I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought are famous lines from William Wordsworth's Romantic poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud", reflecting his core poetic theory of emotion recollected in tranquility.
What is the Context of "I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought"?
These lines occur in the third stanza of William Wordsworth's famous poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud". Wordsworth was the exponent of the "Revival of Romanticism" and these lines reflect one of the aspects of his poetic theory.
Wordsworth defines poetry as a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings... recollected in tranquility". These lines refer to what Wordsworth suggested by "recollected". Once he was roaming around a lake. Suddenly he saw a long-stretch of daffodils along the margin of the bay. The daffodils were fluttering and dancing in the breeze. The scene was so joyous that the poet's heart started dancing with the cheerful daffodils. He kept on looking at the scene for a long time without knowing that this show would be a priceless treasure for him in future.
How Do These Lines Explain Wordsworth's Poetic Theory?
Only after two years the speaker realised that the happy scene often returned to his mind with the same joy and drove him to the emotional exuberance required for the spontaneous overflow of emotions. The recollection of the feelings did not only inspire him to compose the poem, it also led his heart to dance, thus healing his "pensive mood". So, these lines strike at the keynote of Wordsworth's poetic theory.
Key Takeaways
- The lines belong to the third stanza of William Wordsworth's poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud".
- They highlight Wordsworth's famous poetic theory of emotion recollected in tranquility.
- The initial observation of the daffodils provided a priceless treasure of joy that later healed the poet's pensive mood.
Quick Practice
Write your thoughts in the comments: How does the recollection of nature bring emotional healing according to William Wordsworth's poetic theory?
Frequently Asked Questions
What poem do the lines "I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought" belong to?
They belong to William Wordsworth's famous Romantic poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud".
What does Wordsworth's poetic theory of "recollected in tranquility" mean in this context?
It refers to how a joyous scene observed in nature leaves a lasting emotional treasure that can later be remembered to inspire poetry and heal a pensive mood.