4) What do you think Wordsworth means by “wealth” here?
When Wordsworth says that he did not realize that the time “what wealth” (line 12) the daffodils had brought him, he means mental wealth, which is happiness and calmness in one’s soul. Thought Wordsworth “could not but be gay/In such a laughing company”, he does not further express his happiness in seeing the “laughing company” in the lines below. It shows that Wordsworth did have a short moment of joy with the daffodils, and he once had a thought in joining the “laughing company” too. However Wordsworth seems hesitate. All he did was “gazed – and gazed”, which indicates that he didn’t take up the urge in joining them. Once the impulse is lost, the loneliness (little thought) reappears and recalls Wordsworth’s excruciating memories. The poet’s attitude turns negative again. He starts thinking that no matter how happy the daffodils are, that is none of his business. It is kind of ironic to him too. The daffodils were aimed to bring happiness to Wordsworth, to guide his strayed soul, which all these refer to one’s mental wealth. But then Wordsworth still did not realize the daffodils were “trying” to ease his uneasiness through “sharing” their “happiness” with him. In the last line of stanza 2 “What wealth the shew to me had brought”. Wordsworth still seemed questionable and bewildered.
5) In the final stanza Wordsworth says that he only understood the value of the daffodils when he was away from them. What is the significance of this?
In the first two lines of stanza 3, the poet is in the negative mood like the one he used to be expressed in stanza 1. It was said that Wordsworth is “oft” “in vacant or in passive mood”, yet he is still detached, aimless, and passive as he used to be, as he only lie on the couch doing nothing. On the other hand, he may not want to live in life like that, yet the agony from his memories restrains the poet’s soul and brought him unbearable mental heaviness, which makes him lose the urge to calm himself.
The mood changes in stanza 3 from the third line “They flash upon the inward eye/Which is the bliss of solitude”. Imagination plays its part here in the poem. Here the poet uses the simile of stars in order to compare the daffodils. The image of the “laughing”, “dancing” daffodils flash across the poet’s heart suddenly. It indicates that daffodils, like stars, glitter in the “inward eye”, which stands for the deepest part of his heart, as if they light up Wordsworth’s heart of darkness. The lonely poet (solitude) then feels clamed, knowing there is still something in this world that may accompany his depressed soul, and he no longer feel left behind by the world. The poet’s “heart with pleasure fills”, he begins to appreciate the simplest gift of happiness “brought” by the daffodils. At the final line, it shows that Wordsworth has finally get the “wealth” that the daffodils “brought” to him. Here it indicates that Wordsworth is the one who “saved” himself, daffodils only play the role of inspiration. Nevertheless, the happy, loving image of daffodils is everlasting in his heart, it won’t wither and is evergreen. At the final line, It states that the poet had finally overcome the loneliness and sorrow in his heart. The relief eases the feeling of heaviness of the poet. He feels free and rejoiced, as if he “dances with the Daffodils” and gives the poem a happy ending.
