William Wordsworth provides material for an extensive study of children and childhood in Romanticism with his oeuvre. The notion of "The child is father of the man" appears to be ingrained in earlier works such as the volume "Lyrical Ballads" (1798) as well. The poems discussed in this paper are ‘We are Seven’ and ‘Anecdote for Fathers'. Is the child a teacher or the origin of the adult? Or is it something inferior? How does the portrayal of the children in the two poems differ and in what ways are they similar? The interpretation and comparison of these poems will provide an insight into Wordsworth’s Romantic child.
In these two ballads adult narrators describe their encounters and conversations with a child. The focus here is clearly on the descriptive aspect (e.g. the child’s appearance and behaviour). To get an historical background of the prevalent ideas of childhood and children of Wordsworth’s contemporaries, a short summary of the two dominant philosophers Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke, who both coined the Romantic views on childhood, is provided (Chapter 2). The analysis of the poems themselves is divided into several subcategories: the portrayal of the child (3.1.), the child in relation to the adult (3.2.), the child’s use of language (3.3.) and the child’s worldview (3.4.). The categories have been chosen in consideration of the research questions whether Wordsworth’s children are portrayed positively.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Childhood in Romanticism – A Short Survey
3. The Children in the Poems ‘We are Seven’ and ‘Anecdote for Fathers’
3.1. Description of the Child and its Surroundings
3.2. The Child in Conversation with the Adult
3.3. The Child’s Speech and Language
3.4. The Child’s Wisdom
4. Conclusion
5. Sources
Objectives and Topics
This work aims to analyze the depiction of children in William Wordsworth’s poems "We are Seven" and "Anecdote for Fathers." It explores how these children are portrayed in relation to the adult narrators, investigating whether they are presented as figures of wisdom or as beings inferior to the adult worldview. The research questions focus on the discrepancy between adult rationalism and the child's spontaneous, nature-rooted perspective.
- Romantic views on childhood and the influence of Rousseau and Locke.
- Physical and behavioral descriptions of children in their natural settings.
- The power dynamics within adult-child conversations and interrogations.
- Analysis of child language and its role as a poetic device.
- The portrayal of child wisdom as a form of resistance against adult conventionality.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Description of the Child and its Surroundings
Both poems do not lack physical descriptions of the child. The “cottage girl” (WS 5) is described as lively (“lightly draws its breath/ And feels its life in every limb” WS 2f) and beautiful: “Her eyes were fair, and very fair/ - Her beauty made me glad” (WS 11f). However, she is far from being a neat and tidy girl: she has a “rustic, woodland air” (WS 9) and is “wildly clad” (WS 10). Further details mentioned are her age, “eight years old” (WS 6), and her hair, which is “thick with many a curl” (WS 7). More than a whole stanza is dedicated to her physical description, which suggests her appearance is important in various aspects. Firstly, there is stress put on her life in the countryside – she clearly is not an urban dweller and even seems to be ‘uncivilised’ in a certain way to the narrator’s eye. These attributes have often led to scholars interpreting the girl as belonging to nature or symbolising nature (BERNSTEIN 342); a reading not too farfetched bearing in mind the Romantic period’s interests. Secondly, the description of the strange and extraordinary beauty of the girl seems to have some effect on the narrator; an aspect which will be further discussed in 3.2. Another characteristic feature of the girl attributed to her by the narrator is that she is a “simple child” (WS 1). Again, the adult eye makes a judgement about the child. However, Wordsworth chooses an ambivalent word. Simplicity can be read as uneducated or “uncomplicated”, as SHOKOFF (235) points out. Whether the child is portrayed as something positive or not therefore cannot be determined by the physical description alone.
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: This chapter provides the theoretical foundation and introduces the poems "We are Seven" and "Anecdote for Fathers" as the primary subjects for analyzing Wordsworth's portrayal of childhood.
2. Childhood in Romanticism – A Short Survey: An overview of the historical shifts in the perception of childhood, highlighting the philosophical influences of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke.
3. The Children in the Poems ‘We are Seven’ and ‘Anecdote for Fathers’: This main section examines the structural and thematic framework of the two poems, analyzing the interaction between adult narrators and children.
3.1. Description of the Child and its Surroundings: Analyzes how physical descriptions and environmental contexts establish the children's connection to nature and their role as "other" in the eyes of the adult.
3.2. The Child in Conversation with the Adult: Investigates the power dynamics, interrogative nature of the dialogues, and the desire of adults to impose rationality on the child.
3.3. The Child’s Speech and Language: Discusses the function of language as a poetic device and the contrast between the children's spontaneous expression and the adults' conventional speech.
3.4. The Child’s Wisdom: Explores the interpretation of children's behavior not as ignorance, but as a form of resistance and superior wisdom, challenging the notion of adult superiority.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, affirming that Wordsworth presents a positive, appreciative portrait of childhood as a source of inherent truth and liberation.
5. Sources: A comprehensive list of primary and secondary literature used to support the analysis.
Key Words
William Wordsworth, Romanticism, Childhood, Lyrical Ballads, We are Seven, Anecdote for Fathers, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Locke, Tabula Rasa, Noble Savage, Poetic Device, Child Wisdom, Nature, Interrogation, Adult-Child Relation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the depiction of children in Wordsworth's ballads "We are Seven" and "Anecdote for Fathers," exploring how these characters are shaped by, and react against, adult perspectives.
Which philosophical views on childhood are discussed?
The study analyzes the influence of John Locke’s "tabula rasa" theory and Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s concept of the "inherently virtuous child of nature."
What is the central research question?
The research questions investigate whether Wordsworth’s children are portrayed positively, whether they act as teachers of the adult, and how their worldview differs from the rationalistic adult perspective.
What scientific method is employed?
The paper utilizes a literary analysis approach, focusing on close reading, textual comparison, and the application of established philosophical and pedagogical theories to the poems.
What does the main body of the text cover?
It covers physical descriptions, the power dynamics of conversations, the function of children's language, and the debate between child "ignorance" and "wisdom."
How would you characterize the work using keywords?
The work is characterized by terms such as Romanticism, childhood, natural innocence, adult-child power dynamics, and Wordsworth’s specific poetic programs.
How does the author interpret the "lie" mentioned in the subtitle of one of the poems?
The author argues that the "lie" is not a sign of inferiority or stupidity, but a form of resistance against the restrictive, rationalistic expectations imposed by the adult narrator.
What is the significance of the "child as teacher" concept in this paper?
It highlights the reversal of roles where the adult, through the child's natural response, realizes the limitations of their own conventional thinking and "learns" from the child’s spontaneous perspective.
- Citar trabajo
- Almut Amberg (Autor), 2018, Romanticism and the Child. Depictions of Children in the Poems “We are Seven” and “Anecdote for Fathers” by William Wordsworth, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/974719
