I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud -William Wordsworth

Analyzing theme: Nature has healing power for loneliness.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

   That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

   A host, of golden daffodils,

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

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.

The waves beside them danced; but they

   Out-did the sparkling waves in glee;

A poet could not but be gay,

   In such a jocund company;

I gazed – and gazed – but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

   In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

   Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

                In William Wordsworth’s ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud’, the author describes his thoughts as if writing a journal for himself. Thoughout the poem, he emphasizes the great healing power of the nature, and how it affected himself. The first line of the first stanza indicates his extreme loneliness, for a cloud moves like a snail, not knowing where to go. This lonely sentiment suddenly shatters apart when the author discovers a host of beautiful daffodils that grabbed his attention. The first personification of the daffodils on the last line of the first stanza shows how he is taking the newly discovered daffodils, which is more delicately defined in the latter part of the poem, telling the audience that these flowers became his mates who let him forget his solitude.

After the stunning discovery, the author is getting more and more mesmorized by the brightness and everlastingness of the daffodils. By the third line of the second stanza, all he can see in his eyes is a bunch of daffodils, and he finds these flowers so beautiful that they seem to be ‘stars twinkling in the milky way’ and reach the number of ‘ten thousand at a glance.’ Again, the author personifies the daffodils, describing them as ‘tossing their heads in sprightly dance.’

On the third stanza, the author continues to be impressed and is enjoying the cheerful, swaying daffodils, from which he cannot take his eyes off of. On the next, final stanza, he finally recognizes that his loneliness is recovered by these beautiful daffodils, with his heart filled with the most superb happiness.

It is not explicitly stated in the poem, but it seems like the author had had an epiphany that he needed nobody around whenever he was lonely; he needed nature beside him. A lot of people finds joy and calmness from nature and enjoy it, while others prefer city life as they are more accustomed to it. I personally agree with William as nature is not only more quiet and calm, but it is also more likely to go with the flow, while in cities, everyone endeavors to flow backwards.