IB English
January 11th, 2013
January 11th, 2013
Commentary on
“Anecdote For Fathers”
The
ballad “Anecdote For Fathers” by William Wordsworth portrays how adults seek
for more rationality and logic than children and captures how much adults can
learn from children’s innocence and purity. The poem consists of 15 stanzas à 4
lines. Through this light and simple structure, the simplicity and innocence of
children is underlined. The effect is further emphasized by the simple rhyme
scheme abab. Moreover, in consideration of the title “Anecdote For Fathers,” it
can be observed that the poem is like a teaching little depiction of a
situation while fulfilling the features of a true anecdote: The
characterization of one or more characters, a punchline, and the concentration
on the basics.
Contentwise, the poem can be divided into three parts: The first 6 stanzas are introduction of the father including a short and simple description of his son, a mentioning of the fact that they walk and talk one morning, a reminiscence of their previous home in Kilve, and lastly a description of the setting where he and his son walk together on that morning. The following 8 stanzas are a dialogue between the two figures where the father asks his son whether he would rather live in Kilve or at Liswyn farm. When his son answers that he would rather still live in Kilve, the father does not let go of the question why until the son finally takes the first suggestion that comes into his head when he sees a weather-cock: “At Kilve there was no weather-cock” (line 55). The poem ends with a short reflection of the father upon what he can learn from his son through his simple answer.
It is interesting that the father himself seems to prefer Kilve as a home, which can be interpreted from stanzas three and four (line 9: “My thoughts on former pleasures ran”); but then he pulls himself together to focus on the walk with his son instead of following the train of thought of his “regrets” (line 14). However, it can be assumed that he lies to himself or at least tries to suppress his longing for “Kilve’s delightful shore” (line 10) and their “pleasant home” (line 11) there. He tries to convince himself that he “could not feel a pain” (line 16) with all the good things that he has around him right then (Line 15: “With so much happiness to spare”). The repetition in lines 19 – 20 (“From shade to sunshine (...) from sunshine (...) to shade”) suggests that he thinks that things inevitably change and that life goes on, and also that good things follow on bad things but simultaneously bad things follow on good things. Nature then seems to wake him out of his thoughts completely: Through the acknowledgement of the “birds warbl(ing) round” him, the father seems to realize that there can be joy and freedom through taking things more easy, as he says “each trace of inward sadness had its charm” but comes to the conclusions that living in either place – Kilve or Liswyn farm – should be fine in the end. He sets himself confident with the present situation. Thereafter, he asks his son, where he would “rather be” (line 28), at Kilve or Liswyn farm. His son “careless(ly)” (line 32) answers that he would rather be at Kilve. The father then tediously asks why, which makes him represent most adults’ need for logical evidence and rational thinking. The son’s answer seems to be too simple for the father to understand. It also seems as if he tries to control what the boy prefers by offering him what is at Liswyn farm: “For, here are woods, hills smooth and warm” (line 41). Repeatedly, he questions the child’s answer, which is emphasized be the alliteration in line 47: “Three times to”. Through the constant questioning Edward, as he is called in line 37, feels guilty and may feel to be unable to fulfill his fathers demands; maybe he senses that he hurt or at least surprised his father, which can be interpreted line 46: “He blushed with shame.” However, the child just said what he felt, without reasoning – he just happened to feel that way. As the son senses the father’s disapproval of the answer, he tries to please him by providing the first suggestion that comes into his head when he sees a weather-cock. The weather-cock represents a scientific way of thinking and thereby logic, measurement, and reasoning, and it can be interpreted that in Liswyn, things are more controlled than at Kilve. This could be the real reason why Edward would rather live at Kilve. The father seems to be touched that “the boy (unlocked) his tongue” (line 52), a metaphor that stands for the independent decision of the boy to give an answer, even if any answer, to protect his father’s feelings which also strengthens line 4: “(...) dearly he loves me.” The father finds excellence in the child’s simple answer, even if it was just a pretense, and sees that he can learn from it: Namely that it might be sometimes better to just accept things without any reasoning.
The poem is a great reminder for humans to listen to their spiritual intelligence instead of trying to figure out everything with logic. Wordsworth thereby suggests to accept things and let go of the need for rationalization. It could be the key to more happiness, freedom and easiness of life, features that can also all be found in childhood.
Contentwise, the poem can be divided into three parts: The first 6 stanzas are introduction of the father including a short and simple description of his son, a mentioning of the fact that they walk and talk one morning, a reminiscence of their previous home in Kilve, and lastly a description of the setting where he and his son walk together on that morning. The following 8 stanzas are a dialogue between the two figures where the father asks his son whether he would rather live in Kilve or at Liswyn farm. When his son answers that he would rather still live in Kilve, the father does not let go of the question why until the son finally takes the first suggestion that comes into his head when he sees a weather-cock: “At Kilve there was no weather-cock” (line 55). The poem ends with a short reflection of the father upon what he can learn from his son through his simple answer.
It is interesting that the father himself seems to prefer Kilve as a home, which can be interpreted from stanzas three and four (line 9: “My thoughts on former pleasures ran”); but then he pulls himself together to focus on the walk with his son instead of following the train of thought of his “regrets” (line 14). However, it can be assumed that he lies to himself or at least tries to suppress his longing for “Kilve’s delightful shore” (line 10) and their “pleasant home” (line 11) there. He tries to convince himself that he “could not feel a pain” (line 16) with all the good things that he has around him right then (Line 15: “With so much happiness to spare”). The repetition in lines 19 – 20 (“From shade to sunshine (...) from sunshine (...) to shade”) suggests that he thinks that things inevitably change and that life goes on, and also that good things follow on bad things but simultaneously bad things follow on good things. Nature then seems to wake him out of his thoughts completely: Through the acknowledgement of the “birds warbl(ing) round” him, the father seems to realize that there can be joy and freedom through taking things more easy, as he says “each trace of inward sadness had its charm” but comes to the conclusions that living in either place – Kilve or Liswyn farm – should be fine in the end. He sets himself confident with the present situation. Thereafter, he asks his son, where he would “rather be” (line 28), at Kilve or Liswyn farm. His son “careless(ly)” (line 32) answers that he would rather be at Kilve. The father then tediously asks why, which makes him represent most adults’ need for logical evidence and rational thinking. The son’s answer seems to be too simple for the father to understand. It also seems as if he tries to control what the boy prefers by offering him what is at Liswyn farm: “For, here are woods, hills smooth and warm” (line 41). Repeatedly, he questions the child’s answer, which is emphasized be the alliteration in line 47: “Three times to”. Through the constant questioning Edward, as he is called in line 37, feels guilty and may feel to be unable to fulfill his fathers demands; maybe he senses that he hurt or at least surprised his father, which can be interpreted line 46: “He blushed with shame.” However, the child just said what he felt, without reasoning – he just happened to feel that way. As the son senses the father’s disapproval of the answer, he tries to please him by providing the first suggestion that comes into his head when he sees a weather-cock. The weather-cock represents a scientific way of thinking and thereby logic, measurement, and reasoning, and it can be interpreted that in Liswyn, things are more controlled than at Kilve. This could be the real reason why Edward would rather live at Kilve. The father seems to be touched that “the boy (unlocked) his tongue” (line 52), a metaphor that stands for the independent decision of the boy to give an answer, even if any answer, to protect his father’s feelings which also strengthens line 4: “(...) dearly he loves me.” The father finds excellence in the child’s simple answer, even if it was just a pretense, and sees that he can learn from it: Namely that it might be sometimes better to just accept things without any reasoning.
The poem is a great reminder for humans to listen to their spiritual intelligence instead of trying to figure out everything with logic. Wordsworth thereby suggests to accept things and let go of the need for rationalization. It could be the key to more happiness, freedom and easiness of life, features that can also all be found in childhood.
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