"[…] Where’er my footsteps turned,
Her voice was like a hidden bird that sang;
The thought of her was like a flash of light
Or an unseen companionship, a breath
Or fragrance independent of the wind."
With these words the poet laureate William Wordsworth describes the role of
his sister Dorothy in his life (Wordsworth:738). Dorothy Wordsworth had never
intended to be published, praised as a writer or seen as more than the loving
companion to the genius William. In 1799, William and Dorothy moved to Grasmere
to live together in their little Dove Cottage. In 1800, Dorothy began to take down her
observations of nature, the incidents happening in and around Grasmere and her
everyday life with her brother. For the next three years, Dorothy proved her unique
ability of observing and describing her surroundings in nature precisely.
In this seminar paper, the importance of Dorothy Wordsworth’s writing and
its influence on the works of her famous brother will be examined. Following this
preface, Dorothy’s biographical background will be presented. The largest part of the
paper will be the examination of the importance of the Grasmere Journal for the
compositions of William Wordsworth, followed by the fourth chapter, which is about
the general influence Dorothy had on her brother. In the end, a conclusion will sum
up the findings. Due to the large number of findings in literary studies, which
analysed this topic, the seminar paper will show just the major examples of
Dorothy’s influence on William and her role in his literary productions.
Table of Contents
1. Preface
2. Dorothy Wordsworth
3. The Grasmere Journals and their influence on the work of William Wordsworth
4. Dorothy’s importance for William in General
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines the literary significance of Dorothy Wordsworth and the profound influence her private writings, particularly the Grasmere Journal, exerted on the creative compositions and professional life of her brother, William Wordsworth.
- Biographical background of Dorothy Wordsworth
- The role of the Grasmere Journal as a source of poetic inspiration
- Collaborative and editorial dynamics between the siblings
- The impact of Dorothy’s descriptive nature writing on William’s poetry
- The general significance of Dorothy as a muse and intellectual companion
Excerpt from the Book
The Grasmere journals and their influence on the work of William Wordsworth
Dorothy started to write her diary on 14 May 1800. The famous work which we know as Grasmere Journal was begun on a Wednesday: “Wm & John set off into Yorkshire after dinner at ½ past 2 o’clock – cold pork in their pockets” (Woof:1). When Dorothy moved to live at Dove Cottage in Grasmere together with William, a highly productive period started for her brother. As it will be examined further down, Dorothy did not just influence her brother by offering him themes and motifs, but very often she was also the first reader of William’s poems and therefore his greatest critic. Dorothy’s diary has gained a significant importance for today’s literary studies in terms of understanding and categorising it. As Pamela Woof claims, William “might have forgotten, had not Dorothy’s prose taught him to see again, the leech-gatherer or the shore of daffodils” (Woof:xvi).
Dorothy wrote her journal for a period of three years. For her writings she used five notebooks, one of which has been lost through the years. The first notebook dates from 14 May to 22 December 1800. The second notebook which covers the time from 23 December 1800 to 9 October 1801 has been lost, which is a great loss in the understanding of such a genius poet’s mind as William Wordsworth was. The third notebook dates from 10 October 1801 to 14 February 1802. The fourth notebook covers the period between 14 February to 2 May 1802 and the fifth and last notebook of the ones forming the Grasmere Journal dates from 14 May 1802 to 16 January 1803.
Summary of Chapters
1. Preface: Introduces the lifelong bond between William and Dorothy Wordsworth and sets the scope for the subsequent analysis of their literary collaboration.
2. Dorothy Wordsworth: Outlines the biographical path of Dorothy Wordsworth, highlighting her childhood, familial losses, and her eventual cohabitation with her brother William.
3. The Grasmere Journals and their influence on the work of William Wordsworth: Explores how the specific observations and descriptions in Dorothy’s journal provided motifs, imagery, and structural support for William’s major poetic works.
4. Dorothy’s importance for William in General: Categorizes the multifaceted nature of Dorothy’s influence, ranging from her role as a muse and critic to her status as a foundational presence in William’s emotional and creative world.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, asserting that Dorothy was an essential observer and prose writer whose contributions were vital to the development of William Wordsworth’s literary achievements.
Keywords
Dorothy Wordsworth, William Wordsworth, Grasmere Journal, Romanticism, Dove Cottage, literary influence, nature writing, poetic composition, siblings, inspiration, biography, diaries, poetry, muse, literary studies
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the deep intellectual and creative relationship between Dorothy and William Wordsworth, specifically focusing on how Dorothy's private journals helped shape William's poetry.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The primary themes include the collaborative literary process, the role of observational prose in Romantic poetry, the biographical bond between the siblings, and the retrospective identification of inspirations for famous poems.
What is the main objective of the study?
The objective is to demonstrate that Dorothy Wordsworth was not merely a passive observer but a crucial contributor whose journals provided the themes, motifs, and descriptive foundation for William Wordsworth's most renowned works.
Which methodology is employed in this paper?
The author uses a qualitative literary analysis, drawing upon primary sources like the Grasmere Journal and the collected poems of William Wordsworth, supported by secondary literary criticism to trace parallels and influences.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers Dorothy's life, the specific historical context of the journals, the evidence of direct influence on poems like "Beggars" and "Daffodils," and the broader categories of her supportive role as a critic and muse.
What are the key terms that define this work?
Key terms include Romanticism, Grasmere Journal, poetic inspiration, creative collaboration, and the literary legacy of the Wordsworth siblings.
How did the Grasmere Journal assist in dating William's poems?
The journal entries often contain explicit dates and mentions of William reading his latest compositions, which provides scholars with accurate chronologies for works that were otherwise undated.
How did William react to the loss of Dorothy's presence?
The paper notes that Dorothy often felt a sense of melancholy or incompleteness during periods when William was away, leading to changes in the length and tone of her journal entries.
Was Dorothy's writing intended for public consumption?
No, the research clarifies that Dorothy never intended for her journals to be published; they were written as private records and as a means to provide pleasure to her brother upon his return home.
- Quote paper
- Hendrik Geisler (Author), 2012, Dorothy Wordsworth and her influence on the life and work of William Wordsworth with particular emphasis on the "Grasmere Journal 1800-1803", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/200463
