Introduction: Tintern Abbey

Tintern Abbey is located in Tintern, Chepstow, Monmouthshire Wye Valley. It was

found in 1131 by the Cistercian order. The monastery came to its end durin the 1!3"
by #irst $uppression Act of %in &enry VIII. The monastery was disbanded and all its
oods became property of the state.
Introduction to the 'omantic (eriod
)nland and *ermany made up the stronest component of the 'omantic Mo+ement.
The period started in 1,-. mar/ed by the publication of Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth
and Coleride and ended in 1.30 with the &ymns to the 1iht by 1o+alis. The early
part of this mo+ement is also coincides with the American 217763 and #rench 21,.-3
re+olutions and the Industrial 'e+olutions, which had a reat influence o+er this period
2'omanticism3. The /ey elements of 'omantic poetry are4
5awe of nature and the supernatural
5a+ersion to urban life and6 or industriali7ation
5spontaneous and free nature 2not prescribin to the classic rules of poetry3
5the importance of the indi+idual and the ordinary
William Wordsworth 2, April 1,,8 9 03 April 1.!83
:Tintern Abbey; notes
5William Wordsworth was a ma<or )nlish 'omantic poet alon with $amuel Taylor
Coleride, the two of whom are credited with startin the 'omantic Ae in )nlish
literature. :A few Miles abo+e Tintern Abbey;, from Lyrical Ballads, which was co=
authored with Coleride, was written in 1,-.. Wordsworth first +isited the Abbey in
1,-3 at the ae of 03. This poem recounts this second +isit in 1-.- with his sister
>orothy 2Cantor, 088.3. The poem main themes are memories, mortality and familial
lo+e.
#irst stan7a
5Wordsworth uses the repetition of ?fi+e years@, ?fi+e summers@ and ?fi+e lon
winters@ to emphasi7e the lapse of time since his last +isit. This repetition seems
to point to reret, or to lonin o re+isit this site.
>urin the time of his absence, the abbey seems to ha+e remained unchaned.
In the description of the abbey, there is a miA of the wild 2e..4 the wood run
wild3 and of tamed nature 2e..4 pastoral farms3
$hows the solitary nature of the woods 2the hermit sits alone3
(aints a picture of people communin with nature 2 +arant dwellers in the
houseless woods3
$econd $tan7a
The 1arrator departs from spea/in of the present moment to describe how the
memory of the abbey has helped him sur+i+e the :lonely rooms; and :towns
and cities.
Bine 3,4 1ature is described in a reliious6 spiritual way usin +ocabulary
related to spirituality.
Bines 3-=C1 concern the $upernatural and mysteries that are /ey to the
'omantic period.
Bines CC=!8 suest a bond with nature that will be with the narrator till his
death.
Third $tan7a
Bines !"=!. The narrator personifies nature and addresses it by the name of the
local ri+er 2Wye3.
'eturns to the present.
Bines !-="1. &e starts to eApress doubt about the meanin of his relationship
with nature.
#ourth $tan7a
Bines ,0=,!. &e spea/s of the inspiration he recei+ed from nature when he was
youner.
Bines .-=-,. The narrator spea/s of his present mature self, which is more
sophisticated, but, at the same time, is troubled by the burden placed on him
due to his new awareness +ersus the freedom he en<oyed in his youner days.
Bines 18-=110. The narrator reaffirms his belief in natures and states the role of
nature in his life. 2Could the nature in these lines also be referrin to the role of
spirituality in a person@s lifeD3
#ifth $tan7a
This stan7a focuses on death and dyin and ma/es a correlation between youth
and wild passions.
Bastly, in lines 1!"=1"8, the narrator eAplains that, in, future as he did durin
his absence from the Abbey, he will /eep these imaes of nature to help him.
Resources
Photos:
http466literaryi1088.wordpress.com608116816136maria=ra<ti/s=response=to=tintern=abbey6
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http466aliscot.com6ensenan7a6C8336romantic6tintern.htm
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'omanticism. http466academic.broo/lyn.cuny.edu6enlish6melani6cs"6rom.html
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Cantor, 'ebecca. *rade$a+er 2TM3 Classic1otes WordsworthEs (oetical Wor/s4 $tudy
*uide 088., http466www.radesa+er.com6wordsworths=poetical=wor/s6study=
uide6section!6 Accessed -60C610
Tintern Abbey : William Wordsworth - Summary and Critical Analysis. Fachelor and
Masters http466www.bachelorandmaster.com6britishandamericanpoetry6tintern=
abbey.html
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