1、ITOPIC: William Wordsworth and I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,II. OBJECTIVES: A) Introduction to Wordsworth and his major works B) Special features of his major works C) Study of the poem D) Comment on the significance of Wordsworths poetry in the history of English literature. E) Assignment,William W
2、ordsworth,a radical democrat激进的民主主义者 , a conservative（英国）保守党党员 , one of the greatest poets of nature,one of Lake Poets, Poet Laureate资金荣誉获得者 , a lost leader., “worshipper礼拜崇拜，爱慕者 of nature”. He thinks that common life is the only subject of literary interest. His deliberate故意的； 蓄意的； 深思熟虑的 simplicity
3、 and refusal to decorate the truth of experience produced a kind of pure and profound深厚的； 意义深远的 poetry., “all good poetry is the spontaneous自发的； 自然的 overflow充满； 洋溢of powerful feelings, which originates 起源于in “emotion recollected in tranquillity心神稳定 ”. He changed the course of English poetry by using
4、 ordinary speech of the language and by advocating a return to nature., English Romanticism浪漫主义 , as a historical phrase of literature, is generally said to have begun in 1798 with the publication of William Wordsworth and Taylor Coleridges Lyrical Ballads抒情歌谣集 and to have ended in 1832 with Walter
5、Scotts death and the passage of the first Reform Bill in the Parliament. Preface to Lyrical Ballads（1802）acts as a manifesto宣言 for the Romantic poets.,The three poets William Wordsworth, Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey once lived in the English Lake District, and become known as the “Lake Poets”
6、. Wordsworths best poetry, mainly produced between 1797 and 1807, gives expression to objective truth about nature and about the ordinary men and women who lived in close touch with nature. But in most of his poems Wordsworth as a poet of nature tends to mystify使神秘化nature and to indulge迁就，纵容 himself
7、 in pantheistic reverie泛神论的遐想 ., In 1805, William Wordsworth completed a long autobiographical自传体的poem entitled The Prelude前奏曲 . To the younger generation, he was a “lost leader”. During the last two decades of his life he sought寻找，探寻to preserve the past and outdated. He opposed parliamentary议会的，国会的
8、； 议会制度的reform and opposed the Catholic Emancipation天主教解放 .,Wordsworths viewpoints,1) Politically he was a radical democrat激进的民主主义者 in the early days, attracted to the slogans of liberty, quality and fraternity兄弟会； 大学生联谊会； 友爱 but became a conservative保守主义 in his later years. However, in his whole lif
9、e, he held a critical attitude towards the government and the upper class. He was strongly against the Industrial Revolution which, he believe, had caused the miseries痛苦 of the poor people and destroyed the quiet simple life of the country people. He had great sympathy for the poor and regarded them
10、 as the victims of the fortune-hunting capitalists.,2) Literarily he was strongly against the neoclassical新古典主义的 poetry, especially that of Dryden Pope and Johnson, and tried to restore the tradition of Spenser, Shakespeare and Milton. He was the leading figure of the English romantic poetry. He tho
11、ught the source of poetic truth was the direct experience of the senses. His definition of poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings and “emotion recollected in tranquillity“ was shared by a number of his followers. He maintained that the senses and events of everyday life and the spe
12、ech of ordinary people were the raw material of which poetry could and should be made. The most important contribution he has made is that he has not only started the modern poetry, the poetry of the growing inner self, but also changed the course of English poetry by using ordinary speech of the la
13、nguage and by advocating a return to nature.,Wordsworths major works,（1）Lyrical Ballads 抒情诗歌集（1798）This collection of poems is generally regarded as the landmark in English literature, for it started a poetical revolution by using the common, simple and colloquial language in poetry. Most of Wordswo
14、rths best short poems are included in this book. The poems were written in the spirit and in the pattern of the early story-telling ballads. They are simple tales about simple life told in simple style and simple language to express the simple emotions in simple lyricism.,（2）Preface to Lyrical Balla
15、ds抒情歌谣的序言（1802）The Preface deserves its reputation as a manifesto宣言； 声明； 告示 in the theory of poetry. Most of discussions of the Preface focused on his assertions声称 使用； 主张 about the vivid language of poetry, that is, “all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”. He attributed to
16、 imaginative literature the primary role in keeping man emotionally alive and morally sensitive, i.e. keeping him essentially本质上，根本上human, in the face of the pressures of a technological and increasingly urban society. He claimed that the great subjects of poetry were “the essential passions of the
17、heart” and “the great and simple affections” as these qualities interact相互作用 with “the beautiful and permanent forms of nature” and are expressed in a “naked and simple” language that is “adapted to interest mankind permanently”.,Topic 2Special features of Wordsworths major works,1）Wordsworth is one
18、 of the greatest poets of nature. He is best at the truthful presentation of nature. He not only sees clearly and describes accurately, but penetrates 穿过 to the heart of things and always finds some exquisite精致的； 细腻的； 优美的； 剧烈的 meaning that is not written on the surface. He gives the reader the very
19、life of nature and the impression of some personal spirit.2）The theme is about incidents and situations of common life （“generally low and rustic乡村的，乡下的； 质朴的，朴素的. Wordsworth considers that man is not apart from nature, but is the very “life of her life”. So he thinks the common life is the only subj
20、ect of literary interest. The joys and sorrows of the common people are his themes.,3）Wordsworth advocates a return to nature. According to him, society and the crowded unnatural life of cities tend to weaken and pervert humanity; and a return to natural and simple living is the only remedy治疗法； 补救办法
21、 for human wretchedness可怜，悲惨 . He shows sympathy also goes to the very small children suffering from poverty and misery苦难.4）The language used in his poetry is a selection of language really used by men. In other words, he uses simple, colloquial口语的，会话的 language in poetry.,Topic 3Study of the poem,1.
22、 ThemeBy giving a description of the beauty of the daffodils黄水仙，dfdlz , the poet eulogizes称赞，颂扬ju:ldaziz the beautiful nature and its favorable influence on ones thinking and character, i.e. nature is the source of human happiness. The poet conveys the various elements of nature are in harmony with
23、one another and that nature is also in harmony with man by bringing the elements of nature together in pairs.,2. Main ideaThe poem is crystal clear and lucid清楚的，明白的 . By recounting a little episode插曲，片断 the poet gives a description of the scene and of the feelings that match it. Then he abstracts th
24、e total emotional value of the experience and concludes by summing that up. Below the immediate surface, we find that all the realistic details of the flowers , the trees, the waves, the wind, and all the accompanying sensations 感觉 of active joy, are absorbed into an over-all concrete metaphor, the
25、recurrent复发的，复现的 image of the dance, which appears in every stanza（诗）节 局，场 . The flowers, the stars, the waves are units in this dancing pattern模式； 花样of order in diversity, of linked eternal harmony and vitality活力； 生气； 生命力； 持久性 . Through the revelation天启and recognition 认识，识别 of his kinship亲属关系 with
26、nature, the poet himself becomes as it were a part of the whole cosmic宇宙的； 极广阔的 dance.,3. Stylistic features of the poem,1）This poem contains four six-lined stanzas （sestet）of iambic tetrameter抑扬格四音步 , with a rime结晶，白霜 scheme计划； 体系 of ababcc in each stanza.,2Repetition重复，反复 :The repetition convey th
27、e different feelings of the poet. The repetitions of synonyms of joy suggest the intensity强烈 of the poets happiness. For example, in the last two stanzas, we notice that the speaker uses in succession five words denoting为的名称； 指示； 指出 joy (“glee”, “gay”. “jocund”, “bliss” and “pleasure”) in a crescend
28、o that suggests that the intensity of the speakers happiness., The forms of the verb to dance (“dancing”, “dance” and “dances”) suggest both that the various elements of nature are in harmony with one another and that nature is also in harmony with man. The repetitions of the words for seeing (“saw”
29、, “gazed”) inaugurate and sustain the imagery of vision that is central to the poems meaning., The repetition of the image of loneliness:A different kind of repetition appears in the movement from the “lonely” (孤独) of Line 1 to the “solitude”（寂寥） of Line 22. Both words denote an alone-ness, but they
30、 suggest a radical difference in the solitary persons attitude to his state of being alone. The poem moves from the sadly alienated separation felt by the speaker in the beginning to his joy in recollecting the natural scene, a movement framed by the words “lone” and “solitude”. An analogous movemen
31、t is suggested within the final stanza by words “vacant” and “fills”. The emptiness of the speakers spirit is transformed into a fullness of feeling as he remembers the daffodils.,Stanza 1,I Wandered Lonely as a CloudI wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high oer vales and hills, When all at o
32、nce I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.我好似一朵孤独的流云， 高高地飘游在山谷之上， 突然我看到一大片鲜花， 是金色的水仙遍地开放。 它们开在湖畔，开在树下 它们随风嬉舞，随风飘荡。,The main idea of Stanza 1,When the poet was taking a walk in the woods he felt lonely and detached from ea
33、rthly fellowship just like a lonely cloud, wandering and floating in the sky. Suddenly he sees the host of dancing daffodils, which remind him of the stars at night in brightness and multitude; they match the waves in radiance and gaiety. In a flash, the poets loneliness is transformed into fellowsh
34、ip; he becomes a part of all this “jocund company”.,Comprehensive notes:“Fluttering and dancing in the breeze”：The dancing image (such as fluttering, dancing, shining, twinkling, sparkling and tossing) recurs in every stanza of the poem, revealing a sense of joy and unity and continuity in the natur
35、al elements of air, water and earth.,Stanza 2,Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.连绵不绝，如繁星灿烂， 在银河里闪闪发光， 它们沿着海湾向前伸展， 通往远方仿佛无穷无尽； 一眼看去就有千朵万
36、朵， 万花摇首舞得多么高兴。,The main idea of Stanza 2,The daffodils are like the lovely stars, shining, twinkling, tossing and stretching. Tossing of the daffodils is compared to the dancing of beauties.Comprehensive notes:“the milky way ”：a broad belt of faint light“bay”：lake“sprightly” ：gay, lively,Stanza 3,Th
37、e waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed and gazed but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought:粼粼湖波也在近旁欢跳， 却不如这水仙舞得轻俏； 诗人遇见这快乐的旅伴， 又怎能不感到欢欣雀跃； 我久久凝视却未领悟 这景象所给的精神至宝。,The main idea of Stanza 3
38、,The daffodils remind the poet of the waves and himself. The moment of vision is a revelation, an intuition of a vital union between him and the forces around him, which enriches his life forever.Comprehensive notes“they ” ：daffodils“glee” ： feeling of joy“show” ：natural display,Stanza 4,For oft, wh
39、en on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude;And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. 后来多少次我郁郁独卧， 感到百无聊赖心灵空漠； 这景象便在脑海中闪现， 多少次安慰过我的寂寞； 我的心又随水仙跳起舞来， 我的心又重新充满了欢乐。,The main idea of Stanza 4,Although the poe
40、t is in solitude, the thought of the daffodils brings pleasure and comfort to him.Comprehensive notes“inward eye ” ：It refers to mind, the source of imagination“they ” ：the scenes of the daffodils“They flash that inward eye” ：Through that “inward eye” of memory, other moods of loneliness and listles
41、sness can be animated with the sense of fulfillment which was captured on that first spring morning, i.e. the daffodils give the poet favourable influence and comfort.（It is an intensely personal poem. It creates a purely subjective experience. The poet tells us about the daffodils in order to tell
42、us something about himself.）,Topic 5Comment on the significance of Wordsworths poetry,First of all, Wordsworths theory, as stated in the “Preface” to the second edition of the “Lyrical Ballads”, serves as a manifesto of Romanticism. The poet takes the direct experience of the senses as the source of
43、 poetic truth as poetry comes from the “emotion recollected in tranquillity”. The significance of the “Preface” also presents itself in the poets advocation of the writing of the common people in ordinary language.Secondly, his practice is what his theory implies, for the joys and sorrows of the com
44、mon people are his themes, in many of his poems such as the Lucy poems. Thirdly, natural scenery with its beauty and mystery acts also as one of his favorite themes and the sympathy out of the poets nature towards the poor in rural places becomes part of his concern.,Fourthly, as one of the leading
45、Romantic poets, the inner workings of individuals mind remains what Wordsworth likes to reveal in his depiction of natural scenery, and the spiritual growth of his own makes his masterpiece The Prelude.Finally, the seemingly simplicity of the poet both in diction and description is immersed in a pro
46、found and sympathetic longing for a better world. So the most important contribution he has made is that he has not only started the modern poetry, the poetry of his growing inner self, but also changed the course of English poetry by using ordinary speech of the language and by adcocating a return to nature.,Assignment,1. Analyze the special features of the poem.2. Preview the novel Pride and Prejudice.,
