Context Flashcards
What happened at the time of writing the poem?
Wordsworth returned from France, disillusioned and anxious, leaving behind his illegitimate child as well as the French Revolution
What did the French Revolution represent?
A new era of democracy and rise of Proletariat
What quotes show the restoration and calmness of his well-being
‘Pleasing’, ‘elevated’ and ‘healing thoughts’
- offers relief from his personal traumas
What position is reinforced through Wordsworth using nature as restorative?
‘A worshipper of nature’
- turns to nature for salvation
What does he mourn throughout the poem?
Loss of an innocent, childlike relationship with nature
What does he achknowlege?
He has changed since his ‘boyish days’
- can now fully appreciate and comprehend the significance of nature
What does the nostalgic and remorseful tone allow Wordsworth to do?
Compel Dorothy to respect and admire nature while she is still young and innocent
- ‘with quietness and beauty’
What does Wordsworth’s idealisation of youth and innocence reinforce him as?
A Romantic
- another significant motif of Romantics was championing ‘the child’ as the perfect, Christlike figure
What philosophy does he reflect?
Kant’s
- Wordsworth’s judgement of his experience in returning to Tintern Abbey is formed through his exaltation of nature
- he shares his experience with his ‘dear sister’ in the hope that after he dies, nature will continue to provide her with the same support it did him
This intimate ‘prayer’ that
Wordsworth’s sister will find ‘joy’ and ‘healing thoughts’ reflects their close bond as well as Wordsworth’s purpose in writing this poem, reinforced by the structure
What is the poem on surface level?
A descriptive celebration showcasing God’s multitude of creation, symbolically through listing and exclamatory surge of emotion as well as the connection and unity found in nature which offers a dichotomy with the ‘darkness’ and ‘joyless’ modernity developing at the time
What is Wordsworth’s relationship with nature?
Spiritual as he depends on nature for comfort and solace
Since nature is Wordsworth’s healer
He writes the poem in attempt to pass this relationship onto his sister
- representing Kant’s idea of judgement
What does the poem provide the reader with?
‘Tranquil’ introspection as well as a reminder to appreciate and marvel at Gods ‘beautiful’ creation through nature
