QUIZ-1

English Literature-ENG 115.3

Submitted to:

Mr. Shafayat Nazam Rasul [SNm]

Lecturer
North South University, Dhaka-1229.

Submitted by:

Jannatul Nayeem
ID:1611482030
Section:7; Summer’2020

Date of Submission: 12th August, 2020.

 Question Answer-1
What are the comparisons or similes used in "I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud" and "Sonnet
18"? How are they used to make a certain point?

The famous poem, "Sonnet 18," written by William Shakespeare during the Renaissance period,
is a commendation of a person. Similarly, "I wondered As Lonely As A Cloud," written by
William Wordsworth during the Romantic period, is an appreciation of nature. Both poets used
man versus nature as a simile to effectively portray the former social context of the Renaissance
and the Romantic period.

During the Renaissance (14th to 17th centuries), three factors- the printing press, education
reform, and Black plague changed the audience of literature and the focus away from nature.
Prioritizing humanity against religious dogmas was prominent in literary writings. For example-
Shakespeare criticized that the creation (Summer) of the perfect entity(the God) had flaws in the
line- "Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines." 

In contrast, people were exhausted from machines and urban sprawl as consequences of the
French and Industrial revolutions. Through subjective truth, individualism, emotionalism, and
escapism, it gave birth to Romantic poets like Wordsworth. "What wealth the show to me had
brought" -through this line, it is evident that the poet prioritized nature (unlike capitalistic
possession) than artificial human development.
Both used nature versus man as simile and personification as a literary tool. In "Sonnet
18", Summer is a positive connotation of warmth. It sounds as heavenly as God's creation, yet,
the poet described its flaws in the second stanza. However, through "But thy eternal summer
shall not fade." the poet described the person's charm is eternal. This comparison is a clear
representation of the Renaissance period in which humans to be superior to all religious doctrines
and monarchy.

On the other hand, William Wordsworth was longing for nature, a clear representation of
escapism- a consequence of the Romantic period. While comparing nature with man, the poet
said he was lonely (a literal meaning). However, by the personification of the natural contents, he
expressed his happy moment with nature's companionship. "Which is the bliss of solitude"
shows how the poet prioritized nature over man.

Finally, both the poets compared nature with man. Shakespeare prioritized man by emphasizing
immortality of humans- the influence of Renaissance over religion. Nevertheless, Wordsworth
prioritized nature by empathizing with the superior blissful feelings with nature.