Throughout this report, I will discuss the life of William Wordsworth. This includes his childhood, the tragic loss of his parents at a young age, reuniting with his sister, his close friendship with fellow writer Samuel T. Coleridge, and his various travels.

Also, I will discuss Lyrical Ballads, arguably his greatest work or "magnum opus." Lyrical Ballads is a collection of 24 poems. I will explain what this volume of poetry contains, what some of these poems mean, and the literary techniques he uses to enhance his writing.

I will also examine The Prelude, which some also regard as his "magnum opus." This poem is actually Wordsworth's autobiography, which is a rather unique way to write about your own life. Once again, I will discuss what this poem is about, what it means, and

"Throughout the poem, Wordsworth shows that even though the direction of their lives may be different, their humanness is the same." They both have their own independent thoughts and feelings about various subjects such as the changing of the seasons and politics. Some similarities exist as well such as their longing to help others and their desire to love and be loved. One (Harry Gill) already experiences the latter feeling to a degree through his family while Goody Blake has no meaning of love. When their two lives cross, they seem to combine and become one and the same. No only does Harry Gill begin to love Goody Blake like a mother figure, he also fulfills his wish to help others who are in need. Goody Blake, in turn, learns to love Harry's family and help them whenever possible. "At the end of this poem, as Goody Blake is lying on her death bed, she thanks Harry for giving her a chance to be human again."

The Ruined Cottage, also known as The Excursion by some, is considered to be William Wordsworth's best poem outside of his collections. This work is praised by fans and critics alike for its ingenuity and originality.

Instead of becoming discouraged with the failure of his first published works, he tried harder to give the people a new style they would accept. In 1795, he published The Borderers, which was a moderate success. When he went to Halifax to visit his sister, she assisted him by raising his spirits and ensuring him of success. She began to accompany him wherever he went. Dorothy was the first influence on his writing. "In August of the same year, he met Samuel T. Coleridge." Coleridge was the second influence on his writing. During the time they spent together, they planned to jointly release a volume of poetry which would be released at a later date. This volume of poetry, called Lyrical Ballads, was released in September of 1798 to much criticism and debate. The critics couldn't sway public opinion, however, and Lyrical Ballads was a huge success. This collection made Wordsworth instantly famous and also started the literary movement known as Romanticism.

In a surprising departure for Wordsworth, this is one of his few narrative poems. The Idiot Boy could've been easy turned into a short story. "Wordsworth decided to stick to his poetic roots and develop the story into stanza form." While it is a difficult way to present a story, Wordsworth seemed to effortlessly make the story as a poem. Another shock is that with the exception of the birds, this is the only Wordsworth poem that doesn't use nature as a theme. Instead, for one time only, Wordsworth opts to use the theme of conflict. "It would've been quite a difficult task to work nature into a purely human disagreement." Throughout the poem, the tension mounts between the mother and son, finally ending in an outburst of anger and subsequent departure from home for the son. However, as in most if not all stories involving a conflict, everything is resolved at the end and the family is reunited once again. Rhythm once again presents itself to move the story along smoothly to each stanza.

This poem is one of Wordsworth's longer poems, at 92 stanzas of five lines each. Symbolism is used to covey the emotions of the mother and her son. "Symbols such as the striking of the clock and the chirping of the birds show that the mother is always waiting for the day her son will return to her." Throughout the poem, the mother is always checking the clock when the clock strikes at certain hours. The birds symbolize the beginning of a new day, a day that will hopefully culminate in seeing her son walk through the door.

The Last of the Flock is a story about a sheepherder who is careless and clumsy. The sheepherder never does his job properly, as he is either falling asleep or never paying attention. Basically, the sheep fend for themselves. Soon, someone begins to steal the sheep but the herder doesn't care enough to find t

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Approximate Word count = 7644
Approximate Pages = 31 (250 words per page double spaced)