The Prelude: Book XII

Blog post: Book 12 Response Victoria Sosa
In Wordsworth’s Prelude, Book XII he begins with contrasts of peace and excitation, the city compared to his rural neighborhood, nature and mankind. I believe that he’s saying that Nature emphasizes our self knowledge and experience, yet it is us up to us to acknowledge it. He puts a lot of emphasis on truth with the connection between him and nature and opening his mind. It seems when he escapes to Nature, it’s because he feels a sense of trust and steadiness and consistency of Nature. Wordsworth goes on to criticize society’s politics with “false philosophy… false thought” to expose the greed that we have been succumbed to due to society. He describes wealth as “lodged” into our minds and seems to be deeply disturbed by the city/urban lifestyle. Or that he might just be open to realize the real beauty is in our own world which creates itself, something not man-made yet connected to us.
Wordsworth comments in lines 85-88 about how rare a creature (“one in 10,000?”) is to be more into the spirit or the soul of someone than the superficial, and to not conform to social norms. From here Wordsworth goes on to describe the ultimate goal of man is to achieve “real worth, genuine knowledge and true power of mind.” Which I believe tunes in to his philosophical views throughout the poem. He goes on to describe our bodies as the frame and under our weight lies something deeper, such as our soul. We are more than we can merely imagine. He continues to use a contrast of images throughout the poem that entails intertwining qualities such as “from that great city—else it must have been a heart-depressing wilderness.” Here he puts adjectives that contrast the subject like great in front of city that he’s describing as heart-depressing and the wilderness is related to nature which I believe in his eyes would be positive.
I feel throughout the majority of the poem Wordsworth is venting his dislikes of politics, society, and even cities. He has this back and forth rhythm where he goes into this praising tone of Nature and it’s beauty and vast qualities and then his anger and distaste towards what seems like many social norms and corruptions as well. I believe he makes great points about how nature is right in front of us and yet most people can’t understand its beauty and roles that it plays in our lives and how it can relate to how we live and die. I also like his points on how cities somewhat fuel ignorance like in lines 210-216 “By artificial lights- -how they debase, The many for the pleasure of those few, Effeminately level down the truth, To certain general notions for the sake, Of being understood at once, or else , Through want of better knowledge in the men, Who frame them, flattering thus our self conceit.” Even simply his word choice and syntax make a beautiful yet effective statement that is eloquent and has meaning as well not just pretty words.
Wordsworth wished to connect to man universally by analyze come human character and relations such as child, parent, husband and I think he does a great job in impacting many peoples opinions and views on life itself.