Thursday, June 25, 2009

William Wordsworth “I griev’d for Buonaparte”

I found this poem of Wordsworth to be most interesting. Wordsworth’s take on Buonaparte’s claim to power as an attempt to gain knowledge is interesting. Wordsworth is critical at the idea of Napoleon’s assumption of a position of power for life. I wonder how Wordsworth reacted with the exiling, return to power, and eventual death. From this poem it stands out to me the Wordsworth feels that Buonaparte’s quest for power will lead him unable to achieve what he really wants, knowledge. Buonaparte is the same man who led a French army in Egypt and while there, when not fighting the Egyptians, did things like the finding of the Rosetta Stone. This is where I think Wordsworth gets the idea that Napoleon’s assumption of power was to continue his quest for knowledge. I find it interesting that Wordsworth describes wisdom as a woman who has children around her. Does this mean that women have an innate knowledge of wisdom or is this going to the creation of deities like lady liberty. Personally I feel that it goes to the latter. I feel that the description of a idea is best implanted in a deity type of figure.

1 comment:

  1. Robert,

    Good focus on this particular short poem by Wordsworth, and you provide some interesting claims to have supported and explored through textual examples. In the absence of this textual evidence, though, it is very hard for your reader to see or know whether to be convinced by your interpretation.

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