Wordsworth’s Poetry
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Study Questions
1. Discuss the theme of memory as it runs through poems such as “Tintern Abbey,” “Intimations of Immortality,” and “The Solitary Reaper.” How does Wordsworth believe memory works on the human character? How is memory important in sustaining the connection between the individual and nature?
2. In “I wandered lonely as a cloud,” how does Wordsworth achieve the seemingly effortless effect of implying the unity of his consciousness with nature? Does this technique appear in any other Wordsworth lyrics?
3. Think about the series of angry moral sonnets written in 1802, represented here by “The world is too much with us” and “London, 1802.” How does Wordsworth express anger? What moral ideal does he uphold? How has England violated that ideal?
4. Compare and contrast “Tintern Abbey” and “Intimations of Immortality.” How are they alike? How are they different? Base your analysis on theme, style, and subject.
5. One of Wordsworth’s most famous lines is “the child is father of the man,” a line that reappears in the epigram of “Intimations of Immortality.” How is childhood central to Wordsworth’s conception of the self? How is that self affected by the aging process?
6. Discuss the connection between nature and religion in these poems. With a particular eye toward “Tintern Abbey” and “It is a beauteous evening, calm and free,” how does Wordsworth imply the connections between God, nature, and the human mind?
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