 19 Wordsworth poems. After winter Wordsworth and his sister move to their home town at first in “Dove Cottage” in Grasmere village where Wordsworth make most of his greatest poetry in this place. Then, for several years Wordsworth lived economically, after few changes he moves to larger house Rydal Mount, few miles away from his home town and decided to make that house as his final residence. In 1802 he decided to married Mary Hutchinson, one of his schoolmates when he was a child. Wordsworth’s inspiration when make a poetry is more stable than Coleridge, for few years his inspiration only has little reduction, but in 1815 Wordsworth stated that his fine on the other hand his pathetic poem “Composed upon an Evening of Extraordinary Splendor” is most part abandoned him. Wordsworth continued to make many verses, which most of his admirers prefer has not been written. The basic Anglo-Saxon yeoman which was the foundation of his nature declared that Wordsworth was in rising ideas conservation which noticeable on his last forty years of life. Wordsworth who love simplicity changed become opposition of materialistic modern industrial system, not only focused on it he also opposition of all changing in progressive political and social movement. So, these are about how Wordsworth started to write a poetry and his inspiration.

The fourth is about Wordsworth’s sense of nature. According to Fletcher (2003), he said Wordsworth is the representative of one important principle in Romantic Movement, but he is more than any movement member. Wordsworth is the deepest interpreter of Nature in all poetry, he is very sensitive of nature and more carefully to differentiate external beauty and glory of nature especially in Nature which not alive like mountains, wood, flowers, in various aspect. For Wordsworth, nature is direct Divine Power manifestation, which can be anywhere in his life and can communicate with it, for him it is a communication with God. Nature is great and sufficient teacher for Wordsworth, even he said that from observation from nature human could learn moral truth more books and sages. Wordsworth considered his job as poet is a holy job and his strong moral temperament can be found in his art, his art also has limitations because Nature does not always belong to him as he said before. So, these are about sense of nature affected Wordsworth works.

The last is about Wordsworth works. According to Albert (1979), he said that first verses of Wordsworth were written at school and they are called “a tame imitation of Pope’s Versification.” In university he made some poetry which looked as An Evening Walk (1739), this style of poem is have little originality but already show Wordsworth sense of nature. The first work from his genius could be seen on Lyrical Ballads (1793) a work with Coleridge, which was published at Bristol both of Wordsworth and Coleridge have left accounts concerning the beginning of this book which various to some extent. Wordsworth had shared more book in the introduction to the Romantic movement, during 1798-1799 Wordsworth make some finest poem, which released in 1800 with the contribution of Lyrical Ballad. The works are Michael, the old Cumberland, Cumberland Beggar, she dwelt among the untrodden ways, the first passion of strange are Michael and The Old Cumberland Beggar, these new poems showed that Wordsworth were not satisfied with his poetic diction theory and the lyric is more striking in their restraints and soft ouch. His work, The Prelude was completed in 1805 but published after Wordsworth died in 1850, this is a record of his development as a poet, he described that his experience as a poet are fullness, closeness, and laborious anxiety which are unique in literature. In 1807, Wordsworth published two volume of poetry which represent his genius, few successes poetry in this volume are The Solitary Reaper, The Green Linnet, and I wandered lonely as a cloud. So, those are literary work which made by Wordsworth.

In conclusion William Wordsworth is poet who has an interesting life. He has lot of experienced during his life. Wordsworth also a poet who have good sense in nature. He produces lot of poetry of nature and most of his works are famous. From those works make him become a famous poet in Return to Nature age, and become famous poet in English Literature.

References:

1. Albert, E. (1979). History of English Literature Fifth Edition. Calcutta: Oxford University Press.
2. Meiklejohn, J.M.D (1887). A Brief History of The English Language and Literature, Vol.2 (of 2). Boston: D.C. Heath & Co.
3. Fletcher, R.H. (2003). A History of English Literature Tenth Edition. California: Project Gutenberg.