A Field of Daffodils (pg. 296) is an entry from The Grasmere Journal of Dorothy Wordsworth (sister of William Wordsworth) and may have been the inspiration for William’s poem I wandered lonely as a cloud. Both pieces are written about the same experience. Dorothy wrote that while walking in the woods, they came upon a few daffodils close to the waterside, and as they went farther, there were more and more daffodils growing in “a long belt” along the lake. She described how beautiful they were, and how some of the weary daffodils rested their heads on stones, while the others “reeled & danced” laughing with the wind blowing off the lake. She gave the daffodils human characteristics, some were tired, and others were dancing and laughing.
In William’s poem I wandered lonely as a cloud, (pg. 282) he also described the daffodils as beautiful and dancing, and “continuous as the stars,” but I didn’t get the same feeling of joie de vivre as with Dorothy's description. William focused more on how the daffodils affected him personally, the feelings that the daffodils invoked in him. Dorothy assigned feelings to the daffodils and said they “looked so gay,” while William described himself as feeling gay while looking at them.
Dorothy spoke of the stormy bays and the waves in the water that sounded like the sea. This suggests that the water was choppy and the weather may have been gloomy or bad. William’s poem suggested peacefulness, tranquility, and I pictured a sunny day while reading it. William referred to the waves as dancing and sparkling, but the beauty of the daffodils outdid the waves, in other words, the waves were secondary to the daffodils.
Dorothy used the term “we” as she described the day, while William used “I” giving the impression he was by himself. The title I wandered lonely as a cloud implies he was alone, and lonely. Both writers found joy in the daffodils, but I got a different feeling from each of the pieces. Dorothy’s had more energy and life, while William's was more calming.
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2 comments:
Brenda,
Interesting and insightful comparison of Dorothy's and William's reaction to the daffodils, in her journal and his poem. Good selection and discussion of specific passages from each, and effective summation of your points. Nice work.
I really liked the way you focused your blog on two writings. It made it easy to read. I personally loved "A Field of Daffodils." I also found it easy to see where the inspiration came from!
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