Lucy Gray Analysis 4i6y4

Poetry: analysis of “Lucy Gray” by William Wordsworth. William Wordsworth is a European poet whose work always contains aspects of nature. It was his exposure to his natural environment on a daily basis that led to his love for nature. His love for nature and the view of nature as freedom, which he often presents in his poems, was deepened after a major change occurred in his years of adolescence, The death of his parents. He expresses his love for nature in his poems by juxtaposing it with humanity. “Lucy Gray” is a perfect example of Wordsworth’s writing style, as it fuses nature with humanity, yet contrasts the two, nature being serenity and humanness unpredictable and sometimes not accepting. He presents nature as the heart to enfold one’s soul after death and the heart which one should love and accept as apart of them during their lifetime. “Lucy Gray” is a form of lyrical poetry as it expresses the thoughts and feelings of the poet. Specifically, the poem is a ballad as it relates a folktale, the tale of Lucy Gray. The poet uses a lyrical ballad as to enable the free flow of his feelings in a controlled or formal setting. The story-like structure makes the poem simple and also reinforces that Lucy was only a child when she died. The title of the poem “Lucy Gray” or “Solitude” is very significant as it directly relates to the subject. Various techniques are applied to it throughout the poem to convey understanding. Lucy is the name of the child character that is created to undergo the transition from a human being to a spirit that is free to roam in nature. The word “Lucy” from the title is also significant, not because she is the main character in the ballad, but because her name is repeated throughout the

poem. The repetition is used to remind the reader that the poem’s purpose is to give recognition to the little girl whose life was lived in solitude. “Gray” represents Lucy’s mood and state of mind. Gray is neither Black nor White, but a colour in between. The colour symbolizes Lucy’s isolation from companionship and her inability to fully enjoy nature, which was her source of freedom. “no mate, no comrade, Lucy knew;” (line 5) This line expresses Lucy’s state of loneliness, or solitude, and also present information that Lucy was a child, as “no mate” suggests that she was a maiden. The colour also represents the time of day and the weather at the time of Lucy's death. “’To-night will be a stormy night’” (line 13) the sky was getting dark because of the impending storm. “‘And yonder is the moon’” (line 20) This line reinforces the state of the sky and the dimness of light. “‘Tis scarcely afternoon’” (line 18) The time of day was very early, it was just two o’clock, yet the sky was getting dark. The onset of the gloomy gray weather at such an early hour of the day foreshadows the death of Lucy and also adds to the air of death that Wordsworth tries to lighten with light words and a singsong rhythm. “Lucy Gray” comprises of sixteen stanzas of quatrains. Each quatrain follows the rhyme scheme of ‘abab’. This is so as the last word in the first line rhymes with that in the third, and that in the second rhymes with the fourth. This form of rhyming is very effective as it creates a rhythm similar to that of a nursery rhyme,

increasing the appeal of the poem and its simplicity, as it can be understood by everyone. The rhyme helps to lighten the mood and the tone of the poem. It relates a tale of death, yet present it in such a way that its structured rhythm gives the effect of a nursery rhyme or a lullaby, both used to sooth. Wordsworth’s use of rhyme and rhythm, together with his diction shows that he, the poet, is the persona. “Oft had I heard of Lucy Gray And when I cross the wild,” (lines 1-2) The use of I suggests that the poet is somehow connected to his subject or his character, Lucy Gray. This connection is evident in the words he uses to describe Lucy. “The sweetest thing that ever grew” (line 7) He ires her. He believes her to be beautiful and uses “grew” to compare her to plants. Because of Wordsworth’s love for nature the comparison can be viewed as a compliment. “But the sweet face of Lucy Gray” (line 11) “That you may see sweet Lucy Gray” (line 59) These lines reinforce his view of her as a sweet little girl whom he adores. The diction used is very effective in bringing across the nursery rhyme feeling that the poem portrays. The vocabulary is simple and words are constantly repeated to show the flow of the story and also emphasize and reestablish the point Wordsworth wished to make, and the image he wished to create. The repetition of Lucy’s name “oft had I heard of Lucy Gray” (line 1)

“No mate, no comrade, Lucy knew;” (line 5) “But the sweet face of Lucy Gray” (line 11) “And many a hill did Lucy climb” (line 31) “That you may see sweet Lucy Gray” (line 59) is a constant reminder of the subject of the poem and the major character. This repetition is used to give recognition to Lucy Gray. She was an invisible Cinderella like character when she was alive and so the poet wishes to give her recognition in death. Wordsworth forces the reader to that the subject of the poem is Lucy Gray. The tone of the poetic piece is reflective and light. The folklore being presented is one of a death, the death of a little girl. The tale could be one of sadness yet Wordsworth presents it with such lightness that the death is almost forgotten and the new life in nature and the freedom that little Lucy receives becomes the major focus. The contrast of the tone to the sadness of death expressed in the poem has almost the same opposing effect on the mood of the poem. The mood fluctuates between one of sadness and one of happiness. In the first three stanzas the mood was sad, as Lucy’s invisibility and her death was revealed. As the story progresses the sadness of the mood fades and is replaced by happiness, joy and acceptance. The chance of mood occurs because Wordsworth presents Lucy’s death as the beginning of her freedom and as she embraces it is realized that she was one with it all along. This transition was deliberately done as a means of explaining the importance of nature in one’s life and to present nature as freedom, the way out of loneliness and isolation. Nature is escape.

To express nature as freedom Wordsworth incorporate the themes death, nature and freedom into the poem and uses each theme to highlight the faults of human beings and the strength and acceptance of nature. The theme of death is symbolized in the title of the poem and then re established through the use of other symbols and lines of the poem. “But the sweet face of Lucy Gray Will never more be seen” (line 11-12) These lines establish that death of Lucy. The death is revealed at the beginning the ballad as to keep the tone light. If the death was revealed in the end the poem would loose the lightness and instead have a mournful tone. The delivery of Lucy’s death but the poet is alsovery subtle as he doesn’t outright say she is dead but talks about her lonely life that led to her death. By introducing the reader to the life of Lucy the poet allows the understanding of her death and also the acceptance. In talking about Lucy’s death the poet has to introduce Lucy’s parents. This introduction brings to light the theme of parents in the family and the effect of neglect on a child. “‘You to the town must go,’” (line 9) The father knows of the approaching storm yet he sent his daughter out alone to fetch her mother with a lantern. He commanded her to do the errand and she gladly agreed. “‘That, father! Will I gladly do;’” (line 17) Her joy is present in the words used by the poet and also the exclamation sign. Lucy was glad because going to town was a way of gaining acceptance and

attention from her parents. Wordsworth presents the father as a fierce man who has no care for his daughter until it was too late. “The wretched parents all that night” (line 33) He use of retched gives the impression that the poet cares deeply about the roles of parents in the family and that he opposed to Lucy’s neglect. It was the neglect that led to her death. “The storm came on before its time” (line 29) Storm is used as a symbol of death. Lucy died at a very young age. She died in a situation that could have prevented. She could have stayed home and avoid the storm, avoid her death. When presenting Lucy’s death the poet uses a bridge to show her transition from human to a spirit that was in tunes with nature, and he presents nature as a symbol for freedom. “Into the middle of the plank; And further there were none! (Lines 55-56) He uses the bridge to symbolize change. The disappearance of her footprints meant that she had gone to be with nature. Her body wasn’t recovered and so not forced to be confined in the funeral devices of man. She was now free, body and soul. Lucy loves nature and has no regrets about being apart of it. “And never looks behind;” (line 62) She had always wanted to be with nature. She had always been in tuned with nature. Lucy is now free to be herself.

Wordsworth used literary devices to present his poem effectively. He uses juxtaposition, “The sweetest Thing that ever grew Beside a human door!” (Lines 7-8), to establish a comparison between human characteristics and nature. It emphasizes the difference between plants and humans. Plants can grow and so change. The human being is like a door, and doors can either be open or closed, which can in turn mean that things can either be black or white. Lucy was gray, in between nature and humanity; she was lost and so didn’t belong anywhere. However nature embraced her with open arms. Metaphors were used to create a connection between Lucy and nature. “You may spy the fawn at play The hare upon the green” (lines 9-10). Wordsworth compares Lucy to a fawn. Fawns are half goat and half human creature and so the use of the word represents a merger between the two. Lucy is being described as being one with nature. She is also compared to a hare. These comparisons along with stanzas 4-14 enable the creation of visual imagery, through the description of actions. In the final stanza the Wordsworth uses alliteration. “And sings a solitary song That whistles in the wind.” (line 63-64) The ‘s’ sound created helps to create the whistling that is mentioned. The use of this is very effective as is adds an air of finality to the poem.

The poem “Lucy Gray” is about the merger of humanness with nature. Wordsworth uses the poem to express the selfishness of human beings, and contrast it with the serenity that is present in nature. He presents nature as freedom and a means of escape and uses his character Lucy Gray as to express the smooth transition from humanistic ideals to ones connected to nature. Wordsworth use a singsong rhythm, rhyme and a child as the major character in his ballad as a child’s innocence will allow her to blend easily into nature and to show that children are generally tied to nature. He is highlighting the unpredictability of both human and natural actions, yet highlighting that natural events can be prepared for and so damages avoided. However humans sometimes ignore signs and that normally lead to unwanted results. He presents nature as a safe haven for troubled people, or people who feel that they are lacking something in their life. If someone is lonely they can turn to nature for company. Nature is always present and it will always accept you. Wordsworth presents death as a positive, a transition from one stage of life to another.