'It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free' by William Wordsworth

Although he passed away in 1850, William Wordsworth's contribution to poetry is still felt today. Born in England, Wordsworth became one of the founders of Romantic poetry.

His poems have a large natural and spiritual focus. He also strove to incorporate everyday speech in his poems – he wanted his poetry to reflect the language used by everyday people, not the language used by the upper classes or the very wealthy.

In his poem, It is a beauteous evening, calm and free, we see the merging of three things – Wordsworth's spirituality, his use of everyday speech and elements associated with Romanticism.


Let's recap

The elements of Romanticism:

  • Intense emotions expressed (including speaking out against oppression)

  • Nature as a source of inspiration

  • Rejection of logic and science

  • Personal experiences shared

  • An exploration of the unknown

octave sets up the issue of the story

sestet does the solution

iambic pentameter

emjambement enhances fluidity

religious diction

interjection, caesura

last 3 sestet lines

petrachan sonnet