Thank you for this beautiful reading. My father recited Wordsworth for us on our walks together throughout his life. These places did become more dear to him as he aged and I cannot read Wordsworth without recalling it to my mind. This was the one morality or religion he could truly feel in his own life and that he wanted us to remember.
Among the many stirring emotions this poem evokes is empathy for a man who has lost his youthful ideals, but not his faith in them. There is good reason to believe that this poem had tremendous value for Wordsworth. Although he did revise many of his other poems, he never made a single revision of Lines above Tintern Abbey. Not a word. Unlike Coleridge, who made several revisions of Frost at Midnight. I think he knew just how good a poem it is, a rare thing for a poet as self-doubt is often a characteristic of the creative mind.
Extremely good explanation and breakdown of this beautiful poem...in January I climbed up to the view point where Wordsworth came up with the poem - its a stunning view and understandable why he was moved to write.
Thank you Adam for these deep dives! As a former English student it is comforting to return to analysing poetry for the sake of it. The reverence you have is infectious and your insights really add to experience. I’ve visited tintern abbey so many times but failed to appreciate the Wordsworth link! cheers
i'm a 50 yr old who fell down this rabbit hole, i LOVE this, i used to read poetry in high school, i wasn't cool this was my favorit poem, i would read this outloud to myself and it felt like i hyponotized myself, i dont know about the techical stuff but i remember how i felt when i read this poem outlout, i was awsome
The most pantheistic lines are probably the zenith of the spiritual vision here in these lines: "And I have felt A presence that disturbs me with the joy Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime Of something far more deeply interfused, Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns, And the round ocean and the living air, And the blue sky, and in the mind of man: A motion and a spirit, that impels All thinking things, all objects of all thought, And rolls through all things." The key word is "interfused," the idea that a sublime and creative power exists within the material world as an interfused spirit. It's hard to call this strictly pantheism, or at least strictly /materialist/ pantheism, since there is also the sense of not only a materially present divinity, but also a spiritually transcendent and interfused divinity to nature. Coleridge likely introduced Wordsworth to the pantheism of Spinoza during this period, so there is a possible direct connection. If we define mysticism as a spiritual insight and practice that operates apart from institutional and confessional religion, it's definitely there in Wordsworth's idea of "natural piety"! Thanks for the question and the kind comment.
Thank you for this beautiful reading. My father recited Wordsworth for us on our walks together throughout his life. These places did become more dear to him as he aged and I cannot read Wordsworth without recalling it to my mind. This was the one morality or religion he could truly feel in his own life and that he wanted us to remember.
You are so kind to share this analysis on youtube☺️ Thanks a million👍
Among the many stirring emotions this poem evokes is empathy for a man who has lost his youthful ideals, but not his faith in them. There is good reason to believe that this poem had tremendous value for Wordsworth. Although he did revise many of his other poems, he never made a single revision of Lines above Tintern Abbey. Not a word. Unlike Coleridge, who made several revisions of Frost at Midnight. I think he knew just how good a poem it is, a rare thing for a poet as self-doubt is often a characteristic of the creative mind.
I am studying this at uni and that was a beautifully heartfelt and soul-nourishing reading. Thank you.
Extremely good explanation and breakdown of this beautiful poem...in January I climbed up to the view point where Wordsworth came up with the poem - its a stunning view and understandable why he was moved to write.
Thank you Adam for these deep dives! As a former English student it is comforting to return to analysing poetry for the sake of it. The reverence you have is infectious and your insights really add to experience. I’ve visited tintern abbey so many times but failed to appreciate the Wordsworth link! cheers
I love your nuanced reading; the attention to detail.
i'm a 50 yr old who fell down this rabbit hole, i LOVE this, i used to read poetry in high school, i wasn't cool
this was my favorit poem, i would read this outloud to myself and it felt like i hyponotized myself, i dont know about the techical stuff but i remember how i felt when i read this poem outlout, i was awsome
now im watching this cuz im curious about the poem
wordsworth is going to have to be back on the reading list
Thank you for that wonderful analysis of that wonderful poem.
The only poem to me which touches and do feel the heart with very nature of Wordsworth's english
Wonderful exposure of another layer of signification.
Thanks so much for this... just exceptional...
My fave of all time. Loved this!
Thank you so much for this
You're the best Adam , hope I can reach you ,
Could you please explain the mysticism and pantheistic in this poem
The most pantheistic lines are probably the zenith of the spiritual vision here in these lines:
"And I have felt
A presence that disturbs me with the joy
Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime
Of something far more deeply interfused,
Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,
And the round ocean and the living air,
And the blue sky, and in the mind of man:
A motion and a spirit, that impels
All thinking things, all objects of all thought,
And rolls through all things."
The key word is "interfused," the idea that a sublime and creative power exists within the material world as an interfused spirit. It's hard to call this strictly pantheism, or at least strictly /materialist/ pantheism, since there is also the sense of not only a materially present divinity, but also a spiritually transcendent and interfused divinity to nature. Coleridge likely introduced Wordsworth to the pantheism of Spinoza during this period, so there is a possible direct connection.
If we define mysticism as a spiritual insight and practice that operates apart from institutional and confessional religion, it's definitely there in Wordsworth's idea of "natural piety"! Thanks for the question and the kind comment.
thanks a lot for replying ,it is so nice of you sir @@closereadingpoetry
thankyou adam love from india ❤
Bravo ❤
Ahhh the days when republicanism was its current opposite.