Nature and Time in the Given Poems of Coleridge, Keats and Wordsworth

The three poems - 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' (Coleridge), 'La Belle Dame sans Merci' (Keats) and 'Daffodils' (Wordsworth) belong to the same historical and literary period (of Romantic poetry). Thus they have similar visions toward nature and time that they pay high respect to nature and believe that past has a lasting effect on present and future.

            Explanation of beauty of nature is perhaps the most significant characteristic of literature of their time. Along with appreciation of its beauty, these three poems perceive nature as something great, God-like, thus it deserves high value and respects from human beings. The same beliefs are reflected in the three poems under question.

            'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Coleridge can be taken as an exposition of interrelationship between human beings and other entities of nature. With the mariner being punished for his deed against the Albatross, the poem has suggested that human beings must pay high price for our acts against nature. Similarly, the poem suggests that the sin against nature is the sin against God. Therefore it can be claimed that the poem gives nature equal position to god.

            In close reading of Part II only, there are enough evidences to prove that the Albatross stands for nature. In very surface level it is so as the bird belongs to nature. But besides that, the bird Albatross has represented other forces of nature like wind, fog and water. The mariner has claimed, "I had killed the bird / that made the breeze to blow… that brought the fog and mist" (Coleridge 56). And, punishment for killing of this bird, the sin against nature / God is so severe - "'Twas sad as sad can be…", "Water, water, everywhere / Nor any drop to drink" (Coleridge 57). Not only the sinner mariner, those other who accompany him also suffer a lot for they gave company to the crime against nature.

            In 'La Belle Dame sans Merci' by Keats, nature is associated with both protagonistic and antagonistic forces. If the knight-at-arms is taken as the protagonist, the lady (without mercy) that he met can represent antagonist force. In the knight's part; "the sedge withered", "(no) birds (sing)", "a lily", "anguish moist and fever dew", "a fading rose" in his cheeks, and "the cold hill's side" are components of nature. In the lady's part, "roots of relish sweet / and honey wild, and manna dew" (Keats 61) represent nature. Interestingly, all the natural images connected to the knight are pale and anguish as his psychological condition is. In this regard, the portrayal of nature in this poem is not as great as in other poems. Nevertheless, it presents natural force as not only powerful and attractive, but also enticing, enthralling and seductive. Thus, it also glorifies nature indirectly suggesting people to maintain good and respectful relationship with it.

            In Wordsworth's 'Daffodils', the nature has been so beautifully glorified that it is associated with all positive feelings and emotions. Here, the flowers of daffodils are central entities to represent nature, beside others (vales, hills, lakes, trees, stars, waves etc). The speaker in the poem has presented all these as sources of his happiness - "A poet could not but be gay / In such a jocund company… What wealth the show to me had brought" (Wordsworth 65). Similarly, inhuman entities of nature, especially the daffodils, are personified in this poem - "A host of golden daffodils / Besides the lake, beneath the trees / Fluttering and dancing in the breeze" (Wordsworth 65). This personification has further empowered nature as if it can do everything a human being can do.  By the end of the poem, the speaker explains that nature and human beings are together for happiness of each other - "And then my heart with pleasure fills / And dances with the daffodils" (Wordsworth 66). In this manner, the poem presents nature as the supreme source of human happiness, and also as empowered parallel force that can give them a reliable company in their happy lives.

            Wordsworth defines poetry as "the spontaneous overflow of powerful emotions recollected in tranquility." In this definition itself, we can observe his view toward time. According to this definition, powerful emotions of past are recollected in tranquility; thus those feelings from past have effects on present. In similar way, it can be suggested that the past and present can also influence future as well. Thus, he believes that change in time is in interconnected sequence: the past always has an effect on present and future, thus past can never be forgotten. This attitude is shared in all the three poems being discussed.   

            'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' explains how past actions result into one's experiences in future. The poem quite clearly suggests that human beings get in present whatever they had given in past: if one has committed sin (against nature / God) in past, s/he is sure to be punished for that deed in present as the mariner has been punished for his killing of the Albatross. By an extension, the poem can be interpreted to suggest that if nature was destroyed in past and present, people are sure to face calamities and punishments in different forms in present and future. Thus, with interconnections among different times, the poem has asked the humanity to conserve, protect and promote nature so as to live a happy life in all times.

            So happens in 'La Belle Dame sans Merci'. The first three and the final stanzas of the poem belong to present and the rest is for narration of past. The knight-at-arms is still "alone", "palely loitering" and "with anguish" as effect of the experience he had with "the beautiful woman without pity." In present, there is no any reason to be unhappy - "The squirrel's granary is full / And the harvest's done" (Keats 60). But still the painful experience of the past is haunting the knight - "And this is why I sojourn here / Alone and palely loitering" (Keats 62).

            'Daffodils' so perfectly catches Wordsworth's definition of poetry, thus very clearly signifies interconnections between past and present. The first three stanzas of the poem are "the spontaneous overflow of powerful emotions" experienced in the past, whereas the final one is their "recollection in tranquility." Here the memory of past filled in with beautiful experiences has created bliss and pleasure in the speaker's present life.

            These poems glorify nature as the supreme and God-like force that transcends spatio-temporal limitations. And, they also signify interconnection between and among different moments of time as discussed above.    

Works Cited

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. "The Rime of Ancient Mariner". Now Read On. Ed. John McRae and Malachi Edwin Vethamani. New York: Routledge, 1999.

Keats, John. "La Belle Dame sans Merci". Now Read On. Ed. John McRae and Malachi Edwin Vethamani. New York: Routledge, 1999.

Wordsworth, William. "Daffodils". Now Read On. Ed. John McRae and Malachi Edwin Vethamani. New York: Routledge, 1999.