Education of Nature

Stanza 1:

She lived and grew for three years in sunshine and rain;

Then Nature said, "There was never a prettier child born;

I will take this child to be with me;

She will belong to me."

• "She lived and grew for three years in sunshine and rain;": For the first three years of her life, she grew up experiencing all kinds of weather.

• "Then Nature said, 'There was never a prettier child born;'": Nature (as if it could speak) thought Lucy was the most beautiful child ever.

• "I will take this child to be with me;": Nature decided to take Lucy and raise her.

• "She will belong to me.'": Nature felt that Lucy would be its own.

Stanza 2:

She will be mine, and my very own dear child;

I have loved her like my own for a long time;

I will make her a special person in my own way;

She will be completely mine."

• "She will be mine, and my very own dear child;": Nature felt a strong sense of ownership and love for Lucy.

• "I have loved her like my own for a long time;": Nature had cared for her as if she were its own child for a while.

• "I will make her a special person in my own way;": Nature wanted to shape Lucy and make her unique through its influence.

• "She will be completely mine.'": Nature repeated its feeling of ownership over Lucy.

Stanza 3:

"I will make this young girl a good example;

She will be closely connected to Nature itself;

Her innocent heart will stay pure;

But wild flowers will grow in her thoughts."

• "'I will make this young girl a good example;'": Nature wanted Lucy to show how good it is to be raised by nature.

• "'She will be closely connected to Nature itself;'": Lucy would have a very strong bond with the natural world.

• "'Her innocent heart will stay pure;'": Nature believed it could keep Lucy's innocence safe.

• "'But wild flowers will grow in her thoughts.'": This means Lucy's ideas and imagination would be as free and beautiful as wildflowers.

Stanza 4:

"She will be as playful as a young deer

That runs happily across the grass

Or jumps up the mountains;

And she will breathe in the fresh, healing air,"

• "'She will be as playful as a young deer'": Lucy would be full of energy and move gracefully like a young deer.

• "'That runs happily across the grass'": Showing her joyful movement in open spaces.

• "'Or jumps up the mountains;'": Suggesting her freedom and ability to explore wild places.

• "'And she will breathe in the fresh, healing air,'": Nature's air would be good for her and make her feel well.

Stanza 5:

"And she will experience the quiet and peacefulness

Of things that don't speak or feel.

The moving clouds will give their beauty to her;

The willow tree will bend down for her;"

• "'And she will experience the quiet and peacefulness'": Lucy would learn from the calm and stillness of nature.

• "'Of things that don't speak or feel.'": Even things like rocks and trees would have a silent influence on her.

• "'The moving clouds will give their beauty to her;'": The beauty of the clouds would become a part of her.

• "'The willow tree will bend down for her;'": The graceful movement of the willow would also influence her.

Stanza 6:

"And she will surely see

Even in the movements of a storm

A beauty that will shape her gently

Through a quiet understanding."

• "'And she will surely see'": Lucy would definitely learn.

• "'Even in the movements of a storm'": Even in strong and wild weather, she would find something beautiful.

• "'A beauty that will shape her gently'": This beauty would slowly and softly influence how she grows.

• "'Through a quiet understanding.'": She would learn without being told directly, just by feeling and experiencing.

Stanza 7:

"The stars at night will be precious

To her; and she will listen closely

In secret, quiet places,

Where small streams twist and turn,"

 

• "'The stars at night will be precious'": Lucy would value and love the stars.

• "'To her; and she will listen closely'": She would pay attention to the sounds of nature.

• "'In secret, quiet places,'": She would find wisdom in hidden and peaceful spots.

• "'Where small streams twist and turn,'": The lively movement of the streams would also teach her.

Stanza 8:

"And beauty that comes from soft sounds

Will become a part of her appearance."

And strong feelings of happiness

Will help her grow into a woman."

 

• "'And beauty that comes from soft sounds'": The gentle sounds of nature would make her beautiful.

• "'Will become a part of her appearance.'": This beauty would show on her face.

• "'And strong feelings of happiness'": The joy she gets from nature will be important for her growth.

• "'Will help her grow into a woman.'": These happy feelings will help her mature and develop fully.

Form:

• Structure: Eight four-line stanzas (quatrains).
• Rhyme Scheme: ABAB in each stanza, creating a consistent and musical flow.
• Narrative Element: Presents a clear, albeit concise, narrative of Nature's plan for Lucy's education.
• Lyric Quality: Despite the narrative, the poem possesses a strong lyrical quality due to its musicality and focus on feeling and imagery.

    Diction:

• Simple and Direct: Wordsworth employs straightforward and accessible language, avoiding overly ornate or complex vocabulary. This reflects the simplicity and purity of nature itself.
• Evocative Imagery: Despite its simplicity, the diction is rich in imagery drawn from the natural world: "fawn," "floating clouds," "storm," "flower," "brook." These concrete images bring Nature's lessons to life.
• Personification: Nature is consistently personified as a conscious and active teacher ("Myself will to my darling be / Both law and impulse"). This is central to the poem's theme.
• Words Emphasizing Gentleness and Growth: Words like "sportive," "lend," "mould," "silent sympathy" contribute to a gentle and nurturing tone, reflecting how nature shapes Lucy.

Meter:

• Iambic Tetrameter: The poem largely follows a pattern of four iambs (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable) per line. This creates a natural and conversational rhythm.
• Example: "She SHALL / be SPOR-/tive AS / the FAWN"

• Variations for Emphasis: While predominantly iambic, Wordsworth occasionally varies the meter to create emphasis or a more natural speech-like quality. These variations prevent the rhythm from becoming too monotonous.

Poetic Devices:

• Personification: As mentioned, this is a key device, imbuing Nature with human intentions and actions.
• Simile: The comparison of Lucy to a fawn ("She shall be sportive as the fawn") creates a vivid image of her youthful energy and grace.
• Metaphor (Implied): Nature itself functions as an extended metaphor for a wise and benevolent teacher.
• Imagery: The poem is rich in visual and kinesthetic imagery, allowing the reader to experience the natural world alongside Lucy.
• Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds, though subtle, can be found (e.g., "floating clouds their state shall lend"). This adds to the musicality.
• Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds within words (e.g., "silent sympathy") also contributes to the poem's sonic texture.
• Understatement (Subtle): The seemingly simple pronouncements about Nature's influence carry a profound weight, suggesting the depth of this natural education without explicit exaggeration.