The Pantheistic View of the Natural World in William Wordsworth's Poem "Line Written in Early Spring"D

William Wordsworth was born in 1770 in Wordsworth House in Cockermouth - part of the scenic region in northwest England, the Lake District. Wordsworth attended Hawkshead Grammar School where his passion for poetry was recognized. After leaving Hawkshead, Wordsworth studied in Cambridge and at the end of his education he commenced a walking Tour of France, an experience that without doubt influenced his poetry. In 1793 are published his first two collections with poetry An Evening Walk and Descriptive Sketches. Wordsworth greatest work is considered to be The Prelude, autobiographical poem, which he started writing at the age of 28 and continued to work on it through all of his life and it’s published after his death.
Wordsworth is one of the first Romantic Era poets. He thought that the English poetry had to be based rather on feelings than intellect and style.
Wordsworth was describes as a pantheist. According to the Oxford dictionary “pantheism” (origin: mid 18th century: from pan- 'all' + Greek theos - 'god' + -ism) is “a doctrine which identifies God with the universe, or regards the universe as a manifestation of God.”
He believed that Nature represented the manifestation of God. In Wordsworth's poems we can notice that there are strong relationships between man and nature. He’s inspired mainly by nature. His works are characterized by his credo of reflecting a great admiration towards Nature. His affection towards it is expressed without any limitations. Apparently Wordsworth used to pace up and down a long path whilst he thought up his poems - immersing himself in the beautiful tranquility that surrounded him.
The poem “Lines Written in Early Spring” is part of the collection Lyrical ballads, published in 1798 and considered to have marked the beginning of the English Romantic movement in literature. The poem is composed of six four-line stanzas, and is written in iambs with an abab rhyme scheme for each stanza. The title “Lines Written in Early Spring” itself is vague, but it gives the impression of renewed life and beauty. In the poem the poet compares the state of mankind with the state of nature.
He suggests that mankind and nature are not as different as they are from the point of view of happiness, when he writes:
“To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.” (lines 4-8)
Wordsworth writes "To her fair works did Nature link / The human soul that through me ran". (lines 5-6), that shows that according the author the human soul and the natural world are part of the same unity. One of the literary devices which Wordsworth uses is the personification: “And 'tis my faith that every flower / Enjoys the air it breathes” (11-12). The flower is given a human characteristic of “enjoying the air it breaths”. Another personification is in stanza 5, where he gives to the budding twigs the ability to spread out their fan to catch the breezy air: “The budding twigs spread out their fan, / To catch the breezy air;”(17-18). Wordsworth also describes the Nature as a creature when he gives it the ability to plan: “If this belief from heaven be sent, / If such be Nature's holy plan,” (21-22). Another interesting thing in the poem is the fact that the perfection of nature makes the speaker sad. Melancholy comes almost immediately because of the contrast between nature and humanity. The speaker seems to feel that it is his responsibility to think about the mistakes of humanity. This is especially evident in the question posed in the last stanza. In conclusion the poet gives two presumptions: that his belief of joy being present there is divine; and that the connection of man with nature is the plan of God (Nature). If these two are true then he definitely has a reason to lament over the man’s fate brought on him as a result of living with his fellow human beings away from nature: “Have I not reason to lament / What Man has made of Man?” (lines 23-24). In this poem the poet wants that there should be a perfect harmony between man and nature. And then the poet is disappointed over the fact that man has selfishly ruin his own peace of mind and joy of life.
William Wordsworth loved the Nature. He looked upon it as a healing force. This poem is a good representation of its time period because it gives insight into how many people neglected nature, and the troubles and lifestyles of people during the Romantic period. William Wordsworth is a nature lover as he always loved the quiet and peaceful nature. nature was a healer a nurse a teacher and as a protector to him.he always loved the eye catching colors and wonders of nature hence he was a lot inspired by mother nature and its wonders. The pantheism is the philosophy of believing in nature as the divine reflection, each and every object of nature represents God. Wordswort was a mystic poet, who in his various works portrays nature as a guide, teacher, mother, and even an object to fear and learn the lesson of life.