Wordsworth on Trial: De-romanticizing the Poet Laureate

Abstract

Wordsworth’s poetry, and in the massive body of literary criticism that followed his works, establish him firmly as a revered poet-prophet of the people that preached simplicity and love for Nature, elevating him to a saintly status in literary canon. This study, however, employs Deconstruction as a lens in order to bring the Poet Laureate to trial, and critically evaluate the credibility of this accorded status. The personage and poetry of William Wordsworth shall be examined by utilizing a deconstructive lens, which entails not only a close, unbiased examination of his poetry and the elements it portrayed, but also an investigation of verifiable facts about the poet’s personal life. To ensure a fair trial, a balanced introduction shall be presented in order to establish key facts about Wordsworth and his literary contributions; this will be followed by a thorough examination of his work and critical opinions with the aim to de-romanticize the celebrated poet. Deconstructive approach will be cohesively applied in order to determine what Wordsworth truly was: a great Romantic poet of the people that loved Nature truly, or a clever opportunist who tapped into nostalgic sentiments to make his name- both in real life, and in the literary world.