Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · English Literature

    Course version: 9ET0 · Version from Sept 2015

    Poetry – Section B: Specified Poetry Pre- or Post-1900 – Pre-1900 – The…

    Full specification wording

    Component 3: Poetry – Section B: Specified Poetry Pre- or Post-1900 – Pre-1900 – The Romantic Period – English Romantic Verse, editor David Wright (Penguin Classics, 1973): Lines Written in Early Spring William Wordsworth

    In this lyrical ballad, the speaker sits in a woodland grove, observing the harmony and vitality of the natural world.

    Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9ET0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 3 of 16
    • 3 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    In this lyrical ballad, the speaker sits in a woodland grove, observing the harmony and vitality of the natural world. The poem contrasts the joyful interconnectedness of nature—represented by the periwinkle, birds, and budding twigs—with the sorrowful state of humanity. The speaker laments "what man has made of man," highlighting the alienation of human society from the natural order during the Industrial Revolution. Structurally, the poem uses simple quatrains with an ABAB rhyme scheme, reflecting the accessible, democratic ideals of Romanticism.

    What earns the marks

    • Analyse the use of personification to give nature a conscious, joyful agency.
    • Evaluate the contrast between the harmony of the natural world and human discord.
    • Discuss the significance of the ABAB rhyme scheme and ballad meter in conveying Romantic ideals.
    • Explore the contextual influence of the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution on the speaker's lament.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Assuming the poem is purely a celebration of nature.

      Put it right: Acknowledge the underlying melancholy and critique of human society that drives the poem's central conflict.

    • Ignoring the specific historical context of the late 18th century.

      Put it right: Connect the phrase "what man has made of man" to the societal shifts of the Industrial Revolution and political disillusionment.

    • Treating the simple structure as lacking depth.

      Put it right: Explain how the accessible ballad form deliberately aligns with Wordsworth's aim to write in the language really used by men.

    Exam tips

    • Compare the personification of nature in this poem with other Romantic works to highlight Wordsworth's specific pantheistic views.
    • Focus on the sensory language and active verbs used to describe the flora and fauna to demonstrate nature's vitality.
    • Use the recurring phrase "what man has made of man" as a focal point for discussing the poem's philosophical message.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Component 3: Poetry – Section B: Specified Poetry Pre- or Post-1900 – Pre-1900 – The Romantic Period – English Romantic Verse, editor David Wright (Penguin Classics, 1973): Lines Written in Early Spring William Wordsworth lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    What is the central contrast explored by the speaker in William Wordsworth's 'Lines Written in Early Spring'?

    Listen

    In this lyrical ballad, the speaker sits in a woodland grove, observing the harmony and vitality of the natural world. The poem contrasts the joyful interconnectedness of nature—represented by the periwinkle, birds, and budding twigs—with the sorrowful state of humanity. The speaker laments "what man has made of man," highlighting the alienation of human society from the natural order during the Industrial Revolution. Structurally, the poem uses simple quatrains with an ABAB rhyme scheme, reflecting the accessible, democratic ideals of Romanticism. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Analyse the use of personification to give nature a conscious, joyful agency. Evaluate the contrast between the harmony of the natural world and human discord. Discuss the significance of the ABAB rhyme scheme and ballad meter in conveying Romantic ideals. Explore the contextual influence of the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution on the speaker's lament. A common slip: Assuming the poem is purely a celebration of nature. Instead, Acknowledge the underlying melancholy and critique of human society that drives the poem's central conflict. Exam tip: Compare the personification of nature in this poem with other Romantic works to highlight Wordsworth's specific pantheistic views.

    See it

    A top-down flowchart with eight nodes. The first node reads 'Speaker sits in a woodland grove' and points to 'Observes harmony and vitality of nature', which points to 'Periwinkle, birds and budding twigs', which points to 'Nature personified as conscious and joyful'. That points to 'Contrast with the sorrowful state of humanity', which points to 'Lament: what man has made of man', which points to 'Human society alienated from the natural order', which finally points to 'Nature as blueprint for human happiness and moral goodness'.
    This flowchart shows how the speaker's observation of nature leads to the contrast with humanity and the poem's lament and philosophical message.

    Put it in order

    Put these steps in the order they happen.

    1. 1. Contrast with the sorrowful state of humanity
    2. 2. Nature as blueprint for human happiness and moral goodness
    3. 3. Lament: what man has made of man
    4. 4. Speaker sits in a woodland grove
    5. 5. Observes harmony and vitality of nature
    6. 6. Human society alienated from the natural order
    7. 7. Periwinkle, birds and budding twigs
    8. 8. Nature personified as conscious and joyful

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Nature and harmony

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Humanity's alienation

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Joy and melancholy

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Nature and harmony
    The joyful interconnectedness of the natural world, represented by the periwinkle, birds and budding twigs, which the speaker observes while sitting in a woodland grove.
    Humanity's alienation
    The sorrowful separation of human society from the natural order, lamented by the speaker as "what man has made of man" during the Industrial Revolution.
    Joy and melancholy
    The contrast between the vitality of the natural world and the speaker's underlying sorrow and critique of human society, which drives the poem's central conflict.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A top-down flowchart with eight nodes. The first node reads 'Speaker sits in a woodland grove' and points to 'Observes harmony and vitality of nature', which points to 'Periwinkle, birds and budding twigs', which points to 'Nature personified as conscious and joyful'. That points to 'Contrast with the sorrowful state of humanity', which points to 'Lament: what man has made of man', which points to 'Human society alienated from the natural order', which finally points to 'Nature as blueprint for human happiness and moral goodness'.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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