Summary And Analysis of I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils) by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

Here is a Summary And Analysis of I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils) by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. This would provide learners with a proper detail of the poem to comprehend it properly.

SUMMARY OF I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils)

“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” is a poem by William Wordsworth that describes a solitary walk during which the speaker comes across a field of daffodils.

The speaker is struck by the beauty of the flowers and their ability to bring joy and a sense of company, even in solitude. The poem reflects on the lasting impact of this natural beauty and how it can continue to bring pleasure even when the speaker is alone and contemplative.

SUMMARY OF I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils)
STANZA-1

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

The first stanza of “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” also known as “Daffodils,” describes the speaker wandering alone as a cloud and coming across a field of golden daffodils by a lake and beneath trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

POETIC DEVICES USED IN THE FIRST STANZA

In the first stanza of “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” (also known as “Daffodils”), the following poetic devices are used:

Personification: “That floats on high o’er vales and hills” – The cloud is given human-like characteristics by being described as “floating”

Imagery: “A host, of golden daffodils” – The use of the word “host” creates an image of a large number of flowers in the mind of the reader

Simile: “Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.” – The daffodils are compared to dancers, creating an image of movement in the mind of the reader

alliteration: “When all at once I saw a crowd” – repetition of the “w” sound at the beginning of “when” and “wandered”

Assonance: “I wandered lonely as a cloud” – repetition of the “o” sound in “wandered”, “lonely” and “cloud”.

SUMMARY OF I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils)
STANZA-2

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The second stanza of “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” (also known as “Daffodils”) continues to describe the speaker’s encounter with the daffodils. The flowers are compared to stars shining in the night sky, with their numbers being as numerous as the stars in the Milky Way.

The daffodils are seen stretching out in a never-ending line along the edge of a bay and the speaker estimates that they saw at least ten thousand of them at one glance.

The daffodils are also described as tossing their heads in a sprightly dance. This stanza adds to the sense of the vastness and beauty of the scene described in the first stanza.

POETIC DEVICES USED IN THE SECOND STANZA

In the second stanza of “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” (also known as “Daffodils”), the following poetic devices are used:

Simile: “Continuous as the stars that shine/And twinkle on the milky way” – The daffodils are compared to stars shining in the night sky

Hyperbole: “They stretched in never-ending line” – This phrase exaggerates the length of the line of daffodils, emphasizing their vastness

Imagery: “Along the margin of a bay” – The use of the word “margin” creates an image of the line of daffodils being along the edge of a body of water

Litotes: “Ten thousand saw I at a glance” – The speaker is understating the number of daffodils they saw, emphasizing the vast number

Personification: “Tossing their heads in sprightly dance” – The daffodils are given human-like characteristics by being described as “tossing” and “dancing”.

SUMMARY OF I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils)
STANZA-3

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

In stanza 3 of “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” the speaker is describing a scene of daffodils waving in the breeze beside a lake. The daffodils are described as being more joyful and lively than the sparkling waves of the lake.

The speaker is filled with happiness and joy at the sight of the flowers and reflects on the wealth of beauty and inspiration they have brought to him.

POETIC DEVICES USED IN THE THIRD STANZA

In this stanza of “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” the following poetic devices are used:

Personification: The daffodils are described as “dancing” and “out-did the sparkling waves in glee”
Simile: The daffodils are compared to sparkling waves in their joyfulness
Repetition: The phrase “I gazed—and gazed” is repeated to emphasize the speaker’s prolonged gaze at the scene.
Imagery: The speaker describes the scene of daffodils waving in the breeze beside a lake, creating a vivid image in the reader’s mind.
Metaphor: “What wealth the show to me had brought” the speaker is using the metaphor of wealth to describe the beauty and inspiration the scene brought him.

SUMMARY OF I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils)
STANZA-4

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

In stanza 4 of “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” the speaker reflects on how the memory of the daffodils often comes to him when he is lying on his couch, either in a contemplative or idle state of mind.

The memory of the daffodils brings him happiness and fills his heart with pleasure. He also reflects on how this memory of the daffodils is the bliss of solitude and how it makes his heart dance with joy.

POETIC DEVICES USED IN THE FOURTH STANZA

In this stanza of “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” the following poetic devices are used:

• Personification: The speaker’s “inward eye” is described as having the ability to flash upon something.
• Imagery: The speaker describes how the memory of the daffodils flashes upon his “inward eye” creating a vivid image of the memory in the readers mind.
• Repetition: The phrase “And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils” is repeated to emphasize the emotional effect of the memory on the speaker.
• Personification: The speaker’s heart is described as “dancing” with the daffodils, giving the reader the sense of the heart being alive and full of joy.
• Metaphor: “The bliss of solitude”, the speaker is using the metaphor of bliss to describe the effect of the memory of the daffodils on him.