William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth at 28 by William Shuter2

William Wordsworth (7 April 1770 – 23 April 1850) was a major English poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication Lyrical Ballads (1798). Wordsworth's magnum opus is generally considered to be The Prelude, a semi-autobiographical poem of his early years which he revised and expanded a number of times. It was posthumously titled and published, prior to which it was generally known as the poem "to Coleridge". Wordsworth was Britain's Poet Laureate from 1843 until his death in 1850.

Early Life

Wordsworth was born in Cockermouth, Cumberland, part of the scenic region in northwest England known as the Lake District. His father, John Wordsworth, was legal representative to Sir James Lowther and his mother, Ann Cookson, was the daughter of a linen-draper. He was the second of five children. His mother died when he was eight, and his father passed away not long after, leaving him and his siblings in the care of relatives. As a child, he developed a love of nature, spending much of his time wandering the Lakeland fells.

Education

Wordsworth attended Hawkshead Grammar School before going to St John's College, Cambridge, in 1787. He graduated in 1791 without a distinguished record but with a growing interest in poetry and a commitment to pursue a career as a poet.

Career

Wordsworth's early poems were influenced by the revolutionary spirit of the times, as well as the works of John Milton, William Shakespeare, and others. His first published poetry appeared in 1793, with collections such as An Evening Walk and Descriptive Sketches. However, it was the 1798 publication of Lyrical Ballads, with Coleridge, that marked a turning point in English poetry. This collection, which included Wordsworth's "Tintern Abbey" and Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", was initially received with mixed reviews but later came to be seen as the start of the Romantic Age in English literature.

Wordsworth's poetry is notable for its focus on nature, its use of everyday language, its exploration of the human mind and spirit, and its belief in the healing power of nature. His work is characterized by a deep empathy for the poor and an emphasis on the importance of childhood.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1799, Wordsworth moved back to the Lake District, where he would spend the rest of his life. He married Mary Hutchinson in 1802, and they had five children. The early 19th century was a productive period for Wordsworth, during which he wrote some of his most famous poems, including "Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood".

Wordsworth's influence on English poetry and literature cannot be overstated. He shifted the focus of poetry from the classical forms and subjects of the 18th century to a more personal, emotional, and natural style. His work laid the foundation for the Romantic movement and influenced generations of poets, including John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron.

Wordsworth's political views evolved over time from his early radicalism to a more conservative stance in his later years. He accepted the post of Poet Laureate in 1843, a position he held until his death in 1850 at the age of 80.

Works

• Lyrical Ballads (1798, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge)
• Poems, in Two Volumes (1807)
• The Excursion (1814)
• The Prelude (1850, posthumously)

See Also

• Romanticism
• Lake District
• Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom