Poetry, A Mirror of the Poet

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People have different ways of expressing their inner selves- some relieve their doubts and conflicts through music, while some people seek comfort through talking about their problems. Those who have interest in literature, however, turn to writing down about their current situations in the form of poetry. Poetry, as opposed to prose, has the characteristic of being written down in a very concise form, which makes it less straightforward and clear. There are some scholars who say that poetry itself originated from the people’s desire to express their thoughts in a somewhat artistic manner and be read and understood by others at the same time. Such being the most popular trend among poets throughout history, it can be said that William Wordsworth was one of those poets who sought to write about himself in his poems. In this sense, ‘Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey’, a poem written by Wordsworth in 1798, is a poem that cannot be understood at all without the poet’s personal life, in connection to the general historical context, in mind.

The setting of the poem, Tintern Abbey, is a place that actually exists even now in the southern Welsh county of Monmouthshire. Abandoned in 1536, the abbey was left desolate, and the poem by Wordsworth was written by him after his two visits- the first one in 1793 and the second in 1798. In particular, the poem is about Wordsworth’s descriptions of nature seen from the banks of the Wye Valley/ River, based on his general philosophies of nature.

As aforementioned, an insight into Wordsworth’s personal life and background is a necessity for a concrete understanding of the poem. Born in England, Wordsworth lived for a while in France during the early 1790s, which was around the time of the violent French Revolution. While in France, Wordsworth had a long affair with a French woman called Annette Vallon, with whom he eventually had a daughter, Caroline. In 1792, the so-called ‘September Massacre’ broke out in France, which indicated the start of the Reign of Terror. During this period, anyone who was in contact with the rich was killed, numbering up to about 20 people a day. Eventually, even the French citizens got tired of their politics. As a foreigner, Wordsworth sensed Britain’s tensions with France, and in 1793, he returned alone to England, leaving his wife and daughter. This was when he had his first tour of the Wye Valley. The Reign of Terror continued on, and the war between France and Britain prevented him from seeing Annette and Caroline again for several years.

In 1798, Wordsworth returned to the Wye Valley for the first time in five years, with his sister Dorothy. Whereas his first visit in 1793 was uncomplicated and was about immersion in nature, his second visit was more refined and spiritual. Through his second visit, he was able to express his intense faith in nature by way of his work of masterpiece; he had the realization of God in nature and got sensuous delight in it, which eventually became of much significance to him.

It is commonly said about ‘Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey’ that the language Wordsworth used is so simple and lucid that it makes the reader not tired of reading it again and again. However, this was only possible because the poet was revealing his sincere feelings about the experiences he had gone through in life. One of the most highly recognized poems among English poetry, the beauty and status of this poem will continue on with the passing of time.

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