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William Wordsworth (1771-1850) is the foremost of the English Romantic poets. He was much influenced by the events of the French Revolution in his youth, and he deliberately broke away from the artificial diction of the Augustan and neo-classical tradition of the eighteenth century. He sought to write in the language of ordinary men and women, of ordinary thoughts, sights and sounds, and his early poetry represents this fresh approach to his art. Wordsworth spent most of his adult life in the Lake District with his sister Dorothy and his wife Mary, by whom he had four children. His remarkable autobiographical poem The Prelude was completed in 1805, but was not published until after his death, and it is included in this full edition of Wordsworth's poetry.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Note: I am reviewing this particular edition of William Wordsworth's poetry (i.e. the Wordsworth Poetry Library paperback edition of 'The Collected Poems of William Wordsworth'), not the poetry itself. I give this edition two stars.
I love the Romantic era of English poetry and bought this book to explore Wordsworth's work for the first time. I enjoyed reading some of it, however the one aspect of this book that I could not tolerate was the formatting. Every page has been divided into two columns (like the Bible often is), thus squashing the poetry into a hideous mess. I know this will not necessarily make it harder to read for all people but it does limit the aesthetic appeal somewhat. I find it constantly annoys me. For instance I read a lot of sonnets, as I love the look and the flow of them. But the shape of the sonnet has been lost due to this format and as I read I find that Wordsworth's sonnets do not flow the way they should. I can't get used to it. I find it to be lazy and cheap on the part of the editors as they are probably trying to cram as much into one page as possible in order to save on paper costs. I cannot think of any other reason they would do this.
In a way it's my fault, I should have used the 'Look Inside' option before purchasing. So as a word of advice, have a 'look inside' before you buy, and make sure you are ok with the presentation of the poetry itself first. Read it in your mind first then, as a practice, out loud too, to see if it works for you.
I love the Romantic era of English poetry and bought this book to explore Wordsworth's work for the first time. I enjoyed reading some of it, however the one aspect of this book that I could not tolerate was the formatting. Every page has been divided into two columns (like the Bible often is), thus squashing the poetry into a hideous mess. I know this will not necessarily make it harder to read for all people but it does limit the aesthetic appeal somewhat. I find it constantly annoys me. For instance I read a lot of sonnets, as I love the look and the flow of them. But the shape of the sonnet has been lost due to this format and as I read I find that Wordsworth's sonnets do not flow the way they should. I can't get used to it. I find it to be lazy and cheap on the part of the editors as they are probably trying to cram as much into one page as possible in order to save on paper costs. I cannot think of any other reason they would do this.
In a way it's my fault, I should have used the 'Look Inside' option before purchasing. So as a word of advice, have a 'look inside' before you buy, and make sure you are ok with the presentation of the poetry itself first. Read it in your mind first then, as a practice, out loud too, to see if it works for you.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The print in this may be a bit too small for some readers. What we have here is the poetry of Wordsworth, and I will be the first to admit that along with his masterpieces there are also some of less greater distinction. No one can produce some of our greatest poetry without making something less worthy, if he could have done that he wouldn't have been human.
I was fortunate to visit Dove Cottage in Grasmere just over a week ago and it was well worth going, I was also amazed that it being out of season, how many people were visiting from other corners of the globe, showing just how popular he was. Originally frowned upon by the Establishment, after all he wasn't one of them, his poetry also showed elements that the ruling class didn't want to know about. From this rocky start though, by the time of his death he was not only the most famous poet in the world, but also arguably the most famous writer. Becoming the nation's Poet Laureate he famously said he wouldn't write anything unless the mood took him, which it didn't, but he still got his sherry.
Dove Cottage where he lived for nine years has become known as his 'Golden Decade' as this was when he wrote most of his greatest poetry. Why Worsworth still appeals is because his poetry isn't all high and flighty and difficult to understand. Auden and Elliot, although great poets for instance fall into the trap of not always being that very accessible. Wordsworth is also very psychological offering us great insight into ourselves, as well as being a modern thinker, thus being easy for us to understand. All in all you can't really go wrong with this edition.
I was fortunate to visit Dove Cottage in Grasmere just over a week ago and it was well worth going, I was also amazed that it being out of season, how many people were visiting from other corners of the globe, showing just how popular he was. Originally frowned upon by the Establishment, after all he wasn't one of them, his poetry also showed elements that the ruling class didn't want to know about. From this rocky start though, by the time of his death he was not only the most famous poet in the world, but also arguably the most famous writer. Becoming the nation's Poet Laureate he famously said he wouldn't write anything unless the mood took him, which it didn't, but he still got his sherry.
Dove Cottage where he lived for nine years has become known as his 'Golden Decade' as this was when he wrote most of his greatest poetry. Why Worsworth still appeals is because his poetry isn't all high and flighty and difficult to understand. Auden and Elliot, although great poets for instance fall into the trap of not always being that very accessible. Wordsworth is also very psychological offering us great insight into ourselves, as well as being a modern thinker, thus being easy for us to understand. All in all you can't really go wrong with this edition.
0 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
William Wordsworth is another favourite of mine.
As others have wisely noted he had the great misfortune to live a very long life and fulfil those very fears in his early best work that his poetic vision was fading as he was ageing. He became the thing he had despised.
I remember first coming upon him as an adolescent and I was just stunned by the beauty and simplicity of his verse in its expressions of the beauty of nature and how the philosophical mind engaged with nature. I was in tune with his sad decline of the sublime vision of childhood and the possibilities of re-discovering that vision in the workings of nature `recollected in tranquillity'. My God, he changed me!
Then, when you've read and re-read the Intimations of Immortality and Tintern Abbey you discover the Lucy poems!
Of course Wordsworth is going to feature heavily in my novel `A Song for Jo' . He has an influence on the intellectual and emotional development of the two main characters, Jo and Chris, who are college students studying English. Other great literature from Keats, Emily Bronte and Shakespeare (and more) is worked into the narrative. It is a love story with a difference!
People of all ages and sex have enjoyed it.
It's available on Amazon - please follow the link.
A Song for Jo
As others have wisely noted he had the great misfortune to live a very long life and fulfil those very fears in his early best work that his poetic vision was fading as he was ageing. He became the thing he had despised.
I remember first coming upon him as an adolescent and I was just stunned by the beauty and simplicity of his verse in its expressions of the beauty of nature and how the philosophical mind engaged with nature. I was in tune with his sad decline of the sublime vision of childhood and the possibilities of re-discovering that vision in the workings of nature `recollected in tranquillity'. My God, he changed me!
Then, when you've read and re-read the Intimations of Immortality and Tintern Abbey you discover the Lucy poems!
Of course Wordsworth is going to feature heavily in my novel `A Song for Jo' . He has an influence on the intellectual and emotional development of the two main characters, Jo and Chris, who are college students studying English. Other great literature from Keats, Emily Bronte and Shakespeare (and more) is worked into the narrative. It is a love story with a difference!
People of all ages and sex have enjoyed it.
It's available on Amazon - please follow the link.
A Song for Jo
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culture vulture.
I DECIDED TO BECOME A "CULTURE VULTURE" AFTER MY MISSUS BOUGHT HER MOTHER A BIRD BATH WITH A WILLIAM BLAKE QUOTE ON IT. "TO SEE A WORLD IN A GRAIN OF SAND etc... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mr. John G. Mcglynn
good value
i bought this for my wife and she is gradually working her way through it. very good value
Published on 18 Nov 2009 by D. A. Phimister
poetry
Value for money, though have read a better compalation of work, its worth the read all the same!
Published on 11 Nov 2007 by Andrea M. Watt
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