FIRST READ THIS
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, by William Wordsworth
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.
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 a sprightly dance.
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:
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.
THEN
Wordsworth Graphic Organizer A
Directions: Provide a summary of each stanza, locate phrases that Wordsworth uses to describe nature, and discuss the way his words show his relationship with nature.
Graphic Organizer A
What does Wordsworth accomplish in the stanza?
Quotations: Select phrases Wordsworth uses to describe nature in the stanza.
How do his words show his relationship with nature?
Stanza 1
Wordsworth describes the way his mood shifts from lonely to hopeful in the company of the daffodils.
He describes floating like a lonely cloud.
Then, he sees and is uplifted by the "golden daffodils," "fluttering and dancing in the breeze."
This stanza shows that Wordsworth appreciates the beauty in nature because he details the beautiful daffodils that helped bring him out of his somber mood.
Stanza 2
Stanza 3
Stanza 4
Wordsworth Graphic Organizer B
Directions: Look at each stanza of Wordsworth’s poem. Use the graphic organizer to take notes on his use of diction, syntax, and tone. Discuss what effect his word choice has on the reader.
Graphic Organizer
Stanza
Diction
Syntax
Tone
Effect
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.
Wordsworth uses a simile to compare himself to a lonely cloud.
Wordsworth uses traditional syntax in this stanza.
Initially, Wordsworth’s tone in this stanza is somber. His tone shifts to hopeful when he encounters the daffodils.
In this stanza Wordsworth's simile helps the reader know how he was feeling before he saw the daffodils. His description of the scene creates a welcoming, relaxing atmosphere where the reader can also enjoy the daffodils.
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 a sprightly dance.
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:
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.