“Tintern Abbey” by William Wordsworth is considered as a kind of monologue in verse as Wordsworth confessed that he composed it in his mind while walking through the river Wye. It belongs, along with other 19 poems by this author and four by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, to Lyrical Ballads, which is considered to be the inaugural book of the Romantic English Poetry. The main focus of these poems was that of looking for common life situations and depicting them in an unusual manner by means of the power of imagination. Wordsworth defined poetry as “[…] the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” and this consists on a breaking up with the 18th century concept of Classicist Canon which looked for poetical perfection. On the contrary, Wordsworth is influenced by the new 19th century ideas of “individualism” and seeks for the use of imagination and true feelings, not being so worried about poetical structural conventions. That is the reason why he writes in blank verse. Therefore, he takes advantage of his emotions in given moments of inspiration just like he did during his walk from Tintern to the river Wye, which resulted into the poem we are going to analyse later on. The title, Lines Written (or Composed) a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, on Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour, July 13, 1798, is often abbreviated simply to Tintern Abbey, although that building does not appear within the poem. It was written by William Wordsworth after a walking tour with his sister in this section of the
Welsh Borders. The description of his encounters with the countryside on the banks of the River Wye grows into an outline of his general philosophy.
Critical Summary
In the poem Tintern Abbey the poet has expressed his tender feeling towards nature. He has specially recollected his poetic idea of Tintern Abbey where he had gone first time in 1793. This is his second visit to this place. Wordsworth has expressed his intense faith in nature.
Analysis
The poem Tintern Abbey clearly testifies to Wordsworth’s love for Nature. From the time of his boyhood, Wordsworth had established a strong bond with Nature and with the passing time the relationship witnessed transformations, maturing his poetic abilities. As a lad he was enamoured by ‘glad animal movements’ while frolicking in the lap of Nature but with the coming of youth, he fell in love with the lovely colour and sounds of the natural scenery of the heavenly Lake district in England. The liaison seemed to pause there for some time. However, more was to come and with his growing older when he equated Nature with God Himself. In other words, both his heart and soul begin to draw sustenance from this tool of God from this point. By particularising Nature with the definite article ‘the’, Wordsworth implies the exclusivity of his guardian angel in the sense that it is her who protects him from the harsh cruelties of other people and strengthens the moral fabric of his character as well. The poet solemnly utters that unlike human beings, Nature never betrays the heart who loves her. Again it is the sublime face of Nature which has taught him how to go closer to human beings. The sad melody of humanity is heard clearly by the poet at this juncture. Being physically present by the side of a beautiful river from where he can see the distant snow-capped mountain tops, his spirit spreads wings and soars into impossible heights, having never been experienced by him before. Going into a trance, the poet feels transported to another world where everything in the universe seems to get connected.
Conclusion
Wordsworth, through the poem, “Tintern Abbey”, has shown a way to establish a better world and a better life, and has taught how a close relationship with Nature could be created in order to give birth to a peaceful and harmonious life in the world. He advises everyone to learn from the past. This is perceptible in the words of Geoffrey H. Hartman (1964) who claims that “Wordsworth’s poetry looks back in order to look forward the better” (p. 29). Thus, the poem, “Tintern Abbey”, is a typical ecocritical work which strives to promote a relationship between Nature and human being. It also indirectly advises every reader to look back and see how human beings have behaved towards Nature in the past, and what the consequences of their anthropocentric attitude towards Nature are. It also insists on the need to take proper measures to establish harmony with Nature.
December 01, 2024
