Naturalism in Tintern Abbey Paul Patterson College

William Wordsworth was a Romatic English poet with a vast body of work, and Naturalism abounds in nearly all of his poetry. Nature is a major theme in Wordsworth’s famous works such as, “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” and “It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free.” However, perhaps his most Naturalist piece is, “Tintern Abbey.” Wordsworth treats nature as a good or even necessary influence that can ultimately shape a person’s behavior and personality and even help them to learn from past mistakes. Such is the case in “Tintern Abbey,” in which the speaker recounts the beautiful and natural sights of this locale. “Tintern Abbey” expresses Wordsworth’s naturalism through vivid description of natural scenes, and his explanation of the refuge these sights have provided and the personal growth they have stimulated.

Wordsworth’s poem is divided into four long stanzas. In the first stanza, Wordsworth dives right into his description of this place near Tintern Abbey, but not before he emphasizes how long it has been since his last visit. Evidently, “Five years have past; five summers, with the length / Of five long winters!” (Wordsworth 1-2). This is significant because it demonstrates and emphasizes Wordsworth’s fondness of this place...