Three years she grew

Poem analysis

1. Three Years She Grew By William Wordsworth

2. William Wordsworth's poem Three Years She Grew in Sun and Shower, is a lyrical elegy on the untimely demise of Lucy. This poem is also known as 'The Education of Nature', and is considered one of the Lucy poems. Lucy poems are written about an ideal female who is sometimes symbolized as nature, for whom the speaker feels great affection. It was written in the year of 1798 in collaboration with S.T. Coleridge and was published in 1800 in the Lyrical Ballads anthology.

3. In this poem Wordsworth personified Nature. He points out the education of nature, and the great influence nature can exercise on human life. Nature has the power to impart education better than all the sages can. The experiment of nature's education has to be tried on Lucy by Nature itself. Nature thinks that she is the most beautiful thing on earth. Nature takes her to make her ‘a lady of her own’. So, Lucy lived in close communion with the objects of nature, the rocks, the earth, the glades, the heaven, the mountains, the clouds, the trees and the storms. But, before she could be a perfect woman, she was snatched away by the cruel hands of death.

4. Wordsworth's definition of poetry Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.

5. Stanza 1 Three years she grew in sun and shower, ( without any problem ) Then nature said, “a lovelier flower on earth was never sown; This Child I to myself will take; she shall be mine, and I will make A Lady of my own Lucy has grown amidst the beauty of Nature for three years when it was decided that Nature would take up the responsibility of her education. She seems to be the most the beautiful entity on earth and Nature proclaims that Lucy will be the finest flower that will eventually bloom and blossom into a Lady. Lucy will be created in the image of Nature and her well-being will be of immediate attention to Nature.

6. Stanza 2 Myself will to my darling be both law and impulse: and with me The g irl, in rock and plain, In earth and heaven, in glade and bower Shall feel an overseeing power ( god ) To kindle or restrain ( antithesis ) Nature will teach her to act in impulse and will also enunciate that impulse must sometimes be regulated with proper convictions called the law. With Nature, Lucy will take a trip through rocks and plains, learning how to adapt to different situations in life. Through earth and heaven, forest and garden, Nature would accompany Lucy where she would feel the governing laws of nature. She would thereby gain the power of inspiration and self-control to govern her life and that would mold Lucy into a perfect being.

7. Stanza 3 She shall be sportive as the fawn ( young deer ) That wild with glee across the lawn Or up the mountain springs; And hers shall be the breathing balm, ( fragrance ) And hers the silence and the calm Of mute insensate things ( lifeless ) Lucy will be as frolicsome like a deer with wild glee and untamed joy. She would possess the vital strength and energy to climb mountains or go upstream a river, and from the frantic merriment, she would eventually learn the lessons of life. In contrast to the playfulness, Lucy will also learn the significance of quietude, and she will come to possess the knowledge that eventually soothes souls. She will embrace the glory of silence and seclusion and calmness of being which would add up to her prosperous nature.

8. Stanza 4 The floating clouds their state shall lend To her;for her the willow bend Nor shall she fail to see Even in the motions of the storm Grace that shall mould the Maiden’s form By silent sympathy The fluffy clouds will lend themselves as her pillow, and in their softness, she would solace. Even a willow will bend to embrace a girl like Lucy and she will eventually learn the virtue of modesty. She will be perfected into a humane form and in moments of turmoil or a storm, Lucy will be filled and fulfilled with politeness, decency, propriety, poise, and charm. She will become the epitome of well-being and will be overflowing with sympathy and empathy bestowed with the ability to look into human-condition. She will learn to be graceful both in the face of storm and silence.

9. Stanza 5 T h e stars of midnight shall be dear To her; and she shall lean her ear In many a secret place Where rivulets dance their wayward round And beauty born of murmuring sound shall pass into her face The stars will be her guide and be endearing to Lucy. Lucy will have the privilege to peep into the secrets of Nature that are left hidden. She will gather the grace of movement and stillness from the dancing stream of water. The beauty of sound generated by the rapidity of passing water would mold into the beauty of Lucy’s face. She shall bear Nature on her face. The beauty will be born with a soft murmuring sound that would beautify her and make her face adorable.

10. Stanza 6 And vital feelings of delight shall rear her form to stately height her virgin bosom swell; such thoughts to Lucy I will give While she and I together live Here in this happy dell ( small valley ) The vital invigorating and lovely feelings would be Lucy’s constant company that will mold her with grace and devotion till she attains lofty spiritual heights. She will be an incarnation of an ideal state in relation to mind and body. The docile girl will grow eventually to attain womanhood. Her virgin body will attain the state of physical and spiritual enlightenment. She will be ripe with nature’s bounty having the prospect to procreate. Nature will be her sole proprietor and vows to impregnate her with thoughts divine, till they live together in the blissful lush green valleys and wooded valley. Nature would nurture Lucy’s thoughts to maturity.

11. Stanza 7 Thus Nature spake- the work was done How soon my Lucy’s race was run! ( end of life ) She died, and left to me This heath, this calm, and quiet scene; The memory of what has been, And never more will be. In the last stanza, Nature declares that her work is done and she has executed her promise as Lucy has grown to become an idolatress, no longer needed on earth. The poet now intervenes and states that Lucy has grown to become Nature and thus has died. She has left the poet to experience a vacancy of emotions and memories to rejoice upon. The poet mournfully states that her death has left a barren land, a calm and quiet scene of vacuity. The poem ends with a declaration that Lucy is lost forever, leaving behind a trail of memories.