'"A Narrow Girdle of Rough Stones and Crags,"' by William Wordsworth
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A narrow girdle of rough stones and crags,
A rude and natural causeway, interposed
Between the water and a winding slope
Of copse and thicket, leaves the eastern shore
Of Grasmere safe in its own privacy:
And there myself and two beloved Friends,
One calm September morning, ere the mist
Had altogether yielded to the sun,
Sauntered on this retired and difficult way.
----Ill suits the road with one in haste; but we
Played with our time; and, as we strolled along,
It was our occupation to observe
Such objects as the waves had tossed ashore--
Feather, or leaf, or weed, or withered bough,
Each on the other heaped, along the line
Of the dry wreck. And, in our vacant mood,
Not seldom did we stop to watch some tuft
Of dandelion seed or thistle's beard,
That skimmed the surface of the dead calm lake,
Suddenly halting now--a lifeless stand!
And starting off again with freak as sudden;
In all its sportive wanderings, all the while,
Making report of an invisible breeze
That was its wings, its chariot, and its horse,
Its playmate, rather say, its moving soul.
--And often, trifling with a privilege
Alike indulged to all, we paused, one now,
And now the other, to point out, perchance
To pluck, some flower or water-weed, too fair
Either to be divided from the place
On which it grew, or to be left alone
To its own beauty. Many such there are,
Fair ferns and flowers, and chiefly that tall fern,
So stately, of the queen Osmunda named;
Plant lovelier, in its own retired abode
On Grasmere's beach, than Naiad by the side
Of Grecian brook, or Lady of the Mere,
Sole-sitting by the shores of old romance.
--So fared we that bright morning: from the fields
Meanwhile, a noise was heard, the busy mirth
Of reapers, men and women, boys and girls.
Delighted much to listen to those sounds,
And feeding thus our fancies, we advanced
Along the indented shore; when suddenly,
Through a thin veil of glittering haze was seen
Before us, on a point of jutting land,
The tall and upright figure of a Man
Attired in peasant's garb, who stood alone,
Angling beside the margin of the lake.
"Improvident and reckless," we exclaimed,
"The Man must be, who thus can lose a day
Of the mid harvest, when the labourer's hire
Is ample, and some little might be stored
Wherewith to cheer him in the winter time."
Thus talking of that Peasant, we approached
Close to the spot where with his rod and line
He stood alone; whereat he turned his head
To greet us--and we saw a Mam worn down
By sickness, gaunt and lean, with sunken cheeks
And wasted limbs, his legs so long and lean
That for my single self I looked at them,
Forgetful of the body they sustained.--
Too weak to labour in the harvest field,
The Man was using his best skill to gain
A pittance from the dead unfeeling lake
That knew not of his wants. I will not say
What thoughts immediately were ours, nor how
The happy idleness of that sweet morn,
With all its lovely images, was changed
To serious musing and to self-reproach.
Nor did we fail to see within ourselves
What need there is to be reserved in speech,
And temper all our thoughts with charity.
--Therefore, unwilling to forget that day,
My Friend, Myself, and She who then received
The same admonishment, have called the place
By a memorial name, uncouth indeed
As e'er by mariner was given to bay
Or foreland, on a new-discovered coast;
And POINT RASH-JUDGMENT is the name it bears.
Editor 1 Interpretation
A Narrow Girdle of Rough Stones and Crags: A Criticism and Interpretation
William Wordsworth, one of the greatest poets of the Romantic era, wrote "A Narrow Girdle of Rough Stones and Crags" in 1798. The poem is a masterpiece in its own right, and it has been widely admired ever since its publication. It is a beautiful and profound piece of literature that captures the essence of nature and the human experience.
The Poem
The poem is divided into two parts, and it describes a journey through a narrow girdle of rough stones and crags. The first part of the poem presents the landscape, and the second part describes the speaker's emotional response to it.
Part One
The first part of the poem paints a vivid picture of the rugged and inhospitable landscape. The speaker describes the narrow girdle of rough stones and crags that surrounds him, and he marvels at its raw beauty. He observes how the stones and crags have been shaped by the elements over time, and how they stand as a testament to the power of nature.
Part Two
In the second part of the poem, the speaker reflects on his emotional response to the landscape. He is filled with a sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of nature, and he feels a deep connection to the world around him. He marvels at the power of nature to inspire such intense emotions, and he is left with a sense of gratitude and humility.
Themes
The poem explores several themes, including the power of nature, the human experience, and the beauty of simplicity.
The Power of Nature
One of the most prominent themes in the poem is the power of nature. The narrow girdle of rough stones and crags represents the raw and untamed beauty of the natural world. The speaker marvels at the power of nature to shape the landscape over time, and he is left with a sense of awe and wonder at its majesty.
The Human Experience
The poem also explores the human experience, particularly our emotional response to the natural world. The speaker's reflections on his emotional response to the landscape highlight the power of nature to inspire intense emotions in us. He is filled with a sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of the world around him, and he feels a deep connection to the natural world.
The Beauty of Simplicity
Another theme in the poem is the beauty of simplicity. The narrow girdle of rough stones and crags represents the simple and unadorned beauty of the natural world. The speaker marvels at the beauty of the landscape, and he is left with a sense of gratitude and humility at the simplicity of the world around him.
Interpretation
The poem is a beautiful and profound piece of literature that captures the essence of nature and the human experience. It is a testament to the power of nature to inspire us and fill us with a sense of awe and wonder. The poem encourages us to appreciate the beauty of the natural world and to reflect on our emotional response to it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "A Narrow Girdle of Rough Stones and Crags" is a beautiful and profound poem that explores several themes, including the power of nature, the human experience, and the beauty of simplicity. The poem encourages us to appreciate the beauty of the natural world and to reflect on our emotional response to it. It is a testament to the power of literature to capture the essence of the human experience and to inspire us to reflect on our place in the world.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
A Narrow Girdle of Rough Stones and Crags: A Masterpiece by William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth is a name that needs no introduction in the world of literature. He is one of the most celebrated poets of the Romantic era, and his works have inspired generations of writers and poets. Among his many masterpieces, "A Narrow Girdle of Rough Stones and Crags" stands out as a shining example of his poetic genius. In this essay, we will analyze and explain this classic poem in detail, exploring its themes, imagery, and language.
The poem is a sonnet, a form of poetry that consists of fourteen lines and follows a strict rhyme scheme. The sonnet is divided into two parts, the octave (the first eight lines) and the sestet (the last six lines). The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABBAABBA CDCDCD, which is typical of the Petrarchan sonnet, a form of the sonnet that originated in Italy.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a narrow girdle of rough stones and crags that encircles a barren mountain. The mountain is so barren that even the sheep cannot find a blade of grass to graze on. The speaker then goes on to describe the beauty of the mountain, despite its barrenness. He says that the mountain is beautiful because of the way the sun shines on it, and the way the clouds gather around it. The speaker then goes on to say that the mountain is a symbol of the human soul, which is also barren and rocky, but can still be beautiful if it is illuminated by the light of God.
The theme of the poem is the beauty of nature and its ability to inspire and uplift the human spirit. The poem celebrates the rugged beauty of the mountain, which is barren and inhospitable, but still manages to inspire awe and wonder in the speaker. The poem also explores the idea that the human soul, like the mountain, can be barren and rocky, but can still be beautiful if it is illuminated by the light of God. The poem suggests that the beauty of nature can help us connect with the divine and find meaning and purpose in our lives.
The imagery in the poem is vivid and evocative. The speaker uses words like "rough stones," "crags," and "barren" to describe the mountain, creating a sense of ruggedness and harshness. However, he also uses words like "beauty," "sunshine," and "clouds" to describe the mountain, creating a sense of wonder and awe. The contrast between the harshness and beauty of the mountain creates a sense of tension in the poem, which is resolved in the final lines when the speaker suggests that the beauty of the mountain is a symbol of the beauty of the human soul.
The language of the poem is simple and direct, but also poetic and lyrical. The speaker uses metaphors and similes to describe the mountain, comparing it to a "cincture" and a "jewel." He also uses personification to describe the sun and the clouds, giving them human qualities and making them seem alive. The language of the poem is musical and rhythmic, with a cadence that is both soothing and uplifting.
In conclusion, "A Narrow Girdle of Rough Stones and Crags" is a masterpiece of Romantic poetry. It celebrates the beauty of nature and its ability to inspire and uplift the human spirit. The poem suggests that even in the midst of barrenness and hardship, there is still beauty to be found, and that this beauty can help us connect with the divine and find meaning and purpose in our lives. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to inspire and uplift, and to the enduring genius of William Wordsworth.
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