I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils)

by William Wordsworth · 1807 · 1 min läsning · 24 rader

Kort sagt

“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (Daffodils)” by William Wordsworth is a poem about a lonely walk, a field of daffodils, and the lasting pleasure of remembering them. The speaker begins by comparing himself to a cloud floating above hills and valleys. He suddenly notices golden flowers beside a lake, moving in the breeze beneath trees. Their long line around a bay reminds him of stars along the Milky Way, and he sees ten thousand flower heads tossing in a sprightly dance. Even the sparkling waves seem less joyful than the flowers. At first, he does not fully understand what the sight has given him. Later, while resting alone on his couch, he recalls the daffodils, and their remembered movement fills his heart with pleasure.

I wander’d lonely as a cloudThat 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 shineAnd twinkle on the Milky Way,They stretch’d in never-ending lineAlong the margin of a bay:Ten thousand saw I at a glance,Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but theyOut-did the sparkling waves in glee:A poet could not but be gay,In such a jocund company:I gazed—and gazed—but little thoughtWhat wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lieIn vacant or in pensive mood,They flash upon that inward eyeWhich is the bliss of solitude;And then my heart with pleasure fills,And dances with the daffodils.

Vad det betyder, rad för rad

Rad 1 till 6: The speaker describes himself as lonely and drifting, like a cloud above the landscape. His attention suddenly shifts to golden daffodils beside a lake and under trees. Calling the flowers a crowd makes them seem like companions, while their movement in the breeze becomes a dance.

Rad 7 till 12: The flowers seem as numerous and continuous as stars in the Milky Way. Their line follows the edge of a bay, giving the scene a sweeping scale. The speaker’s claim to see ten thousand at once emphasizes abundance, while the image of tossing heads gives the flowers lively, human movement.

Rad 13 till 18: The nearby waves also seem to dance, but the flowers appear even more joyful. Their cheerful company lifts the speaker’s mood. He watches for a long time without recognizing the full value of the experience. The word “wealth” suggests that this ordinary natural sight gives him something worth keeping.

Rad 19 till 24: The poem shifts from the walk to later moments of rest. Whether his mind is idle or thoughtful, the speaker can suddenly picture the flowers again. This inner vision makes solitude a source of happiness rather than loneliness. The final dance belongs to his heart, showing how memory renews the original pleasure.

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Tre frågor att fundera över

How does the opening comparison to a cloud shape your understanding of the speaker’s mood?
What do the comparisons with stars and waves suggest about the daffodils?
How does the final stanza change the meaning of the speaker’s first encounter with the flowers?

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