I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud___________ William Wordsworth
Introduction This poem is a little lyric. Its theme is the beauty of daffodils and only man can
perceive it who is responsive to beauty. The daffodils here symbolize all Nature. The
poem expresses a mode of blissful joy.
1st Stanza The poet was roaming in the countryside and took a solitary walk among the hills and
I wandered lonely as a cloud valleys to enjoy nature. The poet compares himself to a cloud floating about in the
That floats on high o'er vales and hills
When all at once i saw a crowd. sky over the area. While enjoying the surroundings, he suddenly found a land of
A host, of golden daffodils.
Beside the lake, beneath the trees daffodils growing in a never-ending line along the bank of the lake. The flowers were
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze shaken by the gentle breeze flowing over the lake under shady trees.
2nd Stanza The poet compares the sparkling beauty of the daffodils with the stars that shine and
Continuous as the stars that shine twinkle at night on the Milky Way. Here the gleaming light of the sun that is reflected
And twinkle on the milky way, on petals of the flowers is compared with the stars. Next the poet mentions the
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay: expansion of the land of daffodils which stretched beside the bay so far the poet could
Ten thousand i saw at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
see. It is an assumption of the poet that he saw 10,000 flowers at a glimpse and
observed the movements of the flowers as if they were dancing full of life.
3rd Stanza The happy and joyful mood of the poem is attracting the poet. Beside the open stretch
The waves beside them danced; but they of daffodils’ world, the glee of the sparkling waves looked like they were in a spritely
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: dance. But, the liveliness of the daffodils in the blows of wind went beyond cadence
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company: of waves. A poet who loves nature must feel cheerful in his mind to find such a group
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
of dancing daffodils. The poet’s eyes were fixed in attraction but sometimes it also
brought a thought in his mind. The poet considered the whole scene as a treasure-
house in his mind and it also brought a message with it.
4th Stanza Sometimes when the poet felt restless or sad and liked to stay in an empty mood, the
For oft, when on my couch I lie happy picture of that daffodil flowers appeared suddenly in his mind and he found an
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that in ward eye
intense happiness remembering that setting. The poet felt a deep satisfaction in his
Which is the bliss of solitude. soul, forgetting his loneliness as he took part there with the daffodils. Actually, the
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
poet sought joy in the beauty and gaiety of Nature and Nature also provided him with
the same bliss in return.
