Resolution and Independence poem by William Wordsworth summary line by line
Resolution and Independence poem by William Wordsworth summary line by line-Resolution and Independence, a poem penned by William
Wordsworth, delves into the enduring themes of determination, resilience, and
the profound influence of nature. Opening amidst the speaker's wanderings
through the natural landscape, burdened by the trials of life and feeling despondent,
the narrative takes a significant turn upon encountering an elderly man engaged
in the collection of leeches within a marshy terrain.
Despite the old man's impoverished circumstances, his steadfast resolve and unwavering perseverance in his labor serve as a stark contrast. This encounter prompts a profound reassessment of the speaker's perspective, fostering a newfound appreciation for the unyielding human spirit and the transformative potency inherent within nature's realm.
Resolution and Independence poem by William Wordsworth summary line by line-Thus, the poem's
introduction sets the stage for a poignant exploration of these enduring
themes, illuminating the resilience found amidst adversity and the profound
impact of the natural world upon the human condition.
Resolution
and Independence poem summary line by line
"There was a roaring in the wind all night": The
speaker describes the tumultuous weather during the night.
"The rain came heavily and fell in floods": The
rain poured down heavily, causing floods.
"But now the sun is rising calm and bright":
Despite the stormy night, the morning brings a calm and bright sunrise.
"The birds are singing in the distant woods": The
birds are chirping happily in the woods.
"Over his own sweet voice the Stock-dove broods":
The Stock-dove's soothing cooing is heard over the speaker's voice.
"The Jay makes answer as the Magpie chatters":
Other birds, like the Jay and Magpie, join in with their own sounds.
Lines
"And all the air is filled with pleasant noise of
waters": The sounds of flowing water add to the pleasant atmosphere.
"All things that love the sun are out of doors":
Creatures that enjoy the sunshine are active and outdoors.
"The sky rejoices in the morning's birth": The sky
is bright and cheerful with the dawn of a new day.
"The grass is bright with rain-drops;—on the
moors": The grass glistens with raindrops, especially on the moors.
"The hare is running races in her mirth": The hare
is joyfully running races, expressing her happiness.
Also Read-
- Tintern Abbey By William Wordsworth Poem Summary Line By Line
- The Relic By John Donne's Poem Summary Line By Line
- The Good Morrow By John Donne's Poem Summary Line By Line
"And with her feet she from the plashy earth": As
the hare runs, she kicks up water from the wet ground.
"Raises a mist, that, glittering in the sun": The
water kicked up by the hare creates a mist that shines in the sunlight.
"Runs with her all the way, wherever she doth run":
The mist follows the hare as she runs.
"I was a Traveller then upon the moor": The speaker
reveals that they were traveling on the moor during this scene.
"I saw the hare that raced about with joy": The
speaker observed the hare running happily.
"I heard the woods and distant waters roar": The
speaker also heard the roar of the woods and distant waters.
"Or heard them not, as happy as a boy": The speaker
was so content that they may not have noticed these sounds.
FOR SOLVED PDF
WhatsApp – 8130208920
"The pleasant season did my heart employ": The
delightful season engaged the speaker's heart.
"My old remembrances went from me wholly": The
speaker's thoughts were entirely consumed by the present moment, leaving behind
past memories.
"And all the ways of men, so vain and melancholy":
The speaker forgot about the trivial and melancholic concerns of human life.
Lines
"But, as it sometimes chanceth, from the might":
The speaker reflects on how sometimes, despite experiencing great joy, one can
suddenly plunge into despair.
"Of joys in minds that can no further go,": This
despair arises when one's mind is unable to sustain or extend the height of its
joy.
"As high as we have mounted in delight": The
speaker compares the height of joy to a peak that one reaches.
"In our dejection do we sink as low;": However,
this joy can quickly turn into deep sadness or dejection.
"To me that morning did it happen so;": The speaker
recounts experiencing this shift from joy to sadness on that particular
morning.
"And fears and fancies thick upon me came;": The
speaker is overwhelmed by a flood of fears and anxious thoughts.
"Dim sadness—and blind thoughts, I knew not, nor could
name.": The speaker feels a vague and nameless sadness, accompanied by
confused and unfocused thoughts.
"I heard the sky-lark warbling in the sky;":
Despite the turmoil in the speaker's mind, they hear the cheerful song of a
skylark in the sky.
"And I bethought me of the playful hare:": The
speaker recalls the joy of watching a playful hare.
"Even such a happy Child of earth am I;": The
speaker identifies with the carefree and joyful nature of the hare.
"Even as these blissful creatures do I fare;": Like
the blissful creatures of nature, the speaker also lives without care or worry.
"Far from the world I walk, and from all care;":
The speaker feels removed from the cares and concerns of the world.
"But there may come another day to me—": However,
the speaker acknowledges the possibility of another day bringing solitude,
pain, distress, and poverty.
Lines
"Solitude, pain of heart, distress, and poverty.":
The speaker anticipates facing challenges such as loneliness, emotional pain,
suffering, and financial hardship.
"My whole life I have lived in pleasant thought,":
The speaker reflects on their life spent in optimistic and pleasant thoughts.
"As if life's business were a summer mood;": They
have approached life as if it were a carefree and easy summer day.
"As if all needful things would come unsought":
They have believed that everything they need would come to them effortlessly.
"To genial faith, still rich in genial good;": They
have maintained a positive outlook and faith in the goodness of life.
"But how can He expect that others should": The
speaker questions how others can be expected to care for someone
"Build for him, sow for him, and at his call": who
does not take any initiative or responsibility for themselves.
"Love him, who for himself will take no heed at
all?": The speaker wonders how anyone can love someone who refuses to care
for themselves or take responsibility for their own life.
"I thought of Chatterton, the marvellous Boy,": The
speaker recalls Thomas Chatterton, a talented but tragic poet who died by
suicide at a young age.
"The sleepless Soul that perished in his pride;":
Chatterton's restless spirit and pride led to his demise.
"Of Him who walked in glory and in joy": The
speaker also thinks of a happier figure, possibly a farmer, who enjoyed a
contented life.
"Following his plough, along the mountain-side":
This individual found joy and fulfillment in simple, honest work, plowing the
fields on the mountainside.
"By our own spirits are we deified:": The speaker
suggests that as poets, humans elevate their own spirits and identities to
divine levels through creative expression.
"We Poets in our youth begin in gladness;": Poets
often start their careers full of joy and enthusiasm.
"But thereof come in the end despondency and
madness.": However, this initial joy can fade, leading to despair and
insanity in later life.
"Now, whether it were by peculiar grace,": The
speaker ponders whether what follows next was due to some special divine
intervention or gift.
"A leading from above, a something given,": The
speaker considers whether it was a guidance or blessing from a higher power.
Lines
"Yet it befell that, in this lonely place,":
Nevertheless, it happened that in this isolated location,
"When I with these untoward thoughts had striven,":
As the speaker struggled with these troubling thoughts,
"Beside a pool bare to the eye of heaven": Near a
pool that was exposed to the sky,
"I saw a Man before me unawares:": The speaker
unexpectedly encountered a man.
"The oldest man he seemed that ever wore grey
hairs.": This man appeared incredibly old, with hair completely grey.
"As a huge stone is sometimes seen to lie": The
speaker compares the man's presence to a large stone resting on a hilltop,
"Couched on the bald top of an eminence;": Like a
massive boulder perched atop a hill.
"Wonder to all who do the same espy,": Those who
witness this sight are filled with wonder and curiosity,
"By what means it could thither come, and whence;":
Wondering how the stone came to be there and from where it originated.
"So that it seems a thing endued with sense:": The
stone appears to possess a kind of awareness or intelligence.
"Like a sea-beast crawled forth, that on a shelf":
It resembles a sea creature emerging from the water to rest on a rock shelf,
"Of rock or sand reposeth, there to sun itself;":
Basking in the sun's warmth on the rocky shore.
"Such seemed this Man, not all alive nor dead,":
Similarly, the man appears neither fully alive nor completely dead,
"Nor all asleep—in his extreme old age:": Nor
entirely asleep, despite his advanced age.
"His body was bent double, feet and head": His body
is contorted, with his feet and head almost touching,
"Coming together in life's pilgrimage;":
Symbolizing the burdens and struggles of life's journey.
"As if some dire constraint of pain, or rage": It's
as if some intense pain or anger,
"Of sickness felt by him in times long past,":
Possibly from an illness endured long ago,
"A more than human weight upon his frame had
cast.": Has placed an extraordinary burden on his frail body.
"Himself he propped, limbs, body, and pale face,":
The old man leaned on a long grey staff, supporting his frail body.
"Upon a long grey staff of shaven wood:": He used a
staff made of smooth, shaved wood for support.
"And, still as I drew near with gentle pace,": As
the speaker approached slowly,
Lines
"Upon the margin of that moorish flood": The old
man stood motionless by the edge of the marshy water.
"Motionless as a cloud the old Man stood,": He
stood so still that he seemed like a cloud, unaffected by the winds.
"That heareth not the loud winds when they call,":
He appeared oblivious to the loud winds blowing around him.
"And moveth all together, if it move at all.": If
he moved, it was with a slow and unified motion, as if his entire body moved as
one.
"At length, himself unsettling, he the pond":
Finally, the old man stirred the pond with his staff,
"Stirred with his staff, and fixedly did look":
Gazing intently into the muddy water,
"Upon the muddy water, which he conned,": He
studied the murky water closely,
"As if he had been reading in a book:": As if he
were reading from a book.
"And now a stranger's privilege I took;": The
speaker approached the old man, feeling a sense of permission to intrude on his
solitude.
"And, drawing to his side, to him did say,": The
speaker moved closer to the old man and spoke to him,
""This morning gives us promise of a glorious
day."": Commenting on the promising weather.
"A gentle answer did the old Man make,": The old
man responded gently,
"In courteous speech which forth he slowly drew:":
Speaking slowly and politely,
"And him with further words I thus bespake,": The
speaker continued the conversation,
Lines
""What occupation do you there pursue?":
Asking the old man what he was doing there.
"This is a lonesome place for one like you."":
Commenting on the loneliness of the location for someone like the old man.
"Ere he replied, a flash of mild surprise": Before
he answered, a slight surprise showed in his eyes,
"Broke from the sable orbs of his yet-vivid eyes.":
A flicker of surprise in his still lively eyes.
"His words came feebly, from a feeble chest,": The
old man's words were weak, coming from a frail chest,
"But each in solemn order followed each,": Yet,
each word he spoke followed the next in a solemn manner,
"With something of a lofty utterance drest—": His
speech carried a sense of dignity and elevation,
"Choice word and measured phrase, above the reach":
His words were carefully chosen and measured, surpassing
"Of ordinary men; a stately speech;": The speech of
ordinary people; it was dignified and formal.
"Such as grave Livers do in Scotland use,": The old
man's speech and demeanor are likened to those of serious, respectable
individuals in Scotland.
"Religious men, who give to God and man their
dues.": These are men of faith who fulfill their obligations to both God
and humanity.
"He told, that to these waters he had come": The
old man explained that he had come to these waters,
"To gather leeches, being old and poor:":
Specifically to collect leeches, as he was elderly and poor.
"Employment hazardous and wearisome!": He described
this work as dangerous and tiring.
"And he had many hardships to endure:": He endured
numerous difficulties,
"From pond to pond he roamed, from moor to moor;":
Traveling from one pond to another, across moors,
Lines
"Housing, with God's good help, by choice or
chance;": He found shelter, aided by God's grace, either intentionally or
by chance,
"And in this way he gained an honest maintenance.":
And in doing so, he earned a modest livelihood through honest work.
"The old Man still stood talking by my side;":
Despite the hardships, the old man continued conversing with the speaker,
"But now his voice to me was like a stream": His
voice became soft and soothing to the speaker, like a gentle stream,
"Scarcely heard; nor word from word could I
divide;": It was difficult for the speaker to distinguish individual
words,
"And the whole body of the Man did seem": The
entirety of the old man's presence appeared to the speaker,
"Like one whom I had met with in a dream;": Similar
to someone the speaker might encounter in a dream,
"Or like a man from some far region sent,": Or like
a person sent from a distant place,
"To give me human strength, by apt admonishment.":
Perhaps sent to provide the speaker with moral or emotional support.
"My former thoughts returned: the fear that
kills;": The speaker's previous worries and anxieties returned,
"And hope that is unwilling to be fed;": Along with
a sense of hopelessness and despair,
"Cold, pain, and labour, and all fleshly ills;":
Feelings of physical discomfort, pain, and the hardships of life,
"And mighty Poets in their misery dead.": The
speaker also reflects on the suffering of great poets,
"—Perplexed, and longing to be comforted,": Feeling
confused and seeking solace,
"My question eagerly did I renew,": The speaker
once again asked the old man,
""How is it that you live, and what is it you do?": How he manages to survive and what his occupation entails.
FOR SOLVED PDF
WhatsApp – 8130208920
"He with a smile did then his words repeat;": The
old man smiled and repeated his previous statement.
"And said that, gathering leeches, far and wide":
He explained that he traveled extensively to collect leeches.
"He travelled; stirring thus about his feet": As he
traveled, he stirred the waters with his feet,
"The waters of the pools where they abide.":
Especially in the pools where leeches are found.
""Once I could meet with them on every side;":
He reminisced about a time when he could easily find leeches everywhere.
"But they have dwindled long by slow decay;":
However, he noted that over time, their numbers had significantly decreased due
to gradual decline.
"Yet still I persevere, and find them where I
may."": Despite the challenges, he continued to persist and search
for leeches wherever he could find them.
Three years she grew
Poem Themes
Perseverance and Fortitude: The old man's unwavering dedication to his task of
collecting leeches despite encountering difficulties and diminishing numbers
underscores themes of perseverance and resilience. Despite adversity, he
persists in his efforts.
Adaptation to Change: The
acknowledgment of the changing circumstances, where the availability of leeches
has declined over time, suggests a theme of adaptation to change. Despite these
shifts, the old man adjusts his approach and continues his quest for leeches.
Contemplation of Time and Decay: The
description of leeches dwindling due to "slow decay" prompts
reflection on the passage of time and the natural processes of decay. This
theme invites contemplation on the transient nature of existence and the
inevitability of change.
Persistence Amid Challenges: The old
man's determination to persist despite facing hardships highlights the theme of
persistence in adversity. Despite the obstacles he encounters, he remains
resolute in pursuing his objectives.
Conclusion
"Resolution and Independence" by William Wordsworth is a reflective exploration of the human condition, resilience, and the power of nature to inspire and rejuvenate the spirit. Through the encounter between the speaker and the old leech-gatherer, the poem delves into themes of perseverance, humility, and the cyclical nature of life's struggles and triumphs.
Wordsworth's vivid descriptions of the natural landscape and the old
man's unwavering resolve serve to underscore the enduring connection between
humanity and the natural world. Ultimately, the poem celebrates the resilience
of the human spirit in the face of adversity and the transformative power of
nature to provide solace and guidance in times of need.
FAQs:
1.
What is the main theme of "Resolution and Independence"?
The main theme of the poem revolves around the resilience of
the human spirit and the transformative power of nature. It explores how
encounters with the natural world can inspire and rejuvenate individuals facing
adversity.
2.
How does Wordsworth depict the relationship between humanity and nature in the
poem?
Wordsworth portrays a deep and symbiotic relationship between
humanity and nature. Through vivid descriptions of the natural landscape and
the speaker's encounter with the old leech-gatherer, he illustrates how nature
serves as a source of solace, guidance, and renewal for individuals facing
challenges.
3.
What role does the old leech-gatherer play in the poem?
The old leech-gatherer serves as a symbol of resilience and
wisdom. His unwavering resolve and humble acceptance of his circumstances inspire
the speaker to persevere in the face of adversity and find solace in the
natural world.
4.
How does the poem explore the theme of perseverance?
The poem explores the theme of perseverance through the
speaker's encounter with the old leech-gatherer. Despite facing hardship and
adversity, both the old man and the speaker demonstrate resilience and
determination in their respective struggles.
0 comments:
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.