William Wordsworth provides material for an extensive study of children and childhood in Romanticism with his oeuvre. The notion of "The child is father of the man" appears to be ingrained in earlier works such as the volume "Lyrical Ballads" (1798) as well. The poems discussed in this paper are ‘We are Seven’ and ‘Anecdote for Fathers'. Is the child a teacher or the origin of the adult? Or is it something inferior? How does the portrayal of the children in the two poems differ and in what ways are they similar? The interpretation and comparison of these poems will provide an insight into Wordsworth’s Romantic child.
In these two ballads adult narrators describe their encounters and conversations with a child. The focus here is clearly on the descriptive aspect (e.g. the child’s appearance and behaviour). To get an historical background of the prevalent ideas of childhood and children of Wordsworth’s contemporaries, a short summary of the two dominant philosophers Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke, who both coined the Romantic views on childhood, is provided (Chapter 2). The analysis of the poems themselves is divided into several subcategories: the portrayal of the child (3.1.), the child in relation to the adult (3.2.), the child’s use of language (3.3.) and the child’s worldview (3.4.). The categories have been chosen in consideration of the research questions whether Wordsworth’s children are portrayed positively.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Childhood in Romanticism - A Short Survey
- The Children in the Poems 'We are Seven' and 'Anecdote for Fathers'
- Description of the Child and its Surroundings
- The Child in Conversation with the Adult
- The Child's Speech and Language
- The Child's Wisdom
- Conclusion
- Sources
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper analyzes William Wordsworth's poems "We are Seven" and "Anecdote for Fathers" to examine his portrayal of children within the Romantic context. It investigates how Wordsworth depicts children's interactions with adults, their unique perspectives, and their role in shaping adult understanding. The analysis considers the influence of philosophical perspectives on childhood from Locke and Rousseau on Wordsworth's work.
- Wordsworth's portrayal of children in his poetry.
- The influence of Romantic ideals on the depiction of childhood.
- The child's perspective and interaction with the adult world.
- The role of language and wisdom in Wordsworth's child characters.
- Comparison and contrast between the portrayals in "We are Seven" and "Anecdote for Fathers".
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the analysis by presenting Wordsworth's poem "Anecdote for Fathers" and its central theme: the reciprocal learning between children and adults. It highlights the phrase "The child is father of the man" and introduces the two poems, "We are Seven" and "Anecdote for Fathers," as the primary focus of the study. The chapter establishes the research questions guiding the analysis, focusing on whether Wordsworth portrays children positively, whether they act as teachers or origins of adult understanding, and how the portrayals differ and converge in the selected poems. The chapter also briefly mentions Wordsworth’s other works focusing on childhood and the importance of understanding the historical context of Romantic views on childhood.
Childhood in Romanticism - A Short Survey: This chapter provides the historical and philosophical context for understanding Wordsworth's portrayal of children. It examines the rise of children's literature and the new appreciation for childhood during the Romantic period. The chapter contrasts the Romantic view of the child as innocent and connected to nature with the earlier Puritan view of children as inherently sinful and in need of strict discipline. It discusses the significant influence of Locke's concept of the tabula rasa (the mind as a blank slate) and Rousseau's idea of innate goodness corrupted by society on the Romantic conception of childhood. The chapter further explores the Romantic fascination with the "noble savage" and its parallels with the child, highlighting the ambivalent nature of this fascination and the simultaneous idealization and "othering" of the child.
The Children in the Poems 'We are Seven' and 'Anecdote for Fathers': This chapter serves as the core analysis, examining Wordsworth's portrayals of children in the two chosen poems. It will delve into descriptions of the children and their environments, analyze their interactions with adult figures, investigate their unique linguistic styles, and explore the wisdom expressed by the child characters. The subchapters will likely provide detailed textual evidence and interpretations to support the analysis, comparing and contrasting the children's characteristics and their relationships with the adult narrators. The synthesis of these subchapters will reveal whether Wordsworth presents children positively, explores the concept of children as teachers, and highlights the similarities and differences in his portrayal across the two poems.
Keywords
Romanticism, childhood, William Wordsworth, "We are Seven," "Anecdote for Fathers," child psychology, Locke, Rousseau, innocence, nature, language, wisdom, adult-child interaction, poetic imagination.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Wordsworth's Portrayal of Children
What is the main focus of this academic paper?
This paper analyzes William Wordsworth's poems "We are Seven" and "Anecdote for Fathers" to examine his portrayal of children within the Romantic context. It investigates how Wordsworth depicts children's interactions with adults, their unique perspectives, and their role in shaping adult understanding. The analysis considers the influence of philosophical perspectives on childhood from Locke and Rousseau on Wordsworth's work.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis?
Key themes include Wordsworth's portrayal of children in his poetry; the influence of Romantic ideals on the depiction of childhood; the child's perspective and interaction with the adult world; the role of language and wisdom in Wordsworth's child characters; and a comparison and contrast between the portrayals in "We are Seven" and "Anecdote for Fathers".
What poems are analyzed in detail?
The primary focus is on William Wordsworth's poems "We are Seven" and "Anecdote for Fathers."
What historical and philosophical context is considered?
The analysis considers the historical and philosophical context of Romanticism, including the rise of children's literature, the changing views of childhood (contrasting Puritan and Romantic perspectives), and the significant influence of philosophers like Locke (tabula rasa) and Rousseau (innate goodness) on the Romantic conception of childhood. The Romantic fascination with the "noble savage" and its relation to the child is also discussed.
How are the poems analyzed?
The analysis delves into descriptions of the children and their environments in the poems. It examines the children's interactions with adult figures, analyzes their unique linguistic styles, and explores the wisdom expressed by the child characters. The analysis compares and contrasts the children's characteristics and their relationships with the adult narrators in both poems.
What are the main research questions addressed?
The research questions focus on whether Wordsworth portrays children positively, whether children act as teachers or origins of adult understanding, and how the portrayals differ and converge in the selected poems.
What are the key takeaways or conclusions expected?
The analysis aims to reveal whether Wordsworth presents children positively, explores the concept of children as teachers, and highlights the similarities and differences in his portrayal across the two poems. The synthesis will contribute to a deeper understanding of Wordsworth's representation of childhood within the broader context of Romanticism.
What are the keywords associated with this analysis?
Keywords include Romanticism, childhood, William Wordsworth, "We are Seven," "Anecdote for Fathers," child psychology, Locke, Rousseau, innocence, nature, language, wisdom, adult-child interaction, poetic imagination.
What is included in the Table of Contents?
The table of contents includes an Introduction, a section on Childhood in Romanticism, a detailed analysis of the children in "We are Seven" and "Anecdote for Fathers" (broken down into sub-sections on child description, conversation, speech, and wisdom), a Conclusion, and a list of Sources.
- Quote paper
- Almut Amberg (Author), 2018, Romanticism and the Child. Depictions of Children in the Poems “We are Seven” and “Anecdote for Fathers” by William Wordsworth, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/974719
