Introduction to Lucy Poems by Wordsworth and Analysis of SHE DWELT AMONG THE UNTRODDEN WAYS
Introduction on Lucy Poems
The five short poems known as 'lucy poems' were written by Wordsworth during his brief stay in
Germany or shortly thereafter. "Three years she grew in sun and shower" was composed in the
Hartz Forest in 1798."A slumber did my spirit seal" was also written in Germany sometime in
1798 it was this poem which Wordsworth sent to Coleridge and Coleridge remarked on this
poem--"some months ago Wordsworth transmitted to me a most sublime epitaph".
The sequence of Lucy poem according to the the date of composition
1. Strange fits of passion I have known. 2. She dwelt among the untrodden ways. 3. Three years she grew in the sun and shower. 4. A slumber did my spirit seal. 5. I travelled among unknown men.
Who is lucy
The real identity of Lucy has never been unraveled in Lucy series. Lucy may or may not
be based off a real life inspiration. No body knows who Lucy was. Although there has
been controversy among many critics that Dorothy maybe Lucy or perhaps his wife, Mary but it seems more probable to us that Lucy is just a product of his poetic
imagination , she is likely a fictional, idealised English girl, a literary device used to
convey his themes of Lucy poems. She is fantasy and dream, an imagined ideal who
cannot exit in the real world. The name 'Lucy' works as poetic muse to Wordsworth's Lucy series.
She dwelt among the untrodden ways
This poem was a three stanza poem written by English romantic port
William Wordsworth in 1798 when he was 28 years old. The verse was first
printed in Lyrical Ballads, in 1800. It was described about women feelings
of loneliness and loss, and describe the beauty and dignity of an idealised
women who lived unnoticed by all others. She dwelt among the untrodden ways --> Line 1 a
She-->Lucy, Lucy lived such a place which is never visited by
someone. Untrodden means untouched and that signifies Lucy is
virgin, no body touched her.
Beside the spring of dove--> line 2 b
Springs-->origin, Lucy lived decide the prince of dove or hear the place
in the English countryside (Specifically, the Midlands, a rural area
south of Manchester) where the Dove river rises from the earth and
begins its flow.
A maid whome there were none to praise--> line 3 a
A maid is an an unmarried woman. It also means that woman is a a virgin, youth and innocent. The poet laments for Lucy because she is living
unvisited place, there were none to praise her.
And very few to love -- line 4 (V.V.I) b
Lucy is practically ignored by others. No one praised her and hardly
anyone loved her. But the "very few" implies that the poet or the speaker
was one of those few. It also denotes that Lucy was loving one to the
speaker, poet.
A Violet by a mossy stone -->line 5 (V.V.I) c
The word 'violet' in that line is comparison between Lucy and violet. A
'violet' is a beautiful flower and when compared to Lucy, and
automatically it described that her beauty was blocked by moss or by the
luck of freedom to show hard beauties.
Half hidden from the eye! -->line 6 d
The word half hidden means that Lucy was unexplored women. Because
no one was interested in her. She was unnoticed, untouched, and
overlooked. However, not just in a a physical sense but also in an
emotional one as well. Lucy was depressed in herself because of that.
Fair as star, when only one -->line 7 c
Is shining in the sky-->line 8(V.V.I) d
Her fairness looks like a star, here the poet apparently denotes that he
used the word 'star' as a smile, which is actually "Venus" . Because we
know Venus appears and shines in the sky alone. And we also know
Venus is the brightest star in the sky. And Venus is compared to Lucy's
fairness.
She lived unknown, and few could know--> line 9 e
When Lucy ceased to be ; line 10 f
Line 9--> begins with the phrase "she lived unknown" that simply repeated
the message to the readers deepen the speaker's portrait of Lucy as a
young woman who lived alone and unappreciated. Ceased to be-->died, Lucy " lived unknown" and the reason the speaker says there is few had the
capacity to know the news about Lucy's death, hardly anyone knew the
news "few could know" the speaker was one of those few. Poet used
"ceased to be" to avoid painful language.
But she is in her grave, and, oh --> line 11e
The difference to me! -->line 12 (V.V.I) f
In the poem's final line, keeping aside all hesitations from the reader's
mind, the poet firmly acknowledges Lucy's death by using the line "she is
in her grave". The effect of Lucy's death is different one to the poet
because Lucy was the loving one to him here the employment of the
exclamation at the end of poem the signifies the melancholy of the poet's
heart. (Whereas line 10 evades the fact of lucy's death the poet used "ceased to
be" to avoid death's painful languages but line11 acknowledges it firmly
"she is in her grave".)
Figure of speech from the poem
"She dwelt among the untrodden ways" 1. "Beside the spring of Dove" (Allusion)
2. A violet by a mossy stone (Metaphor
Explanation--> here Lucy is compared to a violet flower and also
Lucy compared to a mossy stone. 3. Fair as a star (smile)
4. Fair as a star, when only one is shining in the sky (Allusion)
Explanation-->this line implicitly refers to "Venus" , the Roman
goddess of love, beauty, fertility and sex. 5. She lived unknown and few could know (Polyptoton)
