William versus William

An individual’s solitude can come from the state of being alone; however, this word goes deeper for the purpose here. To be in a solitary state does not mean an individual is lonely or isolated in a negative way. The word instead means a chosen state in which an individual has time to reflect internally. This gives an individual time to observe and reflect. The observation can lead to a positive or negative response. This is seen in two contrasting poems: William Wordsworth’s “Daffodils” and William Blake’s “London.” In Wordsworth’s poem, his persona is observing “[a] host, of golden daffodils” (Line 4). His persona is initially “lonely” but gains a sense of solitude after seeing these yellow flowers (1). This solitude allows him retreat to personally reflect on what he has seen. In Blake’s poem, this poet’s persona has not physically separated himself from other people. He is, instead, observing his external surroundings and internally reflecting on them. Each poet depicts a solitary speaker observing his surroundings. This reveals each individual’s internal reflection. The main contrast, however, arises when Wordsworth’s persona responds positively in observing the natural world, whereas Blake’s persona responds negatively in observing an industrial London.

Each poem has a persona who begins with “I wandered…” (1); each contains a single-persona throughout; and each persona’s use of “I” heightens his representation of being alone. The word “wandered” shows that each poem’s persona is not specifically going somewhere or looking for something. By beginning each poem with the phrase “I wandered,” Wordsworth and Blake each give his readers the sense that his persona is free to observe his surroundings without constraint. Interestin...

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...rries with him in his heart: “And then my heart with pleasure fills,/ And dances with the daffodils” (23-24).

Within each poem it becomes apparent after reading both that each poet’s persona is responding differently to what he observes in solitude. Blake responds with brutal imagery through his persona’s critical lens of reflection and Wordsworth responds to nature in an emotional, heartfelt fashion. Wordsworth and Blake each depict a solitary speaker observing his surroundings, which is revealing of each individual’s internal reflection. In reading both, it becomes apparent that Wordsworth’s persona gains positive insight into the natural world whereas Blake’s persona gains nothing but a negative awareness of his own society. The final conclusion comes to the notion that both poets hold nature in higher honour than society and each seek solitary separation from it.