Ode: Intimations of Immortality by Wordsworth|Summary

Ode: Intimations of Immortality by Wordsworth|Summary

Ode intimations of Immortality
Ode intimations of Immortality

The famous poem 'Ode: Intimations of Immortality' was written by the very popular poet William Wordsworth. Wordsworth wrote four stanzas of this ode in 1802 and he 
added seven stanzas in it in 1806. Thus there are 11 stanzas in this ode. 

It is one of the greatest odes of Wordsworth. He finished this ode while residing in Grasmere. In the beginning, the poet gives it the simple name ode but later on, he gave it a long title 'Ode: Intimations of Immortality From Recollections of Early Childhood'. It was first published in 1807 in his 'Poems in Two Volumes'. 

Ode: Intimations of Immortality--Summary



The main theme of the poem is the experience of childhood, boyhood and manhood. According to the poet, he would see the divine light in his childhood but in his later age, he does not find it. The poet says that when he was a child he would see divine light in all objects of nature. But with his growing age the glory of divine light has gone. 

He says that he used to see the divine light in the meadow, stream, grove, the rose, the moon, the water, the sunshine but it has vanished now. In the spring season, everything is looking happy but the poet is sad. 
He thinks that a baby is surrounded with divine glory and joy but when he grows old all the divine splendor has gone. He says that he is surrounded by the darkness of worldly problems and pains. So he is sad. 
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He says that nature brings up human beings like a mother and gives them never-ending pleasure in his childhood. But when a child grows he forgets all his childhood glory. The poet expresses his feelings by giving the example of a six years old child. He says that a six years old child forgets divine light and becomes busy in his 
toys. 
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He learns the worldly language and words like business, love, and strife. The child forgets his soul's hugeness. He says that when the child grows he forgets the glory of his soul and surrounded with the world and its business. 

He feels heaviness inside because he forgets the divinity of his soul. The poet feels happy to recollect his childhood memories. The poet calls the child the best philosopher because he retains the divine glory. 
The poet is thankful for the blessings of childhood when he was always happy. The child imitates as a grown-up man but the poet advises him not to do that because the life of grown-up people is full of problems when he grows up he will get them automatically.
The poet feels happy to remember the memories of childhood. He is thankful as they are the source of natural feelings and knowledge to help a man look into the inner reality of worldly objects. 
According to the poet, a man can travel much from his childhood. His soul can imagine the ocean of immortality. He can enjoy his childhood moments again with the reminiscences of childhood.The poet asks the birds to sing happy songs for him as they used to sing in his childhood days. He also asks lambs to jump and dance. 

He says that he can support them to celebrate spring but only in imagination. The poet knows that those boyhood days have gone and will never come again but still he is happy to think that he has more experience in his grown life.
 His mind has become philosophical with the growing age. It is also a great achievement for the poet.The poet says that his love for natural objects will never finish. His love for them has become natural. For the poet, the most ordinary flower can fill his heart with joy while tears cannot express them deeply.
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