Farmhand, She Dwelt Among Untrodden Ways

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Song of Ourselves

COMMENT ON THE WAY THE CHARACTER IS CREATED IN THE FOLLOWING POEMS:

  • FARMHAND,
  • SHE DWELT AMONG THE UNTRODDEN WAYS.

The two poems, although written in two very different periods, express the same attitude towards judging others before acquaintance. This act is bigoted and in the two poems, we learn how both characters, who seem unsophisticated at a first glance, are actually quite profound at heart. We learn this through a strong use of metaphors referring to the nature around them. In this essay, I will portray how this use of imagery accentuates the effect on the reader.

Despite ‘She Dwelt Among Untrodden Ways’ being an extremely concise poem, it is replete with deep meaning and this is actually why it is one of the most pleasant poems I have studied. The poem isn’t actually about Lucy herself, more on the effect her departure has had on him. The poem consists of three stanzas.

The first stanza has a dismaying mood. The reason being is because it informs the reader of how the character ‘Lucy’ was a single woman for ‘whom there were none to praise’ and ‘very few to love’. This makes the reader feel empathy towards her as no one should live like that. The prepositions ‘among’ and ‘beside’ reveal her character as a spectator and never a participant in the crowd. This allows the reader to understand the reason as to why she was barely ever noticed by others. The term ‘Besides the springs of Dove’ could be understood literally or metaphorically. Lucy might have lived near the river Dove. However, I think, that the poet, William Wordsworth, was trying to emphasise her beauty by rendering her as a ‘pure and gentle’ person. This is because a dove has connotations of purity, innocence and delicacy, which leads to her sensitivity, giving the reader the impression that the poet adores her for her incorruptible virtue and fragility.

Furthermore, the second stanza also accentuates on her inner and outer beauty through the use of metaphors. ‘A violet by a mossy stone’ suggests that her attractiveness is like that of a vibrant and rich, purple flower next to an old and dull audience. However, a ‘mossy stone’ results from existing for a long time in the same place, therefore, representing someone who has been for a long period of time. ‘Half hidden from the eye’ is an ironic phrase as it impossible to be half-hidden, you’re either hidden or you're not. Thus, implying that people only ever got a glimpse of her or that someone who wasn’t as outstanding as her outshadowed her. It could also suggest that she tries to hide behind that crowd; yet, the poet can still distinguish her from it and appreciate her. The preposition ‘by’ also depicts her as an observer rather than an active person. ‘Fair as a star, when only one is shining in the sky’ could have many implications. For example, it could be accentuating on her beauty as the ‘brightest star’ is Venus, which in Greek mythology has been notoriously named as the goddess of love and beauty. However, it could also be referring to her unique character. I think this because when there is only one bright star in the midnight sky, one can admire the beauty of that one star which seems small to the human eye but in reality is actually a colossal rock of profligate beauty and unknown depth. This could be understood in contrast to the ‘mossy stone’ which she hides behind. It could also be referring to her enigmatic temperament as the star instantly leads one to think of the midnight sky which has connotations of secrecy and esotericism.

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The third stanza is different to the first two as it is about her passing and the effect it has had on the poet, whereas, the first two express adoration. The poet uses infinitive verbs in the previous stanzas. I think this is because he doesn’t want to believe that his love is gone, never to return. The poet uses the term ‘ceased to be’ instead of ‘died’ as it illustrates that her existence is gone- that nobody noticed her when she was alive and nobody will notice her passing either. If Wordsworth had written ‘died’, the stanza wouldn’t have ...

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