Womack
English DC
28 January 2014
“I Wondered Lonely As a Cloud” by William Wordsworth
“I Wondered Lonely As a Cloud” by William Wordsworth is a short simple poem that carries the reader in a seemingly out of body experience along the lakeshore under the canopy of the trees to feel and see a beautiful field of daffodils. William Wordsworth often loved to portray the beauty of nature in his poems. Walks he took with his sister, Dorothy, along the countryside, inspired many of his poems. In fact, he used an excerpt from Dorothy’s journal to inspire his writing for “I Wondered Lonely As a Cloud”. Wordsworth reflects in the poem that values are a priceless treasure and nature has healing powers. Using personification, Wordsworth uses the common and destructive sketches about nature to display healing and appeal to the walk in the hills. “Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze” (He reprinted in Holt McDougal, British Literature [Indianapolis: Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, 2010]) (Lines 5-6) A host, of golden daffodils; he portrays a beautiful yellow hill. “Ten thousand saw I at a glance” (Line 11) Wordsworth uses personification by saying the daffodils came to life. This is a lyrical poem about the poet’s response to nature. “I wondered lonely as a cloud that floats o’er vales and hills” (Lines 1-2) Wordsworth compares himself to a cloud, floating over the valleys and hills. The dreamy theme of these lines appears to reveal a relaxed and calm perspective. “When all at once I saw a crowd, a host, of golden daffodils” (Lines 3-4) The hill he sees is covered with thousands of bright and beautiful yellow daffodils. The image described is as if the motion of the flowers directly correlates with the thoughts of the poet. “Beside the lake, beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze.” (Lines 5-6) The daffodils are all over, and the breeze makes the flowers appear like they are dancing. “Continuous as the