The Romantics believed of that children were products of their surrounding environments and adults. In “Ode on Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood ” the author states “Shaped by himself with newly-learned art …And with new joy and pride The little actor cons another part”. The use of the words shaped and con another part show the idea that children were influenced by their parents and shaped to be just like them. The author also says “That life brings with her in her equipage; As if his whole vocation Were endless imitation” highlighting how the purpose or role of childhood was to imitate adults and become the adults they grew up with. The adulthood would have been the model to replicate according the ideas of the Romantics.
equipage-the equipment for a particular purpose.
vocation-a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation.
I agree with the fact that children take after their parents and much of their early development requires them to look up to their role models. In addition to that, children really do not have an identity, most of their early lives are spent taking on the form of their parents or other figures that have contributed to their socialization. Meanwhile, as children grow up, they start figuring out who they really are and form their own unique identity.