Upon the opening of this poem, I noticed that Wordsworth uses his language to take the reader on a journey of inward reflection. What hinted this idea to me were the opening lines which read, “-Nay traveler! Rest. This lonely yew tree stands Far from all human dwelling”(Lyrical Ballads pg. 45 ll. 1-2). It as if Wordsworth is flagging us down on the road while we are travelling to another destination, or thinking about something completely different. The author is asking us to stop and initiate a change in perspective. The modifier for the yew tree is ‘lonely’. I thought it was an interesting choice, and I noticed that this modifier eventually comes to reflect what the prideful poet feels in lines twelve through twenty.
After the poet character sets out with a pure heart, he handles everything that tries to taint him in the world except neglect. He then focuses on Nature, attempting to see his own morbidity and emptiness in the barren rocks. It mentions that “His only visitants a straggling sheep”(Lyrical Ballads pg. 46 ll. 23). This hearkens back to the loneliness theme that Wordsworth opens the poem with. The ultimate change in perspective, and the most important part in the poem, is in line 30 which reads, “And lifting up his head, he then would gaze On the more distant scene…”(Lyrical Ballads pg. 45 ll. 30). Once this happens, the poet character is overwhelmed by Natures beauty, and realizes how lost he was before. This epiphany is what he wants to share with the Reader to the end that we would take the time to experience Natures awesome conversation.
The poem reminded me of Expostulation and reply when mentioning that a wise man, after experiencing nature, might scorn which wisdom holds (Lyrical Ballads pg. 47 ll. 54). It is very similar to the message that Wordsworth presents that Man can “Feed this mind of ours, in a wise passiveness”(Lyrical Ballads pg. 104 ll. 23-24). One must only spend time to converse with Nature to experience a change in perspective that can truly affect not just human feelings, but also moral character.
Very good (despite some oddly missing apostrophes). It might perhaps have been more sharply focused, say, on the topic you end with--how converse with nature can shape moral character.
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