Formalism
Daffodils by William Wordsworth
In the poem Daffodils, the speaker's vision of dancing golden daffodils demonstrates the
influence of memory and imagination on emotional experiences.
The poem begins with the speaker walking like a lonely cloud, personally experiencing the
world on his own way. Just like a cloud that moves, the speaker’s mind wanders in a carefree
journey as he sets his sight on the dancing daffodils. He compares the thousands of daffodils to
the stars, as the rows of the flowers seem to not have an end, which gives him a relaxing mood,
unveiling wonders and mysteries. He then sees a bay near the daffodils where the waves sparkle,
yet the serene presence of the flowers was more joyful as it accompanied him. The speaker’s
image of watching the daffodils shows how imagination, or inward eye, as used in the poem,
creates a path for joy to pass from the past memories to the present.
The speaker describes the image in a nostalgic way where he sees graceful flowers
performing with their petals as their wings. In this enchanting show, the speaker perceives each
movement as crowds who are moving, making a deeper connection with nature. The amazing
beauty of nature and its potential to express it in delicate ways are also symbolized by daffodils.
As such, this symbolism supports the poem's underlying message that people ought to pay more
attention to nature—that they ought to slow down, examine it more intently, and be in awe of its
amazing diversity of features. The speaker also draws a connection between happiness and
imagination throughout, especially when it comes to the ability of imagination to revive memories,
if not bring them back to life, which shows that this process is a significant aspect of what it means
to be joyful and alive.
