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Kumara The Prelude
The guest speakers had a difficult job in presenting The Prelude in 45 minutes and they did well, I thought. More reading from the text to illustrate their points would have helped anyone new to the work gain an insight into what is about, its style and power, as Stephen Gill did, with his reading from Book 2. I was disappointed with the lack of clarity about the different editions of the work and with the exposition on the Spots of Time episodes. These passages, it seems to me, are fundamental in understanding WW’s intentions in the poem.The Spots of Time, for example the Girl with the Pitcher, the Blind Beggar and the Discharged Soldier, are all significant moments of insight, not merely ‘fructifying’ or ‘renovating’, as are the daffodils in I Wandered Lonely…. These moments are not joyful, nor elevating, they are disturbing and deeply felt. In re-visiting these moments in memory, the poet begins a process of self exploration. The Spots of Time moments are not initially understood by the poet, but are intensely felt, almost traumatising. On successive re-visiting and in looking closely at them and his responses, he is coming to the heart of why he feels is a poet and what it is he has to say that is so important. He is tapping the well-springs of his creativity. Stephen Gill commented on WW the pre-Freudian. The poem as a whole is self-analytical, self exploratory and honest and brave. An examined life.
Braggs Newsletter Re Wordsworth
Best yet!Thoroughly enjoyed his missive.Keep up thte good work!
Fell walking isn't a moral necessity
In his newsletter Melvyn focuses on "theradical idea that Wordsworth had which was that morality could be found not in ancient wisdom or in ancient books, but in a proper address to and a proper openness to nature." Radical maybe, wrong certainly. The Nazi's made a cult of nature, you must have seen the black and white pictures of Hitler youth going for happy rambles. As a fellow Cumbrian, I recognise that a walk up one of the gentler fells can be pleasant (on the rare days it doesn't rain!) but it has nothing to do with morality.
Carolyn - The Prelude
I enjoyed the discussion, but if IOT had been broadcast 120 years ago, it might not have devoted a whole programme to the subject! This is from a copy of 'The Poetical Works of Wordsworth': "Publishers' Preface - This present edition of Wordsworth has been carefully revised, and numerous additions have been made to it. It now comprises all the Poet's best and finest poems (with his latest corrections), and is indeed complete, with the exception of 'The Prelude,' his last work which was published after his death, and is not generally considered equal to his former poems. Bedford Street, Strand, March 1888"
Peter Bolt: Wordworth
Wordsworth also gave us, I think, the best description of Wisdom found in literature."Wisdom doth live with children round her kness"
J. Lambert: Wordsworth
Wordsworth said it was glorious in that dawn of the French Revolution to be alive. But, typical poet, he forgot to say where. are we all sure he meant France and not in the English Lakelands?
The Prelude
Lovely programme, thankyou. May I put in a request that the BBC broadcast Samuel West reading the entire 'Prelude' as an Afternoon Play - in a similar way to the gorgeous reading that West did of Louis MacNiece's 'Autumn Journal' a while back? I ached to hear the poem read aloud, as your guests discussed it ...
Wordsworth
First of all, when Bragg introduced the contributors, I was very disappointed that Jonathan Bate (announced in the Radio Times)was not among them. However, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to all the speakers in what turned out to be a most illuminating, insightful discussion.As a teacher of A level English, a therapist, and also a parent and grandparent, I agree that Wordsworth was ahead of his - and perhaps our - time in his perception of the links between early nurturing, opportunities to experience the natural world, and the development of the imagination; and the development of morality and empathy. I appreciated the way the speakers emphasised the importance of embodiment in Wordsworth's poems. I feel that today's predominant educational system fails adequately to address these needs; many children grows up with atrophied imaginations and sense of emppathy, and that is one reason why some go on to behave in anti social and criminal ways. Children at the academic end of the spectrum are also somewhat deprived, of the sense of being totally present in their bodies in the way that Wordswoth and his friends experienced during their childhood. A totally absorbing programme; at 9.45 I was wanting to hear more. I look forward to hearing about Fibonacci next week.
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