Citaten uit I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils)

7 beroemde regels uit I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils) (1807) van William Wordsworth, woord voor woord, met bij elke regel de betekenis en herkomst.

1 min leestijd · 24 regels

1. 1

   I wander’d lonely as a cloud
   That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

   Betekenis: The poet wanders alone, feeling detached from his surroundings like a cloud drifting above the landscape.

   William WordsworthStrofe 1, regels 1 tot en met 2Kopiëren
2. 2

   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.

   Betekenis: The poet suddenly encounters a large gathering of bright flowers moving joyfully beside a lake.

   William WordsworthStrofe 1, regels 3 tot en met 6Kopiëren
3. 3

   Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
   Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

   Betekenis: The flowers seem countless, and their movement in the wind resembles an energetic dance.

   William WordsworthStrofe 2, regels 11 tot en met 12Kopiëren
4. 4

   A poet could not but be gay,
   In such a jocund company:

   Betekenis: Surrounded by such lively natural beauty, the poet cannot help feeling happy.

   William WordsworthStrofe 3, regels 15 tot en met 16Kopiëren

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5. 5

   I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
   What wealth the show to me had brought:

   Betekenis: While admiring the flowers, the poet does not yet realize how much lasting happiness their memory will bring.

   William WordsworthStrofe 3, regels 17 tot en met 18Kopiëren
6. 6

   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;

   Betekenis: During quiet or thoughtful moments alone, the poet vividly remembers the flowers and finds happiness in that memory.

   William WordsworthStrofe 4, regels 19 tot en met 22Kopiëren
7. 7

   And then my heart with pleasure fills,
   And dances with the daffodils.

   Betekenis: Remembering the daffodils renews the poet’s joy and makes him feel part of their lively movement.

   William WordsworthStrofe 4, regels 23 tot en met 24Kopiëren

Vragen over deze regels

What does the cloud comparison mean in the opening of I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud?

The comparison presents the poet as solitary and drifting without a clear destination, preparing a contrast with the lively gathering of flowers he encounters.

What does the inward eye mean in Wordsworth’s Daffodils?

It means the mind’s ability to recall and visualize past experiences. The remembered flowers bring the poet happiness even when he is alone and far from the lake.