The poem daffodils was written by William Wordsworth.

THE DAFFODILS - A yellow Bell shaped Flowers

Stanza 1
I wandered lonely as a cloud
-Wander (Verb) : move about to walk slowly around or to a place, often without any
particular sense of purpose or direction
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
- Float (Verb) : To move slowly on water or in the air.
The petals are floating on the surface of the water
- Vale (Noun) : Valley
When all at once I saw a crowd,
Crowd- a large in number (a large number of people or things)
A host, of golden daffodils;
A host of musicians will perform at the festival
the daffodils have been personified here as human beings as crowds and host
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Besides - near
beneath- under - She sat down on the couch and folded her legs beneath her.
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
- Fluttering (Noun) : A quick, light movement
moving lightly and quickly

Paraphrase
At the beginning of the poem The Poet William Wordsworth is referred to as "I"
wandering lonely from one place to another like a clouds that floats high in the sky over
the valleys and hills with the wind as he walks along all of a sudden he saws a large a
number of daffodils flowers which were shinning in the sun like gold growing along
the side of a lake, under the trees and they were ‘fluttering and dancing’ in the breeze.

Question 1
Who wandered like a lonely cloud and where ?
Answer:
The poet William Wordsworth wanders like a lonely cloud that floats over the valleys and hills .

Question 2.
Who does he come across while wandering ?
Answer:
While wandering among the valleys and hills the poet comes across the host of the golden daffodils
flowers .
or
As he walks along he sees a large area of golden daffodils flowers
Question 3.
Why do you think the poet refers to the daffodils as golden?
The daffodils were yellow and they were shining in the sun like gold

Question 4.
Where were the daffodils and what where they doing ?
Answer:
The daffodils were by the side of the lake under the trees.
They were fluttering under in the breeze as if they were dancing
Stanza 2
Continuous as the stars that shine
continuous : growing in a large number
And twinkle on the milky way,
twinkle : shine with a light that changes constantly, as stars do
milky way – Galaxy where earth is in with the other planets
a shining bright band in the sky (made up of stars)
They stretched in never-ending line
stretch (spread or to pull something)
The artist stretched the canvas tightly over the frame
never-ending : continuous
Along the margin of a bay :
bay - here is a lake
margin: edge of a lake, bank or border
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Ten Thousand - showing tremendous number indicating many more
At a glance –one look
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance
tossing : moving from side to side
Toss (Verb) : To move one’s head this way or that.
Sprightly-lively and energetic

To the poet that there were so many bright shining Daffodils that he looked is like numerous
shinning stars twinkling in our Galaxy and it spread over a very large area seems to form the
endless line along the edge of a lake as the stars in the sky seems to be endless, they are in an
excessively huge quantity as in one glance he could see maybe ten thousand in number and as
the breeze blows all these daffodils tossed their head together as they looked liked they were
in sprightly dance.

Question 2.
What is being compared to the stars and why ?

Answer:
The Daffodils are compared to the stars
The host of golden daffodils by the side of the lake under the tree is being compared to the stars. A
milky way is a cluster of stars which shine brightly across a huge stretch of space . Similarly like
the stars in the milky way the poet feels that the daffodils are not only uncountable but also they are
dancing with full energy and joy in never ending line along the margin of the lake .
Question 3.

How many did the poet see at a glance?

Answer:

The poet saw maybe ten thousand at a glance.

Question 4.

What were the daffodils doing? Which literary device is used here?

Answer:

The daffodils were dancing merrily tossing their heads together in the breeze.

The poet is using personification here when he compares the movement of the daffodils in the
breeze to dancing humans.

Stanza 3
The waves beside them danced; but they
beside : near
them : (here) daffodils
out-did the sparkling waves in glee;
out-did : surpassed/excelled
sparkling (shining) The river is sparkling in the sunlight.
Glee- joy delight cheerfulness happiness
A poet could not but be gay,
A poet : any poet or any sensitive person with a poetic heart
gay : happy (old use)
could not but be gay : could not help becoming happy
In such a jocund company :
Jocund- happy jolly joyful and cheerful
jocund company : joyful company of the daffodils and the waves, etc
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
gazed : looked steadily for a long time
little thought : did not think
What wealth the show to me had brought.
wealth : (here) wealth of joy

The waves in the lake beside these daffodils are also dancing in joy with the wind.
But in comparison to the daffodils the waves are not as beautiful and attractive the daffodils looked
much happier.watching such a beautiful scene the poet couldn’t avoid being happy and cheerful in
such circumstances The poet continues to look at the daffodil and he feels with gay .
The poet prizes the scene greatly for himself. Because this sight is like a priceless wealth in the life
of a poet
Question 2.
Which wealth is referred to by the poet?
Answer:
The wealth which is referred to here by the poet means wealth of joy and happiness; which actually
comes from happy and fond memories when the poet saw a host of golden daffodils by the side of
the lake beneath the trees.

Question 3.
Whom did the daffodils out do and how ?
Answer:
The daffodils outdid the waves in the lake. The daffodils seemed to be dancing like human beings
expressing their joy and energy when the breeze blew over them. Both the flowers and waves seem
to be in competition to show their feelings and expressions.

Question 4.
Which jocund company is the poet referring to ?
Answer:
The poet is referring to the jocund company of the host of golden daffodils dancing in joy by the
side of the lake under the trees. Along with them the waves in the lake too were dancing by the side
of the daffodils . A poet was bound to be happy in such a joyful company of the daffodils and the
waves.

Question 5.
Which wealth is referred to by the poet?
Answer:
The wealth which is referred to here by the poet means wealth of joy and happiness; which actually
comes from happy and fond memories when the poet saw a host of golden daffodils by the side of
the lake beneath the trees.

Stanza 4
For oft, when on my couch I lie
for : because
oft : often
couch : bed
In vacant or in pensive mood,
vacant : idle
Pensive-thoughtful or sad mood
They flash upon that inward eye
they : the daffodils
flash : suddenly appear like lightning
Inward eye – imagination
Which is the bliss of solitude?
bliss : great happiness
solitude : the state of being alone, which is pleasant
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
‘dances ….. daffodils’ : the poet shares the joy of the daffodils imaginatively, even though he
is now far removed from them.

Often when poet lying on his couch and whenever the poet is in the pensive mood feeling a bit
emotionless or thoughtful the happy memory of the daffodils flashes upon his inward eye of
imagination in his mind being able to remember is quite pleasant when you’re all alone. and heart
filled with pleasure and as if seems like dancing with the daffodils.
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These lines are taken from the poem ‘Daffodils’ written by William Wordsworth
The poem expresses poet's love for nature and how he sought solace in it. -(comfort or consolation in a time of
distress or sadness). from the woes and worries of this world.
with bright yellow flowers reflected in the water
in spite of the waves due to the wind.
The sight of the flowers on the shore and their reflection cheers him greatly.

Question 1: What was the poet doing?

Answer: The poet was wandering alone in the country side.

Question 2: While the poet was wandering, what did he see and where did he see them?

Answer: The poet saw a host of golden daffodils while he was wandering. He saw the daffodils growing beside the
lake, beneath the trees.

Question 3: How many daffodils does the poet say that he saw at a glance? Why does he say so?

Answer: The poet says that he saw ten thousand daffodils at a glance. He says so in order to highlight that the whole
area along the lake was covered with blooming, uncountable daffodils.

Question 4: Why does it appear that waves and the daffodils are competing?

Answer: When the poet saw the daffodils they appeared to be tossing their head in sprightly dance. The waves in the
bay beside which the daffodils grew also appeared to be moving in a joyful dance. Moreover, the poet felt that the
movement of the daffodils was better than that of the sparkling waves. Thus it appears as though the daffodils and
the waves were competing.

Question 5: What does the first line of the poem tell you?

Answer: The first line tells us that the poet wanders lonely as a cloud.

Question 6: What does the poet compare daffodils to? Why does he make such a comparison?

Answer: The poet compares the daffodils to the stars that shine and twinkle in the Milky Way. The poet makes such
a comparison, because to him, the daffodils seemed to grow in never-ending lines like the stars in a galaxy. Also, the
yellow daffodils seemed to shine and glow brightly like the stars twinkling in the sky.

Question 7: Read and answer the following questions:

questions: (a) What does ‘They’ refer to?

Answer: ‘They’ refers to the daffodils.

(b) What does the poet compare them to?

Answer: The poet compares them to the galaxy of innumerable stars in the sky.

(c) Why does he do so?

Answer: The glowing daffodils, sparkling in the sunlight, were stretched along the bay. This appeared like twinkling
stars in the sky, to the poet.

Question 8: Identify the figure of speech in the following lines:

Question 8: Identify the figure of speech in the following lines:(a) ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud’

Answer: Simile

(b) ‘Fluttering and dancing in the breeze’

Answer: Personification

(c) ‘Continuous as the stars that shine’

Answer: Alliteration

Question 9: What does ‘jocund company’ mean?

Answer: ‘Jocund Company’ means a cheerful company. The joyful company of daffodils was the ultimate source of
pleasure for the poet and he can feel nothing but happiness in that company.

Question 10: Explain the lines: ‘Outdid the sparkling waves in glee…’

Answer: The poet says that there were waves which were dancing in the lake but were no match for the waves of
daffodils rippling in the breeze. The joyful dance of daffodils was a way better than theirs.

Question 11: Describe the poet’s thoughts on seeing the daffodils.

Answer: The poet felt that one cannot be anything but happy in the company of the cheerful daffodils. The beautiful
daffodils filled his heart with joy.

Question 12: What is the ‘wealth’ the poet gained?

Answer: The wealth that the poet gained from the daffodils was the wealth of happiness that fills his heart when he
thinks of the daffodils.

Question 13: How do we know that ‘this’ show of the daffodils had a long-lasting effect on the poet?

Answer: The poet gives us a vivid description of the daffodils and the place where he saw them. The poet also
mentions that when he saw the daffodils he didn’t realize the wealth of experience he had accumulated. However,
later on, when he sat in a thoughtful mood the image of the daffodils flashed in his mind. This tells us that the show
of the daffodils has had a long-lasting effect on the poet.

Question 14: When does the poet remember the daffodils? How does he feel?

Answer: The poet often remembers the daffodils when he rests on his couch in a deep and pensive mood. The
memory of the daffodils fills his heart with pleasure.
Question 15: Read the extract and answer the following questions:

Question 15: Read the extract and answer the following questions:“They flash upon…………………………………….the bliss
of solitude.”

Question 15: Read the extract and answer the following questions:“They flash upon…………………………………….the bliss
of solitude.”(a) Give the synonym of the word ‘bliss’.

Answer: pleasure/happiness

(b) What is referred to as ‘they’?

Answer: ‘They’ refers to the daffodils.

(c) When do they flash upon the poet’s inward eye?

Answer: The scene of the daffodils flash upon the poet’s inward eye when he lies on his couch in a pensive mood.

(d) Where did the poet see them?

Answer: The poet saw several daffodils fluttering in the breeze, under the trees, along the margin of a bay.

Explanation:

Hope it's helpful to you :) :)

Stanza 1
The poet recalls how once he wandered as freely as a cloud over valleys and hills. Suddenly he saw a large number of
golden daffodils. The daffodils had grown under the trees near the lake. A cool breeze was blowing. So the beautiful
flowers tossed their heads in the breeze as if in a dance. The beautiful scene, thus, captivated the poet.

Stanza 2
The poet, then recalls that the daffodils he saw were as numerous as shining stars in the Milky Way in the sky. The
simile underlines the large number and the beauty of the flowers. The daffodils growing beside the lake seemed to
form an endless line. They tossed their heads to and fro in the breeze as if they were engaged in a lively dance. The
daffodils are personified as human beings “dancing” and “tossing” their heads. Earlier, they have been described as
“a crowd” and “a host”. This personification continues throughout to underline an inherent unity between man and
nature.

Stanza 3
The poet recalls how the shining waves in the lake seemed to be dancing in the breeze. But their dance was
surpassed by the dance of the daffodils. The daffodils seemed to be dancing with much more liveliness and vigour.
The poet is of the opinion that no sensitive person can help feeling delighted in the company of such joyful
companions. He recalls how he continued to gaze at the beautiful scene. He could not think what wealth of joy it had
brought to him.

Stanza 4
This stanza marks a break in time. There is a clear shift from the past to the present. The poet says that whenever he
lies on his couch in a free or sad mood, the beautiful scene of daffodils seen by him flashes across his mind. This
happens only in solitude. The memory of the beautiful scene fills the poet’s mind with joy. His heart begins to dance
with the dancing daffodils. This is the crux of the poem. The poet conveys the idea that nature has the power to
make us come out of our melancholy or depressed mood and be happy
Summary
In the First Stanza I wandered lonely as a cloud the speaker uses as the first person as it is a Lyric in which he
discusses his personal emotion this also helps him in involving the reader in what he has to say the poet recalls how
he wandered as free as a clouds that floats over the hills

the very first line uses melacholic diction wandered lonely as a cloud however he suddenly moves to euphoric tones
when he describes his encounter with the host of Golden Daffodils this Daffodils grown under the tree on the bank
of the lake he uses descriptive imagery when he says that the flowers appeared to be dancing as th breeze tosssed
their heads the whole enviorment is that of ease and comfort

he continues to say that the Daffodils that he saw were as numerous as shinning stars in the Milky way he says this
to emphasis the beauty and number of daffodils it also seems to suggest that their beauty is not earthly but they
have a rather mystical beauty which resembles the etheral beauty of the stars Daffodils seems to form the endless
line along the lake here again the flowers saunafide as dancing and tossing their heads

Questions and Answers

1. When did the poet see the daffodils?

Ans: The poet was wandering alone like a cloud that floated high over valleys and hills. It was then that he saw the
daffodils by the side of a lake.

2. Where did the poet see the daffodils?

Ans: The poet while wandering alone, saw a host of golden daffodils beside a lake, beneath the trees.

3. Fill in the blanks to describe the idea of stanza 1: The poet was - - - in the English Country side. He saw thousands
of - - fluttering and dancing beneath - - and beside - - . The daffodils appeared to be - - in the strong breeze .

Ans: The poet was wandering in the English Country side. He saw thousands of daffodils fluttering and dancing
beneath the trees and beside the lake. The daffodils appeared to be dancing in the strong breeze

4. What does the poet compare the daffodils with?

Ans: The poet compares the daffodils to the stars twinkling in the sky, like in the milky way.

5. What resemblance does he find between the stars and the daffodils?

Ans: The poet makes a comparison between the stars and daffodils. The daffodils are countless in number and their
golden petals shine with the breeze. Similarly the stars in the sky are countless and they twinkle brightly and emit
their shine in the sky.

6. What does the poet say about the number of flowers?

Ans: When the poet saw the daffodils at a glance, he could see that they were ten thousand in number. By this he
meant, that the flowers were uncountable.

7. Where were the flowers?

Ans: The flowers were on the bank of a lake and beneath the trees.

8. Which of the two danced more sprightly - the waves or the daffodils?

Ans: Both the waves and the daffodils danced cheerfully, but the daffodils were more jolly than the waves. They
were energetic and exuberant.

9. How does the poet feel while looking at the daffodils?

Ans: The poet was happy and cheerful in the company of the daffodils. He continued to gaze at them and observe
their merriment.

10. What happens to the poet when he lies on his couch?

Ans: When the poet lied on his couch in a vacant or thoughtful mood, the sight of the daffodils came alive to his
mind. The joy he experienced on observing the flowers, got etched in his memory forever. he recalled those
memories and felt the same joy again.

11. Mention the two moods of the poet.

Ans: The first mood of the poet was vacant or pensive mood. The second mood was the blissful one, when he
recalled the sight of the blooming daffodils while lying on his couch.

12. What does the poet feel when he remembers the sight of the daffodils?

Ans: When the poet remembers the sight of the daffodils, his heart becomes ecstatic and his mind lightens up.

13. When does the poet write the poem - beside or off the lake?

Ans: The poem was written of the lake. The poet experienced the company of the daffodils while wandering alone.
He recalled the sight later on and wrote the poem.

14. Do you find a rhyme scheme in the poem? The rhyming scheme of the first stanza is a b a b (a - 'cloud' and
'crowd'; b - 'hills' and 'daffodils') , ending with a rhyming couplet cc (c - 'trees' and 'breeze'). Is the rhyme scheme
similar in other three stanzas or do you find any variation?

Ans: The rhyme scheme of the first two stanzas are the same - ababcc

Rhyme scheme of the 3rd stanza is - abacdd and 4th stanza is same as the first and second one: ababcc.
15. How many times is the word \"dance\" repeated in this poem? In which line does it show the happiness and
liveliness of the flowers?

Ans: The word dance has been repeated four times in the poem. It has been used once in each stanza. In the line 12,
it shows the happiness amd liveliness of flowers.

16. In which line does it create a sense of harmonious relationship between the daffodils and the waves?

Ans: In line 13 and 14, the word 'dance' created a sense of harmonious relationship between the daffodils and the
waves.

17. In which line does this harmonious relationship include the poet himself?

Ans: In line 17, the poet got included in the harmonious relationship of the waves and daffodils when he felt cheerful
in their company.

18. What figures of speech do you find in the poem?

Ans: In this poem we find figures of speech like similes and metaphors.

19. 'Simile' is a figure of speech that makes an explicit comparison between two unlike things by using like‘, as‘, etc.
For example, in 'I wandered lonely as a cloud', as the loneliness of the poet resembles the loneliness of the cloud
that is floating high in the sky, the figure of speech used is a simile. What other example of a simile do you find in the
poem?

Ans: The other examples of simile is found in the second stanza, "Continuous as the stars that shine", wherein the
poet compared the daffodils with the stars.

20. 'Metaphor' is a figure of speech that makes an implicit comparison between two unlike things. In 'What wealth
the show to me had brought', the poet imagines the happiness brought to him by the beautiful scene of the flowers
as "wealth". Does he use a metaphor here?

Ans: Yes the poet has used metaphor here. In the line "What wealth the show had brought", the poet imagines the
happiness brought to him by the beautiful scene of the flowers as 'wealth'. The words don't have any literal
meaning here.

21. "Ten thousand saw I at a glance" - is it an exaggeration? Will you call it a 'hyperbole"?

Ans: Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement made for effect. Here, the poet is emphasizing on the huge number of
daffodils. Yes, It is a hyperbole.

22. What figure of speech does the poet use in "They stretched in never-ending line."?

Ans: The figure of speech used here is hyperbole.