Key Facts
- Author: William Wordsworth (1770-1850)
- Title of the Author: Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from (1843-50) / Most influential romantic poet / Lake Poet / Poet of Nature
- Written Date: 1804
- Published Date: 1807 in the collection titled “Poems in Two Volumes.”
- Original Title: I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
- Genre: Romantic Poetry
- Tone: Joyful, Reflective, and Nostalgic.
- Stanzas: 4
- Total Lines: 24
- Rhyme Scheme: ababcc
- Time Setting: April 15, 1802
- Place Setting: Lake District, England.
Key Notes
Daffodils: Daffodils generally bloom in the spring season in England. It blooms in the months of April-May (Baishakh).
Transcendence: Finding out the existence or experience beyond the normal or physical level.
Background: In 1802, William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy visited ‘Ullswater Lake’. The lake is located in a park called Gobarrow, which belongs to the English Lake District. The poet wrote this poem in 1804 after visiting this place. This poem was written at two different times. In 1804, William Wordsworth wrote the poem from his past experiences. And in 1807, he wrote the poem again with some more ideas about this lake from his sister Dorothy. The poem was first published in 1807. Again, these two different versions of 1804 and 1807 were combined, and the Revised Version of the poem of 1815 came out. And this is now read worldwide.
Symbols
Daffodils: Represent a source of natural beauty and inspiration. They symbolize the ability of nature to uplift one’s spirit and bring joy.
Cloud: Represents the speaker’s emotional state and solitude. The speaker’s comparison to a cloud emphasizes his detachment from the world around him.
Lake: Represents the reflective and calming aspect of nature. It reflects the daffodils, suggesting that their beauty has a lasting impact on the speaker’s mind.
Continuous Line: This represents the poem’s flow, mirroring how nature’s beauty flows into the poet’s mind and stays with him.
Inward Eye: Symbolizes the imagination and memory. It highlights the idea that the memory of the daffodils continues to bring the speaker happiness even when he is physically alone.
Golden Daffodils: The color gold symbolizes wealth, beauty, and illumination. The golden daffodils represent their physical appearance and the spiritual wealth and enlightenment the speaker gains from them.
Jocund Company: Refers to the daffodils dancing in the breeze. It symbolizes the carefree and joyful nature of the natural world.
Couch: Symbolizes a resting place for the mind. The speaker’s mind “rests” on the memory of the daffodils whenever he feels pensive or downcast.
Bliss of Solitude: Represents the idea that solitude can be a source of happiness and introspection. The speaker finds bliss in his memories of the daffodils during his moments of solitude.
Pensive Mood: This indicates a reflective and contemplative state of mind. The contrast between the pensive mood in the present and the daffodils’ memory illustrates nature’s power to influence one’s emotions.
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Literary Devices
Simile: The poem’s famous opening line, “I wandered lonely as a Cloud,” uses a simile to compare the speaker’s state of mind to a cloud, emphasizing their solitude and aimlessness.
Personification: The daffodils in the poem are personified as “dancing” and “tossing their heads,” giving them human-like qualities and making them seem vibrant and lively.
Imagery: The poem is rich in visual imagery, describing the “golden” daffodils “fluttering and dancing in the breeze,” creating a vivid mental picture for the reader.
Metaphor: The daffodils are described as a “crowd,” creating a metaphor for the abundance and impact of the scene on the speaker.
Hyperbole: The line “Ten thousand saw I at a glance” employs hyperbole to exaggerate the number of daffodils, emphasizing their overwhelming presence.
Selected Quotations
“I wandered lonely as a Cloud”
This opening line sets the tone for the poem, conveying the speaker’s feeling of isolation and disconnectedness.
“When all at once I saw a crowd“
The sudden appearance of the “crowd” of daffodils captures the speaker’s surprise and wonder at the beauty of nature.
“Continuous as the stars that shine”
This simile compares the abundance of daffodils to the countless stars in the sky, emphasizing their vastness.
“Fluttering and dancing in the breeze“
This description brings the daffodils to life, portraying them as lively and vibrant.
“Ten thousand I saw at a glance”
The large number of daffodils underscores the overwhelming impact of the scene on the speaker.
“Tossing their heads in sprightly dance”
The daffodils “tossing their heads” imagery implies a sense of joy and liveliness.
“The waves beside them danced; but they”
This line draws a comparison between the dancing daffodils and the dancing waves of the lake, highlighting the harmony between nature’s elements.
“A poet could not but be gay”
The speaker reflects on how the memory of the daffodils brings a sense of happiness even in moments of solitude.
“In vacant or in pensive mood”
The daffodils’ memory can uplift the speaker’s empty or contemplative spirits.
“And then my heart with pleasure fills”
The sight of the daffodils fills the speaker’s heart with pleasure, reinforcing the theme of nature’s ability to bring joy.
“And dances with the daffodils”
The poem ends with the image of the speaker dancing in harmony with the daffodils, symbolizing a connection with nature and a sense of unity.
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Themes
Imagination and Memory: The poem reflects on the power of imagination and memory to bring joy and solace. The speaker’s recollection of the “dancing” daffodils becomes a source of happiness even in moments of solitude.
Nature’s Beauty and Inspiration: The poem celebrates the beauty of nature and how it can inspire and uplift the human spirit. The sight of the daffodils brings joy and comfort to the poet’s heart.
Imagination and Memory: The image of the daffodils becomes a lasting memory that the poet can revisit in his mind’s eye whenever he feels lonely or downcast. The memory is vividly captured and can be summoned to bring happiness.
Connection to Nature: The poem underscores the idea that humans are a part of nature, and the two have a profound connection. The poet feels a sense of kinship with the natural world, which elevates his spirit.
Escapism and Tranquility: The poem offers an escape from everyday life’s mundane troubles. The poet’s wandering and encounters with the daffodils transport him to a tranquil and uplifting mental space.
Appreciation of the Present Moment: The poem emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment and appreciating the beauty surrounding us. The poet’s recollection of the daffodils brings him joy even in the present.
Transcendence: The poem suggests that moments of communion with nature can elevate one’s spirit and lead to a sense of transcendence. The daffodils’ beauty and continuous dance symbolize a spiritual experience that uplifts the speaker’s mood.
Connection to the Past: The poem explores the idea that experiences in nature can have a lasting impact, connecting the present to the past. The memory of the daffodils’ beauty continues to provide solace to the speaker even after he has physically moved on from the scene.
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud Bangla Summary
Daffodils ফুল দেখতে পাওয়া: কবি আকাশের উড়ো মেঘের মতো উদ্দেশ্যবিহীন ভাবে ঘুরে বেড়াচ্ছিলেন। তিনি ঠিক সেভাবেই ঘুরে বেড়াচ্ছিলেন, যেভাবে মেঘেরা পর্বত ও উপত্যকার উপর দিয়ে উড়ে বেড়ায়। হঠাৎ করেই কবি একটা সমাগম দেখতে পায়। আর এই সমগমটা ছিল গোল্ডেন ড্যাফোডিলস ফুলের। এই ফুলগুলো লেকের পাশে এবং গাছের নিচে ফুটেছিল। এই ফুলগুলো মৃদু বাতাসে দোল খাচ্ছিল এবং নাচানাচি করছিল। অর্থাৎ সম্পূর্ণ প্যারা জুড়ে কবি বলেছেন যে, তিনি উদ্দেশ্যবিহীনভাবে ঘুরে বেড়ানোর সময়ে এক ঝাক ড্যাফোডিলস ফুল দেখেন এবং ফুলগুলো কোথায় ছিল, কি করছিল, তা তুলে ধরেন।
Daffodils ফুল সম্পর্কে বর্ণনা: কবির মতে, Daffodils ফুলগুলো ছায়াপথের উজ্জ্বল তারার মতো ঝলমল করছিল। আর তাদের কোন নির্দিষ্ট সীমা ছিল না। তারা উপসাগরের কিনারা ঘেঁষে ফুটেছিল। এবার কবি বলেন, তিনি একনজরে দশ হাজার ফুল দেখেছেন। আসলে এক নজরে ১০ হাজার কখনোই দেখা সম্ভব নয়, দেখা সম্ভব হলেও গণনা করা সম্ভব নয়। এটাই হচ্ছে অতিরঞ্জিত মনোভাব প্রকাশ করা বা Hyperbole. আর এই ফুলগুলো প্রানবন্ত ভাবে তাদের মাথা দোলাচ্ছিল ও নাচানাচি করছিল। অর্থাৎ এই সম্পূর্ণ প্যারাজুড়ে সর্বপ্রথম কবি Daffodils ফুলকে ছায়াপথের উজ্জ্বল নক্ষত্রের সাথে তুলনা করেন এবং তারা যেভাবে নাচ করছিল সেই দৃশ্য তুলে ধরেন।
অমূল্য সম্পদ দেখতে পাওয়া: উপসাগরের ঢেউ এই ফুলগুলোর পাশে নাচানাচি করছিল। তবে ড্যাফোডিলস ফুলের আনন্দ এই ঢেউয়ের আনন্দের চেয়েও বেশি। এমন দৃশ্য দেখে ও এমন মুহূর্তের সঙ্গী হয়ে একজন কবি কখনোই খুশি না হয়ে পারবেনা। কবি একদৃষ্টে তাকিয়ে ছিলেন। এরপর তিনি ভাবলেন যে, এই দৃশ্যপট তার কাছে একটা অমূল্য সম্পদ নিয়ে এসেছে। জাগতিক কোন সম্পদ এর সমতুল্য কখনোই হতে পারবেনা।
বিষন্ন হৃদয়ের প্রতিষেধক পাওয়া: এরপর থেকে মাঝে মাঝেই কবি যখন তার সোফায় শূণ্য এবং বিষন্ন মনে শুয়ে থাকেন, তখন তার হৃদয়ে Daffodils ফুলগুলোর ছবি ভেসে ওঠে। আর এইটাই কবিকে স্বর্গীয় সুখ দেয় বা তার এই নির্জনতায় অনেক আনন্দ দেয়। তাই কবির হৃদয় আনন্দে ভরে ওঠে এবং Daffodils ফুলগুলোর মতোই নেচে ওঠে। অর্থাৎ এই সম্পূর্ণ প্যারা জুড়ে এটা বলা হয়েছে যে, মাঝে মাঝে কবির মন যখন বিষন্ন থাকে, তখন ওই Daffodils ফুলের স্মৃতি কবির মনে পড়ে এবং তার মন Daffodils ফুলগুলোর মতোই নেচে ওঠে।
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