Role of memory and childhood in Wordsworth's poetry

William Wordsworth’s poetry is preoccupied with the role of memory in individual life. Because, memory gives him a clear and powerful expression in the creation of poetry. According to Wordsworth, as in his Preface to Lyrical Ballads, “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings which takes it’s origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.”(151) Wordsworth believes that memory to play an essential role in the creative process. He also says, “Any beautiful or pleasant experience does not end at that moment. When we recall that memory we get the same pleasure.”(153)

          Memory is considered one of the main themes of the poems by Wordsworth. Many of his best-known poems, such as “Tintern Abbey”, “Ode: Intimation of Immortality”, “The Solitary Reaper”, “To The Cuckoo”, intertwine memory which is very complicated and a balanced interplay.

In “Tintern Abbey”, the theme of memory is used as a powerful and creative force. In this poem, Wordsworth recalls a time five years ago when he took a trip to the abbey. Wordsworth mentions these five years in three different ways; ‘years’, ‘summers’ and ‘winters’. These three words means those five years have passed, yet he gives a lot of depth to the time. Here, we get this emotional connection to his memory. The natural scenario in his memory has been always in front of his third eye, unlike to a blind man. He says,

“These beauteous forms,

Through a long absence, have not been to me

As is a landscape to a blind man’s eye.’’ (Lines 23-25)

According to Wordsworth, the memories of a beautiful scene remain alive in his mind as something to look back on when the world seems ugly and unkind. He says,

 “In lonely rooms, and ’mid the din

Of towns and cities.’’(Lines 26-27)

Thus Wordsworth finds refuge in his memories of tranquil nature. Memories of nature refresh him. In “Tintern Abbey”, Wordsworth says of the remembrance of such beautiful forms:

“And passing even into my purer mind

With tranquil restoration.” (Lines 27-31)

In this poem, the memory of pure communion with nature in childhood works upon the mind even in adulthood, when the adult has lost his access to that pure communion, and that the maturity of mind present in adulthood offers compensation for the loss of that communion—specifically, the ability to “look on nature” and hear “human music” and something spiritual. So, we can say that the memories of special places can fortify the spirit and it is proved in this poem.

Wordsworth’s another poem, “Ode: Intimation of Immortality” also captures the paradoxical nature of memory’s fragile power for Wordsworth. Memory is crucial to Wordsworth throughout these poems, because the very memory enables the individual to regain access to the pure communion with nature enjoyed during childhood.

The poet is thankful to the memories of childhood, not so much for the innocence, delights and freedom that is enjoyed by the child, but for those persistent doubts concerning the reality of the external world. He says that the child becomes best philosopher, “seer blest” and “eye among the blind”.

To the poet, the child is spiritually greater than an adult man. For this, he called child as “mighty prophet”. Through close affinity with nature he feels happy to think that even in manhood, in calm moments, we can realize that we come from heaven, our real home.

In this poem, the poet clearly expresses the theme that, our knowledge of the soul’s immortality is based on our memories of childhood when we still remembered our life in heaven.

Wordsworth’s another poem, "The Solitary Reaper" is a memory based poem. He writes this poem by remembering the memory when he reads an Irish poem “Tours to the British Mountains” written by Thomas Wilkinson. This poem is about a lonely highland girl who was harvesting in the field and singing the song in dialect. For this, the poet cannot understand it but he is trying to understand the theme of the song. Because, the spell binding song is already settled in his heart. That is why the poet says_

“The music in my heart I bore,

Long after it was heard no more.”(Line:31-32)

So, we can say that, memory is an essential concern of "The Solitary Reaper".

To sum up, we can say that, Wordsworth attempts to make sense of the changes he has undergone, and, in the process, he offers some interesting insights into the machinery of memory and the Romantic lyric. When he considers his own mortality, memory is again a huge comfort, because he realizes that even after he has died he will be able to live on in the memory.

Works Cited

Wordsworth, William. Preface to the Lyrical Ballads. Ed. M.H. Abrams.

Vol.2.New York: W.W. Norton & Company.142-152.

Wordsworth, William. Preface to the Lyrical Ballads. The Norton Anthology                   of English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams.Vol.2.New York: W.W. Norton &               Company.2000.

…….“Lines…..Tintern Abbey.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams.Vol.2.New York: W.W. Norton & Company.2000.235.

…….“Lines…... Ode: Intimation of Immortality” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams.Vol.2.New York: W.W. Norton & Company.2000.234.

…….“Lines…..Tintern Abbey.” The Norton Anthology of English           Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams.Vol.2.New York: W.W. Norton & Company.2000.138.