It is a PowerPoint presentation on Romantic Era in English literature and William Wordsworth.

1. BAEL N-101
Understanding Poetry-1
Romantic Poetry
Nitika Kannojia
Assitsant Professor (AC)
Department of English
Uttarakhand Open University, Uttarakhand

2. ROMANTIC POETRY
• Started with the publication of Lyrical Ballads in 1798 by
William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge
• Major Poets - William Wordsworth, S. T. Coleridge, William
Blake, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats, etc.
• Major Female Poets - Charlotte Smith, Joanna Baillie, Anna
Barbauld, Felicia Hemans, Mary Robinson, Anna Seward,
etc.

3.  Unit 9 William Wordsworth
- ‘The World is too Much With Us’
- ‘The Solitary Reaper’
 Unit 10 Percy Bysshe Shelley
-‘Ode to the West Wind’
- ‘The Cloud’
 Unit 11 John Keats
- ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci: A Ballad’
- ‘Ode to a Nightingale’

4. William Wordsworth

5. William Wordsworth
• Pioneer of Romanticism: Wordsworth, along with Coleridge, is often considered one of the
founders of the Romantic literary movement. His poetry emphasized the importance of
emotion, individualism, and the beauty of nature
• "Lyrical Ballads": The publication of "Lyrical Ballads" in 1798 marked a significant turning
point in the Romantic era. It helped set the tone for the Romantic period.
• Nature and the Sublime: Wordsworth's poetry celebrated the natural world and its ability to
inspire awe and transcendence. His emphasis on the sublime in nature, as seen in poems like
"Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey," greatly influenced Romantic poets who
sought to capture the power and beauty of the natural world in their own works.
• Emphasis on Imagination and Emotion: Wordsworth believed in the power of the
individual imagination and the importance of emotional expression in poetry.
• Legacy and Influence: Wordsworth's ideas and poetic techniques left a lasting impact on later
Romantic poets, such as John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron.

6. The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth

7. The Solitary Reaper
• crafted in November of 1805 and later published in 1807
• effectively captures the melodious tune sung by a young
woman from the mountainous Highlands of Scotland
• Reaper is singing in local dialect that the poet cannot
comprehend
• Singing melancholic song while harvesting
• a stanza with eight lines, consisting of a four-line section and
two pairs of lines with eight syllables each
• Written in ballad stanza

8. Themes
1. The Poignancy of Solitude: The poem highlights the solitude of the
reaper in a remote, rural setting. Her isolation serves as a central theme,
emphasizing the idea that in the midst of the tranquil countryside, her
solitary labor and song carry a profound sense of loneliness.
2. The Transcendence of Music and Emotion: The poem underscores the
transformative power of music and human emotion. The reaper's song,
though incomprehensible to the narrator, transcends language and culture,
touching the universal human heart with its melancholic beauty.
3. Memory and Nostalgia: The poem hints at the possibility that the
reaper's song is rooted in memories of "old, unhappy, far-off things" and
"battles long ago." This theme of memory and nostalgia suggests that the
past holds a deep significance for individuals, and the reaper's song may
serve as a connection to the collective memory of her community or
culture.

9. Literary Devices
1. Imagery: The poem is rich in vivid imagery that appeals to the reader's senses.
Wordsworth paints a clear picture of the solitary reaper in the field, "Alone,
she cuts and binds the grain," and her "melancholy strain." The reader can
almost see and hear the reaper and her song, which creates a strong emotional
connection with the poem's themes of solitude and the power of music.
2. Refrain: The poem's use of a refrain, the repeated question "Will no one tell
me what she sings?" at the end of each stanza, serves as a powerful structural
device. This repetition emphasizes the narrator's intense curiosity and desire to
understand the meaning of the reaper's song, highlighting the central theme of
the poem— the universality of human emotions and the potential for a simple,
unfamiliar experience to resonate deeply with the observer.
3. Personification: The poem personifies the reaper's song, suggesting that it
might be expressing emotions and memories from the past. The lines, "For old,
unhappy, far-off things, / And battles long ago," personify the song as if it has
a life and voice of its own. This literary device infuses the poem with a sense
of mystery and depth, inviting the reader to contemplate the reaper's song and
its potential significance.

10. The World is too Much With Us by William Wordsworth

11. Themes
1. Alienation from Nature: The poem begins with a lament that the
world is "too much with us," highlighting the idea that human beings
have become estranged from nature. Wordsworth expresses his
frustration that people are more concerned with material possessions
and worldly concerns than with the beauty and spiritual value of the
natural world.
2. Spiritual Emptiness: Wordsworth suggests that this alienation has
led to spiritual emptiness. He mourns the loss of the connection
between the human soul and the natural world, which he believes is
essential for a meaningful and fulfilled life.

12. Literary Devices
1. Sonnet Form: The poem follows the traditional Petrarchan sonnet structure,
consisting of an octave and a sestet. The octave presents the problem, the sestet
suggests a solution or reflection. This form enhances the poem's emotional
impact.
2. Imagery: Wordsworth uses vivid imagery to depict the power and beauty of
nature. Phrases like "Sea that bares her bosom to the moon," and "Proteus
rising from the sea" create a strong visual and sensory experience, contrasting
the natural world with the material one.
3. Allusion: The poem alludes to classical mythology with references to
"Proteus" and "Nereus," emphasizing the ancient and timeless quality of nature
in contrast to the transitory nature of materialism.
4. Repetition: The repetition of the phrase "Getting and spending" underscores
the central theme of materialism, emphasizing the relentless pursuit of wealth
and possessions.

13. Percy Bysshe Shelley

14. John Keats