In
the poem “Lines Eritten in Early Spring,” Wordsworth seems to grapple with many
of the issues discussed in Kevin Hutching’s overview of ecocriticism in
Romantic Studies. Although the term “deep ecology” was not coined until the
twentieth century (Hutchings 181), Wordsworth demonstrates his appreciation for
the natural world beyond its usefulness to mankind.
The
poem initially situates the narrator in a grove observing nature, while he
contends with the imperfections of man. Wordsworth does not describe the
servitude of nature, instead he uses the natural surroundings to provoke
questions about the current state of man.
After taking in the “sweet mood” he is must contend with “sad thoughts
to the mind” (418). His connection with nature seems to move him away from
simply appreciating the aesthetics of the natural world, instead it compels him
to consider man’s position within nature. There is an implication that what man
has become is the antithesis to his surroundings. In the second stanza, he
acknowledges that his heart “much it griev’d” as he ponders, “what man has made
of man” (418). This suggests that there is a desire to reconnect mankind to the
natural world not for material incentives, but for the simple pleasures that
arise from one’s connection with nature.
His desire to return to nature underscores his recognition of its
inherit value as a whole. Wordsworth seems to move away (ever so slowly) from
an anthropocentric ideology and desires to live within nature, not outside of
it.
What
is also interesting, is that the concluding lines in stanza three demonstrate
that Wordsworth views nature as an active agent. He notices that even the
flower “enjoys the air it breathes” (418). Although Wordsworth appropriates
personified characteristics to the natural surroundings, he is still able to
see the flowers and birds as lively beings that are participating within the
world. Yes, his idea of the natural world is socially constructed, but at least
he is attempting to figure out how man and that natural world can coexist with
one another as opposed to living in conflict of each other.
I
think the poem also suggests that Wordsworth is alluding to a desire for a
continuous interconnectedness with the natural world beyond its service to man.
In the poem, the only service that nature brings to man is the realization that
nature is also apart of his world. In fact, the birds and flowers described
operate as independent self functioning entities that seem to have a greater
purpose than just performing duties that fit the need of mankind. Even though
it is not explicitly stated in the poem, I think it suggests that man and
nature should not be separated; they are apart of one another, but the problem
seems to be that they have lost their way of coexisting.
Rosana, I like how you focus on this early poem and note the agency the poet attributes to the non-human world. To some readers this agency is simply perplexing: how can the twig fan out its branches to catch the air? and so forth. Of course we can see Wordsworth indulging in some sloppy thinking, some anthropomorphisizing of nature, some pathetic fallacies, and whatever other name we want to give it. Or we can believe that Wordsworth was running up against the limits of human language to describe what he felt, thought, understood to be the non-human world's 'pleasure.' This is as you note a difficult place for ecocriticism, but it has always been a difficult place for Wordsworth criticism. We used to dismiss these moments as Wordsworth's pantheism, but many of Wordsworth's readers (past and present) are not so quick to dismiss these moments.
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