Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

It's lovely to see you here today for this lesson on Wordsworth's "Lines Written in Early Spring".

My name's Dr.

Clayton and I'm here to guide you through your learning journey today.

Now, I know romantic poetry can sometimes feel a little hard to connect to, because it was written so long ago, but hopefully by the end of the lesson, you'll be able to see why we might consider Wordsworth's ideas on nature and humanity to still be relevant today.

So, grab your pen, laptop, whatever you're using for this lesson, and let's get started.

So, by the end of the lesson, you'll be able to explain how Wordsworth presents the relationship between man and nature.

So, we have five words there we're going to focus on as our keywords.

They've identified in bold throughout the learning material.

And I'll try to point 'em out to you as well throughout the lesson, so you can see them being used in context.

So, our first keyword is harmony, and that means the combination of separate but related parts in a way that use their similarities to bring unity.

You might also think of how in music, a harmony means creating a unified and pleasant sound.

Our second keyword is romanticism.

Now, romanticism is an artistic and intellectual movement from the late 18th and early 19th century and it focused on emotions and nature.

This is gonna be a key piece of context to keep in mind for today's lesson.

Our third keyword is disquieted, and that means to be worried or uneasy.

Our fourth keyword is lament, and that means a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.

And finally, our fifth keyword is agricultural, which is use of farming or related to farming.

So, I'll just give you a few moments to write down those keywords and their definitions.

So, pause the video and write them down now.

Fantastic.

Let's get started with the lesson.

So, we have two learning cycles on our lesson today.

For our first learning cycle, we're going to start with a little bit of prediction work around the first line of the poem.

This is a really useful exercise as the poet will likely construct the first line to prime you to some key ideas that we'll find in the poem.

Then, we're gonna read through the poem and develop our understanding of what is happening in the poem and what Wordsworth are perhaps trying to say through the poem.

For our second learning cycle, we're going to consider the contextual information around the poem, name the romanticism, and the Industrial Revolution, and consider how we can use that information to enhance our understanding of what Wordsworth is trying to say through the poem.

So, let's consider some of the opening words of Wordsworth's "Lines Written in Early Spring".

So, we're going to start by looking at just two of the words.

We're going to focus on the word thousand and the word notes.

And this relates to musical notes rather than paper or text notes.

So, what I'd like to think about is what do the words thousand and notes connotate to you? So, what impressions or feelings they give you? Now, if you're working with someone else, you might talk about these ideas together.

Or if you're working by yourself, you can just think about what these words might mean to you.

So, pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Amazing, some fantastic ideas there.

It was great hearing people thinking about the numerical value of a thousand.

Now, a thousand musical notes might create the impression of a loud and chaotic sound.

Now, we're going to add another word into the mix.

We're going to add the word blended, which means to mix something together to combine it.

Now, I'd like you to consider the whole phrase now of a thousand blended notes.

Does that change your perception of the sound? So, pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Some fantastic ideas there.

I really liked how people consider the connotations are blended, not meant to take different substances, combine them to make something new.

So, now, you might think the lines create the impression of a lot of sounds working in harmony together.

So, a lot of sounds working together to create a pleasing sound.

So, if we keep in mind that words would create this line to be our first impression of the poem, we want to keep this idea of multiple things working together in harmony when we read the poem.

Now, we're going to read through the poem.

So, grab your copy of the anthology or whatever copy of the poem you're working with and let's read it through.

Now, I'm gonna read the poem to you.

I'm gonna turn my camera off when I read it, so you can focus on the poem.

So, this is Wordsworth's "Lines Written in Early Spring".

I heard a thousand blended notes, while in a grove I sate reclined, in that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did nature link the human soul that through me ran, and much it grieved my heart to think what man has made of man.

Through primrose tufts, in that green bower, the periwinkle trailed its wreaths, and 'tis my faith that every flower enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and played, their thoughts I cannot measure:- but the least motion which they made it seemed a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan, to catch the breezy air, and I must think, do all I can, that there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent, if such be nature's holy plan, have I not reason to lament what man has made of man? So, now that we've read the poem, I'd like to think about the following question.

What do you think Wordsworth's favourite part of nature is? So, you might say, number one, the primrose tufts and the periwinkle wreaths that enjoy the air they breathe.

Number two, the birds that hopped and played and felt a thrill of pleasure with every movement.

Or number three, the budding twigs that try to catch the breezy air.

Now, in thinking about what his favourite part might be, you might think about the type of language he's using or perhaps the type of actions they're performing.

So, pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Now, there is no right answer to this question, because you can make an argument for all three of them, but hopefully it's got you thinking about the connotations of certain words and how we might attribute value to certain things based on how they're described.

Now, we talked about the opening image of a thousand blended notes earlier in the lesson.

We talked about how this idea of multiple things coming together to create a whole might us the idea of being in harmony.

So, arguably, Wordsworth is saying that nature is in harmony.

Now, what I'd like you to do is think about which quotations can you find that might act as evidence for this.

So, look through the poem and see if you can find ideas of natural things working together to create something pleasing.

So, pause the video, take a few moments to find those quotations.

Fantastic work there, everyone.

Now, you might have said, potentially, every flower enjoys the air it breathes.

Now, this creates the idea of all the flowers being in sync with each other and enjoying the same thing, and that evokes the idea of being in harmony.

Or perhaps you might have said the least motion seemed a thrill of pleasure, or there was pleasure there.

Now, these quotations create the sense of a pleasant feeling and happiness within nature that's consistent with the idea of nature working together to create a pleasing harmony.

So, now, we've thought about the harmonies and the pleasant nature of the poem.

However, as some of you might have noticed, the poem does not always seem content and harmonious.

What I'd like you to think about now is which words create a jarring effect in the poem.

So, which words create a negative effect that don't quite fit with the idea of a pleasing harmony? So, pause the video.

Take a few moments to consider.

Amazing work, everyone.

Now, you might have said, sad thoughts, grieved, and lament.

Now, lament is one of our keywords and it means an expression of grief or sorrow.

So, all of these words create a sense of sadness as if the speaker is mourning something.

So, now that we've read the poem and considered some of the ideas, how might we summarise our understanding of the poem so far? So, pause the video and think about how you might summarise it.

Amazing, everyone.

Now, you might have said, while the poet is trying to relax and enjoy the harmonious, pleasant feeling of being in nature, something is intruding with his tranquillity and causing sad thoughts to surface.

Something is causing him to feel grief amidst the happiness of nature.

So, now, let's consider what might be causing the speaker to feel disquieted.

Now, that's one of our keywords and it means to feel worried or uneasy.

So, why might the speaker be feeling uneasy? What I'd like to think about is what does the speaker say is causing him to feel grieved and to lament in the poem, and what do you think that might mean? So, pause the video, read back through the poem, and find what the speaker says is causing him to feel sad.

Now, like Aisha, you might have noticed the speaker repeats what man has made of man and that seems to suggest that man has done something negative to man, which perhaps means that mankind is not as harmonious like nature.

Or like Izzy, perhaps you think the speaker is sad, because mankind in general doesn't seem to interact with nature anymore.

So, perhaps they're talking about man's disconnection from nature.

So, now, we're going to think about other connections to man and nature we can see in the poem.

To do that, we're going to think about the following three quotations.

Now, the speaker says, their thoughts I cannot measure, if this belief from heaven be sent, if such be Nature's holy plan.

Now, what we're gonna do is zoom in on these specific words of cannot, if, and if.

Now, what might those specific words suggest? What might it suggest about man and nature? So, pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Some fantastic ideas there.

It was great to see people note the repetition of the if and how that suggests someone searching for possibilities or answers.

You might then think that these words suggest the speaker is unsure and it therefore suggests that man cannot truly understand or comprehend nature.

Now, for a quick check for understanding.

Which of the following interpretations of the speaker hearing a thousand blended notes is most valid for the poem? Is it, A, the mankind is harmonious, B, that nature is harmonious, or, C, the speaker is listening to wonderful music? So, pause the video and make a selection now.

The correct answer is B, hearing a thousand blended notes in nature.

It's just that nature is working together to create a pleasing unity that means it's harmonious.

Fantastic work so far, everyone.

We're now on the first task of the lesson.

And what I'd like you to do is take all the ideas we've had so far in the lesson and use it to answer the following questions.

So, number one, how does Wordsworth mirror the lack of understanding between humans and nature through the punctuation in the line, their thoughts I cannot measure:-? Number two, why do you think Wordsworth compares nature to heaven? And number three, why do you think Wordsworth ends the poem on a question? So, you might think about what we've said about the speaker finding nature to be a beautiful harmonious place in comparison to their negative thoughts about mankind.

So, pause the video and answer the questions now.

Amazing work, everyone.

It was great to see people looking back over their poems and their notes to think about how we can connect all these ideas together.

So, question one, how does Wordsworth mirror the lack of understanding between humans and nature through punctuation in the line, their thoughts I cannot measure:-? And you might have said that the combination of a colon and a dash creates a long pause, which could indicate a vacancy in the speaker's understanding and therefore mirrors the lack of understanding between humans and nature by extension.

Number two, why do you think Wordsworth compares nature to heaven? And you might have said, the comparison to heaven could further indicate both the harmony of nature as well as creating distance between the fallacy of mankind and the perfection of nature.

Then, number three, why do you think Wordsworth ends the poem on a question? And he might have said, perhaps Wordsworth is encouraging the reader to pause and reflect on the differences between the harmony and nature and the way that humans treat each other and the world around them.

Fantastic work, everyone.

We're now moving onto the second learning cycle.

We're going to think more generally about context, what it means, and then specifically consider how we can write about context in relation to Wordsworth's "Lines Written in Early Spring".

So, let's think about what context is.

Context is information that can help us better understand a writer and their text.

It illuminates the meaning and the relevance of a text, and it could be something cultural, personal, historical, social, or political.

Now, sometimes it could potentially be difficult to see the relevance of context, but if we think about the way that everything's happening in the world around us, it must in some way, even subconsciously seep into our thoughts.

Now, often the issue when we're writing about context is how to use it in a meaningful way.

There's so much information we could possibly use, but we need to narrow it down.

You have to separate what information is helping us understand the meaning of a text and what information has little value or importance in relation to the text.

For example, it's usually more useful to say in which historical period, for example, the 18th century for Wordsworth and which artistic movement was prominent.

For example, the romantic movement, rather than giving the exact date of a writer's birth.

Because knowing about the historical period in the artistic movements will allow us to then see how the rights ideas either conform or subvert the ideas happening around them.

Now, let's consider some of the context that's specific to Wordsworth.

Wordsworth was a romantic poet.

Now, the name romanticism can be misleading, because it perhaps implies he wrote about love.

However, romanticism is one of our keywords.

It applies from intellectual artistic movement in the late 18th century, the focused ideas of nature and emotion, as well as the critique of powerful institutions.

Now, what I'd like us to think about is how does Wordsworth's romanticism connect with the message of the poem? So, how might the folks on nature connect to what we've said about the poem? Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Now, you might have said that the speaker sees beauty and harmony in nature, which compliments romantic sentiments.

The speaker forms a spiritual connection with nature by comparing it to heaven, and that elevates the harmony of nature above the discord of humanity.

And this conforms to romantic sentiments about nature.

Since they largely believe that nature was akin to a deity, since they felt with awe and terror within nature, as it made them consider just how insignificant mankind is in comparison.

Now, let's consider some of the other context of the poem.

The poem was published in 1798, which falls within the period of the Industrial Revolution.

The Industrial Revolution was the process of change from agricultural and handicraft society to one of factories and machines.

Now, this means that before the Industrial Revolution, the economy largely focused on rural matters such as farming and making items by hand.

However, the Industrial Revolution brought about a shift to industry and created a societal shift, where people moved away from the countryside to find work in the cities.

Now, what I'd like to think about is how might those ideas be relevant to the poem and what Wordsworth is saying about nature and mankind? So, pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Amazing, some great discussions there.

You might have thought that perhaps the speaker's lament, so perhaps their grief relates to mankind's shift away from an agricultural focus to one of industry and manufacturing since this shift creates disconnect between mankind and nature.

Now, have a quick check for understanding.

So, is it true or false that Wordsworth was a romantic poet? Pause the video and make your selection now.

The correct answer is true.

He was a romantic poet.

Now, I'd like to justify that answer.

So, is he romantic poet, because, A, "Lines Written in Early Spring" reflects the romantic appreciation and celebration of nature, or, B, "Lines Written in Early Spring" subverts the romantic appreciation and celebration of nature? So, pause the video and make a selection now.

The correct answer is A, "Lines Written in Early Spring" reflects the romantic appreciation and celebration of nature.

So, very well done if you got that right.

Amazing work so far, everyone.

Were now with the final task of the lesson.

Now, what I'd like you to do is choose the most relevant context to the poem from the following pieces of information.

So, number one, Wordsworth was born in 1770 and died in 1850.

Number two, he wrote "Lines Written in Early Spring" while living in Alford, Somerset.

Number three, Wordsworth was a romantic poet.

Number four "Lines Written in Early Spring" was inspired by a walk in Somerset and was published in 1798 in a collection called "Lyrical Ballads".

And number five, the Industrial Revolution happened roughly between 1760 and 1840.

Then, what I'd like to do is write a short explanation of how the context illuminates the meaning and relevance of "Lines Written in Early Spring".

So, think about which of those pieces of information are useful to our understanding of the poem.

Pause the video and write your explanation now.

Fantastic work, everyone.

It was great to see people looking back over the poem while they consider the context to really see what's useful and what is just interesting facts.

Now, I'd like you to consider Izzy's response and to give her what went well and an even better if for her use of context.

So, Izzy wrote, Wordsworth was born in 1770 and therefore he's a romantic poet.

He wrote "Lines Written in Early Spring" after being an inspired by a walk in Somerset.

And this shows how much he enjoyed and appreciated nature.

The poem was published in a collection called "Lyrical Ballads", which could connect the ideas of harmony in nature.

So, pause the video and give Izzy a what went well and even better if.

Now, for the what went well, you might have said that Izzy has identified that Wordsworth as a romantic poet, because then we can connect the poem to wider ideas within romanticism.

For the even better if, you might have said that the information surrounding his birth and the idea of being inspired by a walk is irrelevant.

So, as you know that Wordsworth appreciated nature through his romanticism.

We don't need to know who's specifically born in 1770.

We just need to know who's born in the romantic period.

And that information is far more useful contextually in terms of adding meaning to how Wordsworth is talking about nature rather than considering that he went for a walk.

Now, we might rewrite Izzy's response like this.

Wordsworth was a romantic poet.

His romanticism connects him to the appreciation and celebration of nature that we see in "Lines Written in Early Spring".

The poem was published in a collection called "Lyrical Ballads", which could connect ideas of harmony in nature.

Now, what I'd like to do is reread your own response and check the use of context is relevant and meaningful.

So, pause the video and reread your response now.

Fantastic, everyone.

It was great to see some people rewriting their responses, because it always reflect on and improve our work.

You all did amazingly well, everyone.

Here's a summary of what we covered.

Wordsworth expresses the idea of harmony in nature through "Lines Written in Early Spring".

The speaker's appreciation of nature is pierced by his lament for the actions of mankind.

Arguably, the poem expresses a disconnect and a lack of understanding between mankind and nature.

Wordsworth was a romantic poet, and the poem could also be lamenting the move away from agriculture that came with the Industrial Revolution.

I really hope you enjoyed the lesson, everyone, and I hope you can see how Wordsworth's ideas around mankind's disconnection from nature is something that's still relevant today and hopefully it might inspire us to think about how we can appreciate the beauty and harmony of nature.

Goodbye, everyone.