William Wordsworth

1. Early Life

Birth: William Wordsworth was born on April 7, 1770, in Cockermouth, Cumberland (now part of Cumbria), England.

Family: He was the second of five children born to John Wordsworth and Ann Cookson Wordsworth. His mother died when he was eight, and his father passed away when he was thirteen.

2. Education

Early Education: Wordsworth attended Hawkshead Grammar School and was later sent to St. John’s College, Cambridge, where he studied from 1787 to 1791.

Influences: His time at Cambridge and his experiences with nature in the Lake District had a profound impact on his literary development.

3. Romantic Poet

Romantic Movement: Wordsworth is one of the central figures in the English Romantic movement, which emphasized emotion, nature, and individualism.

Collaborator: He collaborated with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a fellow Romantic poet, on the influential collection Lyrical Ballads (1798), which marked the beginning of the Romantic Age in English literature.

4. Major Works

“Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey”: One of his most famous works, reflecting his thoughts on nature and memory.

“The Prelude”: An autobiographical poem that details his spiritual and artistic development.

“Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Early Childhood”: Explores themes of memory and the divine connection between childhood and nature.

5. Style and Themes

Nature: Wordsworth’s poetry is renowned for its deep appreciation of nature, often portraying it as a source of spiritual renewal and inspiration.

Emotion: He emphasized the importance of personal emotion and experience in his poetry, celebrating the inner life of the individual.

Common Language: Wordsworth advocated for writing poetry in the “language of ordinary men,” making his work accessible and grounded in everyday experiences.

6. Later Life

Public Life: In 1813, Wordsworth was appointed as the Distributor of Stamps for the County of Westmoreland, a position he held until his death.

Marriage and Family: He married Mary Hutchinson in 1802, and they had five children together, though only three survived to adulthood.

7. Legacy

Influence: Wordsworth’s work had a profound influence on later poets and writers, contributing significantly to the development of modern poetry.

Recognition: He was named Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1843, a position he held until his death.

Death: William Wordsworth died on April 23, 1850, in Rydal Mount, Cumbria.

8. Key Contributions

Poetic Theory: Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads (1800) is a key document in the Romantic movement, outlining his poetic philosophy and aesthetic principles.

Nature Poetry: His portrayal of nature as a living, spiritual force has been widely celebrated and remains influential in the study of Romantic literature.

Lucy Gray: Word Meaning