'We are Seven' by William Wordsworth
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
--------A Simple Child,
That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?
I met a little cottage Girl:
She was eight years old, she said;
Her hair was thick with many a curl
That clustered round her head.
She had a rustic, woodland air,
And she was wildly clad:
Her eyes were fair, and very fair;
--Her beauty made me glad.
"Sisters and brothers, little Maid,
How many may you be?"
"How many? Seven in all," she said
And wondering looked at me.
"And where are they? I pray you tell."
She answered, "Seven are we;
And two of us at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea.
"Two of us in the church-yard lie,
My sister and my brother;
And, in the church-yard cottage, I
Dwell near them with my mother."
"You say that two at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea,
Yet ye are seven!--I pray you tell,
Sweet Maid, how this may be."
Then did the little Maid reply,
"Seven boys and girls are we;
Two of us in the church-yard lie,
Beneath the church-yard tree."
"You run about, my little Maid,
Your limbs they are alive;
If two are in the church-yard laid,
Then ye are only five."
"Their graves are green, they may be seen,"
The little Maid replied,
"Twelve steps or more from my mother's door,
And they are side by side.
"My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchief there I hem;
And there upon the ground I sit,
And sing a song to them.
"And often after sunset, Sir,
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer,
And eat my supper there.
"The first that died was sister Jane;
In bed she moaning lay,
Till God released her of her pain;
And then she went away.
"So in the church-yard she was laid;
And, when the grass was dry,
Together round her grave we played,
My brother John and I.
"And when the ground was white with snow,
And I could run and slide,
My brother John was forced to go,
And he lies by her side."
"How many are you, then," said I,
"If they two are in heaven?"
Quick was the little Maid's reply,
"O Master! we are seven."
"But they are dead; those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!"
'Twas throwing words away; for still
The little Maid would have her will,
And said, "Nay, we are seven!"
Editor 1 Interpretation
"We Are Seven" by William Wordsworth: An Exploration of Childhood Innocence and Mortality
As one of the most famous poems by William Wordsworth, "We Are Seven" provides a unique insight into the mind of a child and the way in which they view the world around them. At its core, this poem is a celebration of childhood innocence and the way in which it can often be lost through the harsh realities of life. Through a close analysis of the poem, it becomes clear that Wordsworth was interested in exploring a number of key themes, including the power of memory, the fragility of life, and the nature of human relationships.
The Power of Memory
The opening stanza of "We Are Seven" immediately draws the reader into the world of childhood innocence, with its simple and evocative language:
A simple child,
That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?
Here, Wordsworth is reminding us that children are often unaware of the darker aspects of life, including death, and that their innocence can be a powerful force. Throughout the poem, he uses a number of different devices to explore the power of memory and the way in which it can shape our understanding of the world around us.
For example, in stanza two, we see the little girl's memories of her siblings being used to bolster her claim that they are still together:
But they are dead; those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!
'Twas throwing words away; for still
The little maid would have her will,
And said, "Nay, we are seven!"
Here, Wordsworth is using memory as a way of asserting the girl's belief that her siblings are still with her, even though they are no longer alive. By doing so, he is highlighting the power of memory to shape our understanding of the world, even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
The Fragility of Life
Another key theme in "We Are Seven" is the fragility of life and the way in which it can be cut short at any moment. Throughout the poem, Wordsworth uses a number of different devices to explore this theme, including the use of imagery to convey a sense of suddenness and loss.
For example, in stanza five, we see the little girl describe the death of her brother in simple and evocative language:
"He had a kind and gentle heart,
But they that envied him,
Shot him, in sport, with a bow and arrow,
In a garden of his friend."
Here, Wordsworth is using the image of a bow and arrow to convey a sense of suddenness and violence, while also highlighting the senseless nature of the death. By doing so, he is reminding us that life is fragile and that it can be taken away from us at any moment, often for no good reason.
The Nature of Human Relationships
At its heart, "We Are Seven" is a poem about human relationships and the way in which they can be both powerful and fragile. Throughout the poem, Wordsworth explores the complex nature of these relationships, using a number of different devices to convey a sense of connection and separation.
For example, in stanza three, we see the little girl describe the way in which her siblings are still with her, even though they are no longer alive:
"Their graves are green, they may be seen,"
The little maid replied,
"Twelve steps or more from my mother's door,
And they are side by side.
Here, Wordsworth is using the image of the graves to convey a sense of connection between the siblings, even though they are physically separated. By doing so, he is highlighting the power of human relationships to endure beyond death, and the way in which they can provide comfort and solace in times of grief.
Conclusion
Overall, "We Are Seven" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores a number of key themes relating to childhood innocence, mortality, memory, and human relationships. Through its simple and evocative language, Wordsworth is able to capture the essence of childhood and the way in which it can often be lost through the harsh realities of life. Whether read as a celebration of life or a meditation on death, this poem remains an enduring testament to the power of human emotion and the way in which it can shape our understanding of the world around us.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry We are Seven by William Wordsworth is a classic piece of literature that has been studied and analyzed by scholars for centuries. This poem is a perfect example of Wordsworth's unique style of writing, which is characterized by his use of simple language and his focus on nature and the human experience. In this article, we will take a closer look at Poetry We are Seven and explore its themes, structure, and language.
The poem begins with the speaker asking a little girl how many siblings she has. The girl responds that she has seven siblings, but two of them are dead. The speaker then tries to convince the girl that she only has five siblings, but the girl insists that she has seven. The poem ends with the girl saying that her siblings are still with her, even though they are dead.
One of the main themes of Poetry We are Seven is the idea of childhood innocence. The little girl in the poem is not bothered by the fact that two of her siblings are dead. She sees them as still being a part of her family, even though they are no longer alive. This innocence is contrasted with the speaker's more adult perspective, which is focused on the idea of death and loss.
Another theme of the poem is the idea of nature and its connection to the human experience. Wordsworth was known for his love of nature, and this poem is no exception. The little girl in the poem is described as being a part of nature, with her hair being compared to the leaves of a tree. This connection between the girl and nature is further emphasized by the fact that she sees her dead siblings as still being a part of her family, just as the leaves of a tree are still a part of the tree even after they have fallen.
The structure of Poetry We are Seven is also worth noting. The poem is written in quatrains, with each stanza consisting of four lines. This structure gives the poem a sense of order and symmetry, which is in contrast to the chaotic nature of the subject matter. The use of rhyme and repetition also adds to the poem's structure, with the repetition of the phrase "we are seven" emphasizing the little girl's insistence on the number of her siblings.
The language used in Poetry We are Seven is simple and straightforward, which is typical of Wordsworth's writing style. The use of everyday language makes the poem accessible to a wide audience, and the focus on the human experience makes it relatable to readers of all ages. The use of imagery, such as the comparison of the little girl's hair to the leaves of a tree, also adds to the poem's appeal.
In conclusion, Poetry We are Seven is a classic piece of literature that explores themes of childhood innocence, nature, and the human experience. The poem's structure and language make it accessible to a wide audience, while its focus on universal themes makes it relatable to readers of all ages. Wordsworth's unique writing style is on full display in this poem, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the history of literature.
Editor Recommended Sites
Multi Cloud Business: Multicloud tutorials and learning for deploying terraform, kubernetes across cloud, and orchestratingNFT Bundle: Crypto digital collectible bundle sites from around the internet
Control Tower - GCP Cloud Resource management & Centralize multicloud resource management: Manage all cloud resources across accounts from a centralized control plane
LLM OSS: Open source large language model tooling
Haskell Programming: Learn haskell programming language. Best practice and getting started guides
Recommended Similar Analysis
Spinster by Sylvia Plath analysisAs I Walked Out One Evening by W.H. Auden analysis
Frost At Midnight by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis
The Young Housewife by William Carlos Williams analysis
France : An Ode by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis
More Light! More Light! by Anthony Hecht analysis
Human Life by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis
Vanishing Red, The by Robert Lee Frost analysis
One Wants A Teller In A Time Like This by Gwendolyn Brooks analysis
TO MUSIC by Robert Herrick analysis