Imagery in the Romantic Period

In William Wordsworth’s poem, “Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey,” the speaker expresses an appreciation for nature through the use of pastoral imagery. I wanted to focus on this in my post because of the discussion in class that we had about how there was an emphasis on nature during the Romantic Period; additionally, because during this period authors also often used nature to express a hope in society. These ideas are clearly illustrated in this poem.

The poem begins with the speaker returning after five long years away. Although this time has passed he is still “A lover of the meadows and the woods” (line 103). This shows that the speaker’s appreciation for nature has not changed even after being away form it for long periods. To him, nature symbolizes “the guardian of [his] heart, and soul/ Of all my moral being” (110-111). Nature is an aspect of life that literally keeps him grounded and, one could say, keeps his soul content. Nature has been an important aspect of the speaker’s life from when he was young all through his life.

By utilizing imagery and description the author is able to express the importance of nature in his everyday life. This is important to understand because of the unit we are studying right now and to connect Wordsworth’s poetry to the Romantic Period.

Questions: Do you see any significance in the structure or rather lack of structure in this poem?
Why do you think the author uses his sister in this poem?