Romantic poem

[Reporter]

Do you find this poem to be a romantic poem? What makes you think so? What makes you think not?

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Lines Written in Early Spring

William Wordsworth (1798)


I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.

Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And ’tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:--
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature’s holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?

[zena]

Not romantic at all.

It's about man's relationship to nature.  It is a bit depressing because he is in a way saying that nature appreciates what it has but man doesn't appreciate man....they destroy each other.

It's a nice poem though.

btw, shouldn't this be under "Poems"?

[Reporter]

Not romantic at all.

It's about man's relationship to nature.  It is a bit depressing because he is in a way saying that nature appreciates what it has but man doesn't appreciate man....they destroy each other.

It's a nice poem though.

btw, shouldn't this be under "Poems"?

Haha...You are right in a way. The poem does deal with human's relationship to nature... And I am not surprised of that kind of response. I just wanted to see how many people actually see the Romanticism in the poem. I have bold-faced the words that would help readers further.

It's not the poetry I'm putting this up for. It's analysis. So I thought it might be ok here.

[sprite]

Yes, Wordsworth has romanticized the subject much in the same way filmmakers may glamorize painful and controversial topics.

[silkstream]

Do you find this poem to be a romantic poem? What makes you think so? What makes you think not?

------------------------------------------------------------------
Lines Written in Early Spring

William Wordsworth (1798)


I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.

Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And ’tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:--
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature’s holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?

I think there is a difference between a romantic poem with our contemporary definition of the word and a Romantic poem from that particular era. Wordsworth was a famous Romantic poet so we can already deduce that, yes, this is a Romantic poem without the need to analyze the vocab. If, however, you are analyzing it specifically under the context of whether or not it is a romantic poem (using our current definition), then based on the subject matter I would say no.

[Reporter]

Yes, Wordsworth has romanticized the subject much in the same way filmmakers may glamorize painful and controversial topics.

True. The poet is enhancing the subject. Wordsworth and his contemporaries tried to make nature more of what nature really was.

[Reporter]

I think there is a difference between a romantic poem with our contemporary definition of the word and a Romantic poem from that particular era. Wordsworth was a famous Romantic poet so we can already deduce that, yes, this is a Romantic poem without the need to analyze the vocab. If, however, you are analyzing it specifically under the context of whether or not it is a romantic poem (using our current definition), then based on the subject matter I would say no.

All right. That's  a valid argument: our contemporary definition would make it not a romantic poem.

I didn't want to post up a poem that was too obvious. It would not stimulate our minds if it was too clear and too obvious.

I think each person will differ depending on what angle that person looks at the poem from. You've pointed out two possible angles, and both are valid. I just want know how people look at it and what makes them say what they say. There's no right or wrong answer.

[zena]

Haha...You are right in a way. The poem does deal with human's relationship to nature... And I am not surprised of that kind of response. I just wanted to see how many people actually see the Romanticism in the poem. I have bold-faced the words that would help readers further.

It's not the poetry I'm putting this up for. It's analysis. So I thought it might be ok here.

I think you are confused.  You originally asked if the poem was a romantic poem (lovey dovey stuff), not a poem from the Romantic era (artistic and philosophical movement).  There's a difference between the two.  If you didn't already know, one is a capitalized "R". BTW, it's not that I'm right about the poem.  It is what the poem is about.  Romanticism is about freedom to express oneself through art (including paintings) and it mainly influenced English society.

[Reporter]

I think you are confused.  You originally asked if the poem was a romantic poem (lovey dovey stuff), not a poem from the Romantic era (artistic and philosophical movement).  There's a difference between the two.  If you didn't already know, one is a capitalized "R". BTW, it's not that I'm right about the poem.  It is what the poem is about.  Romanticism is about freedom to express oneself through art (including paintings) and it mainly influenced English society.

Like I said, whatever angle you are coming from is fine...that was the intention of the post. It still is.

[passingby#2]

Not romantic at all.

It's about man's relationship to nature.  It is a bit depressing because he is in a way saying that nature appreciates what it has but man doesn't appreciate man....they destroy each other.

It's a nice poem though.

btw, shouldn't this be under "Poems"?

That's what I got too...the narrator seems sad/depress in this poem. 

[NkaujNom]

There is awe and admiration which could suggest a romance. Many times we wonder why we feel so forsaken or tormented by the world, yet there's likely to be a few or many things that we do find love for.

[Reporter]

That's what I got too...the narrator seems sad/depress in this poem. 

Ah, so you saw it from that angle, too.

There is awe and admiration which could suggest a romance. Many times we wonder why we feel so forsaken or tormented by the world, yet there's likely to be a few or many things that we do find love for.

yeah...true.

[passingby#2]

Ah, so you saw it from that angle, too.

yeah...true.

Yeah, this is a pretty well known poem and every time I read it I picture a guy out in the country admiring nature.  It paints a simple picture but is quite complex in that the narrator is reflecting on all the things he sees around him.  Nature has created beauty and harmony but man only creates destruction.

Wordsworth is part of the Romantic movement but this poem is not romantic. 

[Reporter]

Very true.  Wordsworth and his colleague poets--often called contemporaries--were heightening nature with the hope that man would stop destroying it. 

Yeah, this is a pretty well known poem and every time I read it I picture a guy out in the country admiring nature.  It paints a simple picture but is quite complex in that the narrator is reflecting on all the things he sees around him. Nature has created beauty and harmony but man only creates destruction.

Wordsworth is part of the Romantic movement but this poem is not romantic. 

What do you mean by that?

[xoniuqe]

Not romantic at all. And the bold phrases actually threw me off.