On Wordsworth and Emerson¡¯S Conceptions of Nature

Abstract: By comparing and analyzing their two poems, I will try to define Wordsworth and Emerson ¡Ã‚ ¯s respective conception of nature. The reason why they formed such conceptions of nature is, to the former, lies in his passiveness; and to the latter, in German philosophy and bold individualism. Key Words: conception of nature £Ã‚ »NATURE £Ã‚ »philosophical conception of nature £Ã‚ »common conception of nature £Ã‚ »passiveness £Ã‚ »individualism Outline I. Introduction II. Wordsworth ¡Ã‚ ¯s conception of nature III. Emerson ¡Ã‚ ¯s double conceptions of nature IV. Conclusion  ¢Ãƒ ±. Introduction In the 19th century, romanticism prevailed as the literary mainstream throughout the European continent. William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was one of the pioneers in the†¦show more content†¦In the eighteenth century poems were supposed to serve the upper class, and the theme usually had something to do with the upper-class life. In contrast, romanticism gave much attention to the nature. As a great poet of nature, he was the first to find words for the most elementary sensations of man face to face with natural phenomena. These sensations are universal and old, but once expressed in his poetry, become charmingly beautiful and new. His deep love for nature runs through such short lyrics as  ¡Ã‚ °I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud ¡Ã‚ ±: I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o ¡Ã‚ ¯er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the thess, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. In the first two stanzas the narrator, one version of the poet, tells us that one day when wandering through a landscape, he was struck by the sight of a field of daffodils. The first line  ¡Ã‚ °I wondered lonely as a cloud ¡Ã‚ ± immediately establishes the speaker ¡Ã‚ ¯s loneliness. And in sharp contrast with the poet ¡Ã‚ ¯s loneliness, the daffodils are happy and bristling with life: they are  ¡Ã‚ °dancing ¡Ã‚ ±, and  ¡Ã‚ °tossing ¡Ã‚ ± their heads. In addition, the daffodils are in large numbers. Their vast number is emphasized in the second stanzaShow MoreRelatedThe Development of Individualism and Romanticism2451 Words   |  10 PagesArtist became preoccupied with articulating the personal experiences they become, in turn, a representative one. The artists takes on a quasi-religious status not only as a prophet and moral leader, but also as a divinely inspired vehicle through which nature and the common man find their voices. The idea of man’s natural goodness and the stress on emotion also contributed to the development of Romantic individualism; they believed that what is special in a man is to be valued over what is representative