FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

Ivana Matetića Ronjgova 1

52100 PULA
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Seminar paper

LITERATURE OF BRITISH ROMANTICISM

 
Topic:
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

SUPERVISOR: STUDENT:
izv. prof. dr. sc. Igor Grbić Marta Magaš
 
UNIVERSITY STUDY:
English language and literature &
History

Pula, summer semester

Academic year 2021. / 2022.
 CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................1
2. LITERARY CONTEXT.........................................................................................................2
3. THEMES.................................................................................................................................3
3.1 Humanity and nature.........................................................................................................3
3.2 Imagination.......................................................................................................................3
4. SYMBOLS AND FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE....................................................................4
4.1 Symbols.............................................................................................................................4
4.2 Personification..................................................................................................................4
5. FORM, METER AND RHYME SCHEME...........................................................................5
5.1 Form..................................................................................................................................5
5.2 Meter.................................................................................................................................5
5.3 Rhyme scheme..................................................................................................................5
6. CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................6
LITERATURE............................................................................................................................7
1. INTRODUCTION

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud is a poem by one of the most well-known poets in the English
poetry, William Wordsworth. The poem is widely regarded as one of the most significant
works of Romantic poetry. It delves on the relationship between nature and human beings by
emphasizing two crucial elements. Firstly, it asserts that human individuals are not apart from
nature, but rather an integral component of it. Secondly, it implies that a close connection to
the natural world is necessary for the happiness of human beings.
2. LITERARY CONTEXT

In general terms, Romanticism's core ideals were a close human’s affinity with nature and the
overall value of the individual’s imagination, solitude and introspection. Moreover, the
Romantics believed that relying on heart rather than logic is always more courageous option.
All these principles were originally a reaction to Enlightenment concepts such as need for a
reason, over-intellectualization, and spiritual confinement. As a piece of a romantic literature,
poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud has all the elements listed above.
3. THEMES

3.1 Humanity and nature

Though the title may lead the reader to believe that the poem is about loneliness, in reality, it
is an uplifting poem with a good attitude on life. The speaker's enjoyment and overall
happiness are derived from his interactions with nature. Owning to this, the reader comes to
appreciate the magnificence that surrounds him, meaning nature. The opening line of the
poem establishes the concept of loneliness, although the speaker is not truly alone. Daffodils
are what the poet is surrounded by. Their graceful "dance" in the breeze has left an indelible
impression on his mind. I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud establishes a bond between humanity
which is represented by the person speaking and the nature represented by the daffodils.

3.2 Imagination

The poem is told entirely in the first person, and it is about the speaker's own memories. The
imagination and nature are a huge part of Romantic poet’s mind. In I Wandered Lonely as a
Cloud the author is showing how strong imagination and memories can be and what kind of
impact they can have on a present moment. The poem shows how imagination has an ability
of bringing back pleasant moments and also the ability of (re)creating happiness and
satisfaction at the present moment.
4. SYMBOLS AND FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

4.1 Symbols

The daffodils are certainly the main symbol and a kind of a representative of this poem. The
idea of daffodils is to encourage people to pay more attention to nature—to take their time,
look more closely, and to appreciate the natural world surrounding them. Daffodils are also
associated with the arrival of spring. Meaning, in this poem they may be representing rebirth
and new beginnings. Furthermore, the daffodils also symbolise nature's remarkable ability to
create beauty.

4.2 Personification

The daffodils are the predominant personification in the poem. On several occasions,
daffodils are said to be “dancing”. People dance when feeling joy and dancing is considered a
way of bonding.in human world. In poem the “dance” may be representing a connection
between daffodils and humankind. All this represents the main idea of the poem which is
humanity’s togetherness and connection with the Mother Nature.
5. FORM, METER AND RHYME SCHEME

5.1 Form

The poem is divided into four sestets (six-line stanzas), totalling twenty-four lines.

5.2 Meter

With only few exceptions, we can conclude that the meter is consistently iambic tetrameter.

5.3 Rhyme scheme

Throughout the poem, the rhyme scheme adheres to a strict formula. All four stanzas follow
ABABCC scheme.
6. CONCLUSION

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud is a romantic poem by a remarkable author William

Wordsworth. Though the daffodils are clearly the most remembered image from the poem, the
theme of the poem is originally the interaction between the individual and the natural world.
There are four stanzas, the meter in poem is constantly iambic tetrameter and all four stanzas
follow ABABCC rhyme scheme.
LITERATURE

1. https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/william-wordsworth/i-wandered-lonely-as-a-cloud

2. https://interestingliterature.com/2021/06/a-short-analysis-of-wordsworths-i-wandered-
lonely-as-a-cloud/

3. https://poemanalysis.com/william-wordsworth/i-wandered-lonely-as-a-cloud/

4. https://englishsummary.com/lesson/i-wandered-lonely-as-a-cloud-summary-analysis-by-
william-wordsworth/

5. https://www.bl.uk/works/i-wandered-lonely-as-a-cloud