The document compares the poetry of William Wordsworth and Robert Frost, highlighting their differing attitudes towards nature and its relationship to human emotions. While Wordsworth views nature as a source of solace and healing, Frost portrays it as harsh and deceptive, reflecting the darker aspects of human nature. Both poets utilize nature to explore the complexities of the human condition, but they express varied degrees of sympathy and critique towards human flaws.

1. Comparison:poetry of Frost and
Wordsworth-
PREPARED BY-DAYA VAGHANI
BATCH-2020-22 (MA SEM-II)
PAPER –THE AMERICAN LITERATURE
ROLL NO-06
ENROLLMENT NO-3069206420200017
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SUBMITTED TO-S.B. GARDI DEPARTMENT
OF ENGLISH MAHARAJA KRISHNAKUMAR
SINHJI BHAVNAGAR UNIVERSITY

2. One source of inspiration…
• William Wordsworth (7 April 1770 – 23 April 1850)
• A Romantic Poet...
• Launched the Romantic age together with Samuel Taylor
Coleridge. -
• Poems contain his own experiences due to being inspired
directly by nature. e.g. Daffodils -
• Essential features of romanticism in his poetry:
• - Places nature on a pedestal.
• - Inseparable relationship between humans and nature (solace
and comfort, healing property of nature, a source of inspiration)
e.g. Daffodils
• - Uses nature as a tool to bring out the dark side of the human
condition. e.g. Lines written in Early Spring
• Tragic and disappointing experiences in wordsworth’s life ( e.g.
loss of sympathy for the French revolution) influenced him to
contrast the nature and the evils of human nature. e.g. Lines
Written in Early Spring

3. Robert Lee Frost ( 1874 – 1963)
• Maintained a close relationship with nature since
childhood. - Most of his poems portray the influence of his
own experiences with nature. (e.g. Birches)
• Known as a Pastoral, Modern and Dark Romantic Poet.
• - According to J.F. Lynen, In pastorals the subject is , a
way of life, and nature is merely the setting within which
we see this.
• Modern poet -
• "Not all your light tongues talking aloud/ Could be
profound.“ (J.F. Lynen)
• -Does not view nature as a source of escape, solace or a
remedy for the dark realities of the human condition.
• -Portrays nature as harsh, deceptive and cruel as that of
the human world.

4. William Wordsworth
• Nature used as a tool to unmask
the darkest depths of human
disposition – nature is placed on
a pedestal and its purity is
employed to reflect the dark
nature of humans.
Robert Frost
• Nature used as a tool to unmask
the darkest depths of human
disposition - Uses analogy between
elements of nature and stark reality
of the human condition
I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when
pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me
ran;
And much it grieved my heart to
think
What man has made of man.
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Lines Written in Early Spring Fire and Ice

5. William Wordsworth
• Nature is a source of escape for
humans from their dark feelings.
- possesses the ability to heal
those feelings (healing
property).
• Daffodils
Robert Frost
• Humans are doomed to their fate and
cannot escape the suffering.
• Fire and Ice
For oft, when o my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure
fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
Some say the world will end in
fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor
fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice

6. William Wordsworth
• The beauty of nature is portrayed
as pure and innocent in order to
show a contrast between nature
and the human condition
• Lines Written in Early Spring
Robert Frost
• The beauty of nature is portrayed as
deceptive, sinister and evil, similar to that of
human nature
• According to Lionel trilling, “One may be
caught unawares even at the most
unexpected places. Think not that black is
the lone color representing evil as white too
has the power to disturb & startle you
unexpectedly”
• Design
If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature’s holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?
What had the flower to do with
being white,
The wayside blue and innocent
heal-all?
What brought the kindred
spider to that height,
Then steered the white moth
thither in the night?

7. William Wordsworth
• Expresses pity and sympathizes
with the darker side of human
beings
• Lines Written in Early
Spring
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me
ran;
And much it grieved my heart to
think
What man has made of man.
Robert Frost
• Blunt and critical of the darker
side of humans and doesn’t
express any sympathy
• Fire and Ice
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great And would suffice.

8. Frost and Wordsworth sees eye to eye...
• In their poems, nature is a constant reminder of the dark reality of the
human condition.
• Acknowledges the dark and inherent qualities of humans.
• The symbolic nature related titles of the poems reflect the prominence
given to nature.
• Ex: Frost – Birches, Leaves Compared with Flowers, Fire and Ice
Wordsworth – Daffodils, A Whirl- blast from Behind the Hill

9. Conclusion
• It is evident that both poets employ nature as a tool in their poems to
effectively convey the subject matter and themes -
• There is an inextricable link between nature and humans disposition.
• -This presentation is not a generalization of poetry by Frost and
Wordsworth, but rather a discussion of their most prominent features,
in relation to nature and the darkest depths of the human condition.
• There may be a few exceptions, ( “The World Is Too Much With Us” by
Wordsworth ) – deviation from Wordsworth’s usual style.

10. References
• Ackroyd, P., The Romantics. In
BBC. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/romantics/intro.shtml>
• Gillani, N. S., 2009. Robert Frost: A modern poet. In English
Literature. <http://www.engliterarium.com/2009/02/robert-frost-modern-poet.html>
• Lahti, D., 2012. Lyrical Ballads, and other early poems. In Reflections on Great Literature.
<http://greatlit.qwriting.qc.cuny.edu/2014/06/19/lyrical-ballads-and-other-early-
poems/#more-419>
• Lynen, F. J., 1960. Nature and Pastoralism. New Haven: Yale University
Press.t<http://www.frostfriends.org/FFL/Nature%20and%20Pastoralism%20-
%20Lynen/lynenessay1.html>
• Vincent, C., 2009. The Poetry of Robert Frost. In GradeSaver
<http://www.gradesaver.com/the-poetry-of- robertfrost/study-guide/major-themes>