The Image of Nature in Romantic and Modern Poems

【Abstract：】The image of nature plays an important role in the Romantic and Modern poems in English Literature. This article tries to make a comparative study on William Wordsworth's "Lines Composed a Few Miles above the Tintern Abbey" and William Butler Yeats' "The Wild Swans at Coole" and to find out the different images of nature in these two poems， thus to help achieve a further understanding of the English poems.

【Key Words】 ImageNatureRomantic PoemsModern Poems

. 1、Introduction

（1） A Brief Introduction to the Romantic Poems

The Romantic period is the age of poetryand has been considered the second greatest period in English literature. The characteristics of the romantic poetry are as follows： It places more emphasis on the individual feelings. The romanticists and their works shared a deep-rooted love for nature. The representative poets are William Wordsworth， Percy Bysshe Shelly and John Keats.

（2） A Brief Introduction to the Modern Poems

The 20thcentury has witnessed the decline of the British Empire. In this period， radical change took place in every field of English society. During this period， both the natural and the social science had advanced in an enormous way， and Naturalism is one of the reflections in literature.And William Butler Yeats' "The Wild Swans at Coole"is one of the most famous works in this period.

2、A Comparative Study on Two Different Poems by TwoDifferent Poets

（1） The Image of Nature in William Wordsworth's "Lines Composed a Few Miles above the Tintern Abbey"

Wordsworth has been known as a famous nature poet. He is almost a Natural faith. All his life he worships nature and tries to help people understand its significance. His idea of nature and its importance to human life is well demonstrated in his Lines Composed a Few Miles above the Tintern Abbey.

Lines Composed a Few Miles above the Tintern Abbey

William Wordsworth

Five years have past； five summers， with the length，

Of five long winters！ and again I hear

These waters， rolling from their mountain-springs，

With a soft inland murmur.--Once again

That after many wanderings， many years，

Of absence， these steep woods and lofty cliffs

And this green pastoral landscape， were to me，

More dear， both for themselves and for thy sake！

The poem best exemplifies the basic elements of the poet's theory of nature. The 1ststanza describes the quiet pastoral beauty of the valley with its mountain springs， steep and high cliffs， the hedge-rows， and the farmsteads， and a hermit sitting alone by the fire in his cave. Now deep in nature， the poetic mind begins to mediate.The 2ndstanza focuses on the importance of nature in these beauteous forms of tranquility. These forms generate a feeling of love， kindness， and gentle affections. The notion behind this is that nature is alive with spirit and God's presence.And the last stanza is the poet's advice to her sister or all his readers， as to what to do with nature.

From the poem， to some extent， nature shows its displeasure in order to edify and teach rather than doing evil. Thus it illustrates the poet's idea of poetry as the powerful overflow of emotion recollected in tranquility.

（2）The Image of Nature in William Butler Yeats’“The Wild Swans at Coole”

William Butler Yeats wrote poetry， drama and prose， but his fame rests chiefly on his poetry. He is celebrated and accomplished symbolist poet， using an elaborate system of symbols in his poem "The Wild Swans at Coole".

The Wild Swans at Coole

William Butler Yeats

THE trees are in their autumn beauty，

The woodland paths are dry，

Under the October twilight the water

Mirrors a still sky；

Among what rushes will they build，

By what lake's edge or pool

Delight men's eyes when I awake some day

To find they have flown away？

This poem discusses the fall of life. In autumn life is on the descent， the trees begin to lose their leaves and the coming cold mirrors death. The lively swan's movements stand out against the still setting.

The bird is a winged creature， not earthbound as man is. Thus， the Psalmist cries out： "Oh that I had wings like a dove， for then would I fly away and be at rest". In his view the swans always look the same and are taking part in the same activities. They appear as young as ever and have for the last 19 years.

Most of all， birds are closely associated with nature， especially in their spontaneous and joyous activity. Because the bird seems to have a special relation to nature the poet sometimes uses it as a symbol of nature itself.

3、 Conclusion

From the above comparative analysis， a better understanding of the images of nature of Romantic and Modern poems is somewhat achieved： Wordsworth worships nature and tries to help people understand its significance.While Yeats applies what he observes from nature to his own lifeand he feels the nature hasforever stayed young.

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