11C
Poetry Analysis
In William Wordsworth poem The “Tables Turned“ a complete disregard for formal structured studies in comparison to an enriching nature is presented. It is a short lyric poem of thirty-two lines arranged in eight stanzas. The love and admiration towards magical and magnificent nature is starkly thematized in addition to vivid tone, while referring to the wisdom obtained by mother earth. It is evident that the values of the Romantic Era engage the reader to experience with heart rather than with mind. The poet attempts to educate a close friend that nature unlike dull formal study contributes towards his acquisition of values. Wordsworth employs alluring examples of tone, alliteration and imegary …show more content…
He speaks of the "sun, above the mountain's head" and "long green fields" to evoke imaginative understanding. He describes birds ("the throstle sings") as being a teacher without extraneous thought- the bird is "blithe" and "no mean preacher" but can teach a person more if they surround themselves with nature rather than burying themselves in distracting books, trying to dissect the meaning of everything. In the last (8th) stanza he asks his friend to "close up those barren leaves" and invites him to "come forth", almost as if one could imagine the friend closing his massive philosophy books and following the speaker into verdant, abundant nature. The performative words are chosen to make an impact on the listener. The initial stanza repeats the urging exclamation, "Up! Up! My Friend," twice, suggesting that the speaker is trying to cheer up or wake up this dull, troubled friend. “One impulse from a vernal wood May teach you more of man.” What needs elevation has fallen or is down, prone, passive, disabled, discouraged. There is inconsistent rhyming throughout the poem, switching between masculine and feminine rhyme. Every other line rhymes, making the poem liltingly singsong, which lulls the reader/audience into a sort of receptive trance. This is the aim of the poet since noncritical receptivity