Literatures in English

Chantal Whitley and Shavell Skeel 6A

Poetry: William Wordsworth

‘Three Years She Grew’

Literal Meaning

The poem speaks of Lucy “A child” which was as lovely as a flower. The persona in this poem
tells a story, of a child how she was made into something else, rid of her innocence and
transformed into a lady, “A lady of my own/ This child to myself will take.” The mention of the
word child and the fact that it began with a capital letter speaks a lot. It emphasizes the
innocence of poor Lucy, whom nature has a plan for, “Shall rear her form to stately height/ Her
virgin bosom swell.” However, Lucy dies, but she did experience the change and has left nature
with the memory spoken of in stanza 7.

Stanza 1

The story begins in stanza 1. Shower refers to a short period of rain or snow. The personified
Nature notices Lucy at three years old. Nature thinks she is the most beautiful thing on earth,
and promises to take her to make "A Lady of [her] own." In the stanzas which follow the plans
for Lucy are voiced.

Stanza 2

There is a lot of contrast in this stanza. It is believed that this stage refers to nature and tells of
the plans nature has in store for Lucy. Nature then expounds on what it means to be Nature's
lady for several stanzas. Nature promises to make Lucy into a part of nature itself. She will be a
part of the rocks, the earth, the heaven, the glades, the mountain springs, the clouds, the trees,
and the storms. In addition, Lucy will fully enjoy nature and understand it. It will be as if they
are in constant communication.
Stanza 3

This speaks of Lucy as a ‘sportive’ person. She will bond with and enjoy nature like the fawn
does, “That wild with glee across the lawn.”

Stanza 4

Nature further voices the plans in store for Lucy.

Stanza 5

This speaks of how Lucy will appreciate the “stars of midnight.” The beauty shall bring about
such passion her in that she murmurs at the sight, “And beauty born of murmuring sound/Shall
pass into her face.”

Stanza 6

This stanza speaks specifically of how Lucy will grow physically. “Shall rear from her form to
stately height/ Her virgin bosom swell.”

Stanza 7

In the last stanza Nature declares that her work is done: she has fulfilled her promise to Lucy,
letting her grow into a mature woman (as promised in the sixth stanza). The speaker declares,
"How soon my Lucy's race was run!" When she dies, she leaves the speaker a calm scene to
enjoy along with the beautiful memory of her:
“Thus Nature spake--The work was done--

How soon my Lucy's race was run!

She died, and left to me

This heath, this calm, and quiet scene;

The memory of what has been,

And never more will be.”

Analysis

“Three years she grew" is made up of seven six-line stanzas that each has an aabaab rhyme
scheme. This poem is one of a set usually called the "Lucy Poems." The identity of Lucy has
never been discovered.

The first six stanzas is the speaker talking the future, in the last stanza we realize that it
is not really the future but something which actually took place before and Lucy is now dead.
One takes at the time that nature was speaking Lucy was only three and nature later took her
and made her into a lady who appreciates, enjoys and loves nature.

Nature takes on an interesting role in this poem--she is beautiful and giving, and yet
ultimately dictates the circumstances of Lucy's death. The poem becomes a beautiful elegy
written to a woman who has died and who Wordsworth admired not only for her beauty, but
also for her connection to nature, which Wordsworth felt was the highest possible
achievement.

Also worthy of note is the fact that the speaker does not speak until the final stanza. For
the first six stanzas he simply describes the declarations and promises of Nature. It is only in the
end that the reader finally learns what happened to Lucy (she died as soon as she reached
maturity) and why the speaker is writing the poem (out of grief).
Wordsworth testified his true attitude of Nature. According to him, Nature is a heavenly
spirit who has the combined qualities of a mother and a teacher. He observed and drew the
picture of how Mother Nature raised Lucy up; moulded and shaped her life till she becomes a
fine young beautiful lady. Right from the time she was three years old, Mother Nature
proposed to begin Lucy’s education in her own natural wisdom.
From the day she was born till the day she was three years old, Lucy grew under the
light and the heat of the sun and the showers of the soft summer rain. Then Mother Nature
said to her that there was no flower lovelier than Lucy that has ever been sown on earth; here
Lucy is compared to a flower because of her beauty and the natural way in which she was bred
in. Mother Nature decided to take full charge of Lucy’s life and well being and would educate
her according to nature’s own ideal. Nature would be to Lucy a source of inspiration for both
law; rules of nature; and impulse; inspiring emotions, and with her Lucy would learn about the
secrets of the mountains and plains, the wisdom of heaven and earth, in glade; a clear open
space and bower; shady place under trees. She would learn to feel an overseeing power to
rouse and control.
Lucy would be playful and merry like a young deer with that wild and tameless joy, full
of energy to go high up as the water spring on top of the mountain; a source of a river. Lucy
would possess that gentle breeze that would act as a soothing and healing balm for her
wounds. She would also learn to be silent and calm with the silent inanimate objects of nature.
The silent floating clouds that pass by would lend their dignity and grandeur to her. For her the
willow trees would bend; refers to the fact that Lucy would learn modesty from the
bending branches of the willow. Even in the strong movement of the storm; which symbolizes
power and gracefulness; Lucy would learn to be powerful and graceful like the storm at the
same time. Yet in silence, without Lucy being conscious of it, she would ultimately be moulded
into a fine young lady.
In the process, Lucy would someday display all her true beauty like the stars in the sky
on a cloudless midnight. She would be loved and close to them and would listen carefully in
many secret places of nature. The secret places where the rivulets dance their wayward round
with their streams of clear rushing waters. Their beauty was born with a soft murmuring sound
that would beautify her and make her face beautiful. The vital invigorating and lovely feelings of
delight would bring up the nourishment in her to a grandeur height. Her virgin breast would
expand on bulge out. As long as Lucy dwells with Mother Nature in this joyful valley, she would
shape Lucy’s thoughts to the height of maturity.
At last Mother Nature spoke and said that the work of educating Lucy was finally done.
Lucy’s duration of life was compared to a race which has a beginning and an end. When she
died all that she left to the narrator was the heath; barren land, the calm and quiet scene. The
memory of what would always be perhaps suggestive to the fact that this work of nature would
never be repeated in future.

Themes: Nature, Youthfulness, Innocence, Isolation, Landscape

Nature as a major theme in the poem

Within the poem, Wordsworth seems to be asserting his views on nature and its place in
education during this time. He believes nature has the ability to teach a child much about life
and his or herself. Within nature’s guidance, Lucy grew into a happy, inquisitive and grateful
person. It is believed that the poem coincides nicely with the philosophical theory of Rousseau
which states that a child living close to nature becomes a better person than the one brought
up in the artificial atmosphere of civilization.

Language: Simple and unadorned

Literary Devices: Metaphor, line 6

Simile, line 13

Rhyme: aa, b, aa, b.

This poem ties in nicely with the tenets of romanticism. This is evident:

 In the language used, which was simple and adorned

 How Lucy is portrayed, as a beautiful and some what mystical creature
 The major theme of nature.