Abstract: William Wordsworth, a great thinker and poet, arouses great attention both at home and abroad. He mentions frequently the question of life and death in his representative poetry, Lucy Poems. Nevertheless, his particular life consciousness is often ignored or overlooked by students and critics. Actually, the well-known poet’s natural poems contain another poetic theme that is his meditation about life and death. In Wordsworth’s consideration, life and death roots in nature. And his ambivalent attitude forms a peculiar literary phenomenon. On the one side, he worships the Nature God who creates the world and gives us life. On the other side, Nature is also cruel and unmerciful. Facing with the transience and fragility of life, he is not only fear for death, but also hope to understand the true meaning of death and gain the eternal soul. 

Key words: William Wordsworth; Lucy Poems; life consciousness; death; nature

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Wordsworth’s Life Consciousness in Lucy Poems-3

2.1 Life and Death in Nature-4

2.2 Ambivalence Toward Nature-5

2.3 Happiness in Solitude-7

3. The Attitude towards Death in Lucy Poems-9

3.1 Fear for Death-9

3.2 Hope For Eternity-10

3.3 Death Is Inevitable-12

4. The Foundation of Wordsworth’s Life Consciousness-13

4.1 Social Background-13

4.2 Religious Background-15

4.3 Personal Experiences-16

5. Conclusion-19

References-21