19 pages • 38 minutes read
William WordsworthDaffodils
Nonfiction | Poem | Middle Grade | Published in 1973A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Isolation and Community
One of the major shifts that occurs in “Daffodils” is how the speaker moves from an isolated individual to one who embraces a position in the community of the world. The speaker starts the poem by remembering a “lonely” (Line 1) time. They note their singularity by comparing themselves to “a cloud” (Line 1)—a single cumulous puff that “floats” (Line 2) in the sky. While it is, of course, possible for clouds to join together, the speaker does not mention this, and positions themselves instead as a solitary entity.
The speaker holds themselves above the rest of humanity. They glide “o’er vales and hills” (Line 2) and are not part of any “crowd” (Line 3). This suggests an initial lack of engagement, perhaps an inability to feel connections, a distance with others due to height from the ground, suggesting superiority. This changes, however, as the daffodils present an unexpected alternative way to live. Daffodils are never singular, instead growing in groups from bulbs. In this case, they are wild, which suggests a spontaneous rather than planned gathering. Their “glee[ful]” (Line 14) participation surprises the speaker. Enthused by their “sprightly dance” (Line 12), the speaker values their “jocund company” (Line 16). This shows a reevaluation upon the speaker’s part about what is necessary to live a happy life.
In the present, when thinking about life in “vacant and pensive mood[s]” (Line 20), the speaker has a choice. Do they remain cloudy, embracing a solitary existence with an air of superiority, or do they engage with the throng that populates the “vales and hills” (Line 2)? The speaker rejects the cloud persona in order to join “the host of golden daffodils” (Line 4). This fills their “heart” (Line 23) with happiness, and it “dances with the daffodils” (Line 24, emphasis added). The speaker becomes one member of the daffodil’s “never-ending line” (Line 9), embracing their community. This will allow them to not be “lonely” (Line 1) in the future.
Happiness Through Tranquil Contemplation
A major theme in William Wordsworth’s “Daffodils” is the use of memory to soothe oneself when one is “lonely” (Line 1), “vacant” (Line 20), or “pensive” (Line 21). Left unchecked, feelings of separation can spiral toward depression. One thing psychologists and meditation teachers today might recommend is for a person with depression to use tranquil contemplation as a balm against these thoughts (i.e., revisiting a “happy place” in their imagination). This strategy can help to alleviate stress and anxiety by grounding the person in a pleasurable environment. It transports them mentally away from their stress.
This technique has been employed for centuries. In “Daffodils,” Wordsworth’s speaker recollects events in tranquility. The speaker, “a poet” (Line 15), uses imagination to soothe their stress. The speaker doubts their place in the world but eliminates those doubts by recollecting the daffodils in their “inward eye” (Line 21). Instead of remaining disconnected, the speaker chooses to remember the field, deliberately going back to a happy place.
The speaker’s happiness is derived from the brightness and beauty of the flowers but mostly comes from their feeling that they are part of something larger than themselves. They feel both small—the daffodils are as plentiful and unearthly as “stars” (Line 7)—and large—the poet is “with the [multitude of] daffodils” (Line 24), a part of their awesome display. This is key to removing the negative emotions the speaker may have been feeling. Instead, they remember they are part of something both humble and momentous, worthy of gratitude. They are able to direct their mindful appreciation of their place within the order of things.
Reminders of Spiritual Renewal
Daffodils are perennial flowers, growing back every year. In the United Kingdom, they are one of the first flowers of spring. In Wales, where they are the official flower, they are celebrated on the Feast of St. David, March 1, the date when they are expected to blossom. In folklore and religion, daffodils are consistently symbolic of new beginnings, resurrection, and renewal.
In mythology, Persephone/Proserpine, is tied to the daffodil that supposedly sprouted when she was captured by Hades/Pluto and carried off to the Underworld. The daffodil foreshadows the maiden’s return for sixth months of every year to her mother, Demeter/Ceres (See: Further Reading & Resources). The blossoming flower signifies the end of the fall/winter season, which is symbolic of darkness, death, and quiet, versus the spring/summer season in which things regenerate and bloom.
Similarly, in Christianity, the daffodil is tied to Christ’s resurrection, often appearing in art depicting the crucifixion. The blossoming of the spring flower is said to symbolize the rising of Christ from the tomb. It is also sometimes associated with Mary Magdalene, who spread the word of Christ’s blessing, which proliferated like a flock of daffodils despite his sentencing as a criminal by the Romans. As a symbol of Christ’s resurrection, daffodils often decorate religious paintings, windows, and altars. They adorn crosses for Easter services and are often referred to as the Lenten lily, especially in the United Kingdom.
Thus, for someone who, like the speaker, is going through “vales and hills” (Line 4) in life, the idea of regeneration can be comforting. Things seemingly lost can be regained or transformed. As the speaker in “Daffodils” takes in the “host of golden daffodils” (Line 4), they are able to reap the “wealth” (Line 18) of their renewed outlook on life. When the speaker remembers their benediction, the flock of daffodils to be worshiped, they feel joined with “pleasure” (Line 23). The core of their being, their “heart” (Line 23) is made full. In a more mythological take, the speaker is renewed through faith that, like Persephone/Proserpine, the daffodils can be counted on to make their needed return, rejuvenating the speaker’s vacancy with faith.
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