Poems: The World Is Too Much with Us and I Wandered Lonely as A Cloud[PRACTICE]

“Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

”

more responsive to nature

sight

dissatisfaction with the ways of the world

their over-involvement with economic aspects of life

The following lines contain images suggesting movement: a. “I wandered lonely as a cloud / That floats on high o’er vales and hills,” b. “A host, of golden daffodils; / . . . / Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.” c. “Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.” d. “The waves beside them danced; . . .” e. “And then my heart with pleasure fills, / And dances with the daffodils.” The following lines contain light a. “Continuous as the stars that shine / And twinkle on the milky way,” b. ” . . . but they / Outdid the sparkling waves in glee;” c. “They flash upon that inward eye” Students’ answers should reflect the understanding that the movement and light imagery help to create a mood of a. lightheartedness. b. optimism. c. gentle bliss.

The sea baring its bosom to the moon in line 5 gives the poem an ecstatic, romantic feeling and contributes to a tone of lyrical rapture. This figure of speech expresses what the speaker longs for, what he feels modern life has given up. He says that people see little that is theirs in nature, but evidently he sees nature and sees it beautifully as in the comparison of the wind to sleeping flowers in lines 6-7. This figure of speech builds on previous ones and creates a mental picture of a seascape at night, with the speaker viewing it “on this pleasant lea.” The speaker both admires the scene and wishes he could be more completely swept up by it. Soon after these wonderful images, the poet adds, “It moves us not,” which seems contradictory and turns the tone bitter.

nature.

pleasant