The Theme Of Childhood In We Are Seven, By William Wordsworth

As a romantic poet, William Wordsworth tempers with the idea of childhood, just as many romantic poets focus on children and their innocence. In his poems “We Are Seven” and “Lucy Grey” also known as “Solitude,” Wordsworth offers his readers the vantage point of viewing children in a new light. Wordsworth suggests reciprocal learning occurs between adults and children. Specifically in these two poems, children epitomize conventional discourses that need to be challenged in life. In “We Are Seven” Wordsworth paints the picture of a simple, innocent child before continuing with story which teaches readers how children 's’ simplistic views on life and death are worth consideration. As he begins setting up his story he gives the young girl ethos …show more content…
The last two lines he leaves readers with immediately before the story are: “Her eyes were fair; and very fair; / — Her beauty made me glad.” (11, 12). Often times it is the most recent words people remember, Wordsworth wanted to leave his readers with this sentiment about the child; she is a trusting character in the poem. No longer is she depersonalized, Wordsworth gave her a singular pronoun, which is the start to why the reader should trust her. Then he describes her eyes as fair and calls her beautiful. Often times poets make people’s appearances match their personalities because they do not have the time to set up deep characterization, this is the case here as well. People often trust others with appearances that are pleasing to their eye. Fair eyes refer to her youth which interplays with her honesty, genuineness, and ultimately her trust-worthiness. Ultimately, Wordsworth defines the young girl as a reliable character, worthy of time and …show more content…
She challenges ideas about life and death because she insists he has seven siblings, although two are dead. Regardless in stanzas 11 and 12 she expresses how their presence is forever with her. Even though she has lost two siblings, she knits stockings with them, hems her kerchief alongside them “And sing a song to them (41, 42, 44). Despite these views on life, her reference to God in line 51 suggests she has a religion. Instead it is her simple view of life and nature that brings her stubborn, unchanging conclusion that she has seven brothers and sisters. Live comes from death, for green grass grows healthily above graves (37), a perfect place for the young girl to play. Since the poet let the girl have the last word and their conversation was so long when it could have ended earlier or been a much shorter poem, one can assume the author left the girl in thought about their