To My Sister - William Wordsworth (1798)

Question 1

Who was Wordsworth?

Answer 1

Romantic poet and his poet and his poem often reflect key themes such as the power of nature and our place within it

Question 2

What are the problems caused by politics which influenced the poem?

Answer 2

French and Dutch fleet were threatening to invade Britain at the time. Poem is a contrast to the problems of the world and shows how God and nature are powerful and life-affirming.

Question 3

What is the form and structure of the poem?

Answer 3

10 quatrains with an AB rhyme scheme. Regular rhyme and even verse structure adds to the sense of calmness and allows us to feel the beauty of nature and spring.

Question 4

What is the tone of the poem?

Answer 4

Warm but also serious. Woodsworth wants to spread his personal thoughts - (tis a wish of mine) - but also wants to underline how we all belong to nature and should appreciate it more

Question 5

What are some examples of personification in the poem?

Answer 5

‘Our minds shall drink in every pore/ the spirit of the season’ allows the reader to see how important it is to let our minds enjoy the changing of the seasons and the beauty of nature.

Question 6

What are some quotes in the poem?

Answer 6

Our minds shall drink in every pore/ The spirit of the season’ - Personification
‘To the bare trees, and mountains bare’ - contrasts - ‘grass in the green field’
‘One moment now may give us more Than years of toiling reason’

Question 7

What are some annotations of ‘To the bare trees, and mountains bare’ and ‘grass in the green field’

Answer 7

Repetition of bare to describe the landscape is contrasted with the alliteration ‘ grass in the green field to show how the seasons will change and the landscape will alter to show new life and hope.

Question 8

What are some annotations of ‘One moment now may give us more than years of toiling reason’

Answer 8

Wordsworth uses assonance to underline how nature is spontaneous and real. He argues that it can teach more in one moment than ‘years of toiling reason’. He urges that the feelings of hope from today should reflect how they feel for the rest of the year

Question 9

What are the key themes of the poem?

Answer 9

Relationships

Natural world