–In what sense does “Tintern Abbey” offer readers a “religion of nature”? What are some of the specific ways in which nature works as a substitute for traditional religion?
–Why do you think Wordsworth gives “Tintern Abbey” such a precise and detailed sub-title? What is the significance of this poem’s full titile?
–In the final portion of “Tintern Abbey,” the speaker turns to his “dear friend.” Who is this friend and what role does he/she play in the poem?
–“Composed upon Westminster Bridge” and “The World Is Too Much with Us” are both sonnets. Why do you think a poet might choose to work with such a highly structured form?
–Describe some of the ways in which Wordsworth’s poetry conforms to the features of Romanticism that we’ve discussed. What evidence can you find to illustrate this?
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In what sense does “Tintern Abbey” offer readers a “religion of nature”? What are some of the specific ways in which nature works as a substitute for traditional religion?
Wordsworth’s description of nature has a mystical quality to it. He talks about nature being in his soul and experiencing it in his mind’s eye. He talks about nature being a salve to him in times of hardship. He talks about nature being a constant amid the vicissitudes of life. He talks as though nature is the ideal by which to compare all experience.
The fourth stanza (58 – 111) relies heavily on religious language. It says that nature is “a motion and a spirit” that “rolls through all things”. The last lines are particularly churchly – pointing to a guiding spirit that provides a moral compass.
In what sense does “Tintern Abbey” offer readers a “religion of nature”? What are some of the specific ways in which nature works as a substitute for traditional religion?
“Tintern Abbey” offers readers a “religion of nature” by descriptively going in depth on how he becomes one with nature. Not only does nature keep him calm, but it also makes him relive beautiful memories he’s had. He states, “The day is come when I again repose Here, under this dark sycamore, and view These plots of cottage-ground, these orchard-tufts…” reminiscing on his memories out in the wild (9-11). It is something to believe in that brings happiness and tranquility from within, such as the trees and the breeze that combines all the scents together to form the woods. Some of the specific ways in which nature works as a substitute for traditional religion are the way in which he tells his sister that when his time comes, she should look towards the places both of them traveled through such as the river, woods, cliffs, and landscapes. He was also a firm “worshipper of nature” and all the remedies it had to offer for the soul and hopefully for his sister also.
–Why do you think Wordsworth gives “Tintern Abbey” such a precise and detailed sub-title? What is the significance of this poem’s full title?
Wordsworth gives “Tintern Abbey” such a precise and detailed sub-title to highlight the importance of the revisit. The sub-title also gave the detail that is was a revisit and included the date. The title gives us the clue that the poem will be about his experience of visiting Tintern Abbey the first time, compare to what he sees and experiences now five years later. This title further helps to highlight the importance of time, as Wordsworth chose to begin the poem with a time rhyme, “Five years have past; five summers, with the length Of five long winders!”. Wordsworth’s use of “a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey” also sets the roadmap for the poem, as he experiences the transition of just enjoying the nature of the place during the first time, to understanding the importance of nature and the divine interconnections .
–In the final portion of “Tintern Abbey,” the speaker turns to his “dear friend.” Who is this friend and what role does he/she play in the poem?
“Dear friend” is a his sister, Dorothy. Wordsworth had visited abbey alone and revisited abbey with his sister. Once you revisit same place, different expereience or mood depend on who are you going with. Dorothy reminds Wordsworth of what he felt before and what he once was. She gives him new sprites of feeling and through her eyes, he can feel the nature with vital spirit.
In the final portion of “Tintern Abbey,” the speaker turns to his “dear friend.” Who is this friend and what role does he/she play in the poem?
In the final portion of the poem, the speaker is referring to his sister as his “dear friend.” This is important because the speaker’s visit to Tintern Abbey before this was by himself. All these years, the memories that he created served as his comforter. During difficult times, he was able to recall those memories and that provided him with the will power to continue living. By bringing his sister onto the trip, he is adding another aspect to his memories. Not only is he going to remember the times he’s gone by himself, he is also going to remember the new memories he is going to create with his sister. After bringing his sister to Tintern, he wishes that this place will also be of some use to his sister and that she can look back and remember all the happy thoughts when life gets hard.
–In the final portion of “Tintern Abbey,” the speaker turns to his “dear friend.” Who is this friend and what role does he/she play in the poem?
His “dear friend” is his sister. She plays an important role in the poem because she was the key that reopened his past. Because of her, he was able to revisit where he grew up and was able to see it differently. His sister was also the one who helped him through his journey. She offered him her house when he had no where else to go. Her house became his and his family’s house.
In the final portion of “Tintern Abbey,” the speaker turns to his “dear friend.” Who is this friend and what role does he/she play in the poem?
The speaker’s “dear friend” is his sister, Dorothy. Dorothy plays the role of his past. He visited Tintern Abbey when he was young and again 5 years later with his sister. He notices changes around the environment as well as experience. Dorothy being there for her first time allows him to see his young self through her. What she sees now was what he saw then. Her presence allows him to reflect upon his growth as an individual. Tintern Abbey is a place that deeply influenced him, helping him find comfort through his struggles. By bringing his sister with him, he wants to show her how this unique place helped him, and hope it can be helpful to her as well in the future when she encounter obstacles. He also cherishes this moment because this time he’s with his sister, and this event will act as a new layer to his memory of Tintern Abbey when he returns.
4- Describe some of the ways in which Wordsworth’s poetry conforms to the features of Romanticism that we’ve discussed. What evidence can you find to illustrate this?
Romanticism emphasizes on feeling, emotion, and inspiration. Wordsworth’s inspiration derives from nature which is very common on other Romantic writers. He writes with verbose descriptions of his surroundings, what he sees, feels, senses, that allows us to visualize his poetry. “These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs with a soft inland murmur / Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect the landscape with the quiet of the sky” (351). There is also emphasis on the primacy of the individual. In Tintern Abbey, Wordsworth reflects on his past, present and future journey to Tintern Abbey, and how his memories, influences and inspirations have and will change the more he revisits this location.
In the final portion of “Tintern Abbey,” the speaker turns to his “dear friend.” Who is this friend and what role does he/she play in the poem?
The dear friend that Wordsworth is referring to is his sister, whom he was very close to. Throughout the poem, he speaks on how the memory of his first visit will always resonate with him. However, when he brings up his sister, he emphasizes how new memories were formed because he was able to experience it with his sister. So every time he visits again, the memory the gratefulness he describes is not larger due to the presence of his sister.
–In what sense does “Tintern Abbey” offer readers a “religion of nature”? What are some of the specific ways in which nature works as a substitute for traditional religion?
The religion of nature is offered with all the references to the woods, the roe, etc.. Nature works as a substitue for traditional religion because it’s saying how the poem is spontaneous with an overflow of powerful feelings. The senses mentioned in the peom bring back memories and suggest that there is no need for religion when there is already a wondferful way in which nature works.
–In what sense does “Tintern Abbey” offer readers a “religion of nature”? What are some of the specific ways in which nature works as a substitute for traditional religion?
“Tintern Abbey” offers a “religion of nature” because just like religion, nature in the poem is a place beautiful and sacred to Wordsworth. Growing up, he considered himself as once a baby deer evolved by nature. Because of nature, he is able to now pay attention to the details in life. From the beauty of nature, he became a believer for god. From nature and its details, Wordsworth is able to encounter religion and divinity and understand life is not all about pleasure.
–In the final portion of “Tintern Abbey,” the speaker turns to his “dear friend.” Who is this friend and what role does he/she play in the poem?
In the final portion of “Tintern Abbey”, “dear friend” is speaker’s little sister, Dorothy. This is Dorothy’s first time to come to this natural place, which makes Wordsworth deeply to recall his first experience to visit here. Compare to the first visit by himself, the second time he comes with his sister, which gives him more thoughts about the future visit. Difference from the first visit as a baby deer, did not notice the beauty and power the nature has, he learns a lot from nature by this visiting. He hopes that his sister could be inspired by the nature as well.
-In the final portion of “Tintern Abbey,” the speaker turns to his “dear friend.” Who is this friend and what role does he/she play in the poem?
This friend is his sister Dorythy. she plays an important role in the poem because the one who goes with him during the trip and also he will also have a good memory anytimes he goes by himself he will feels and remembres that presence of his sister. and that will make him fell better.
Why do you think Wordsworth gives “Tintern Abbey” such a precise and detailed sub-title? What is the significance of this poem’s full title?
I think Wordsworth gives “Tintern Abbey” such a precise and detailed sub-title because to him the details are extremely important to his poem. Wordsworth had many pantheistic beliefs and often experienced god through nature, and for his audience to fully be able to understand what he was experiencing. It was very important for the reader to know exactly where he was, and at what date he was there to experience the powerful moment in his life. The location is actually based “a few miles above Tintern Abbey” according to the sub-title which is again important to the poem because it allows the reader to be able to understand the view from which he is experiencing these emotions. Finally, It is also important for the reader to understand that this is a revisit to this location, that Wordsworth has already been here and the experience he received was so powerful that he was moved to come back to not only write about it, but he also brought his sister with him so she too could experience this wonderful place.
Composed upon Westminster Bridge” and “The World Is Too Much with Us” are both sonnets. Why do you think a poet might choose to work with such a highly structured form?
Since sonnet requires a strict structure of 10 syllables and 14 lines, this opportunity gives the poet to challenge himself to follow the structure and also being creative within the structure that is given.