William Wordsworth's Poetry

"Very much in the spirit of Wordsworth himself - who famously remarked that he wished 'either to be considered as a Teacher, or as nothing' - Daniel Robinson has here taught us anew how to read Wordsworth's poetry. Judiciously balancing attention to such larger contexts as intellectual history, politics, and posthumous reputation with consideration of such discrete matters as style, language, and form, Robinson presents a fully realized overview of the poet as well as the poetry. Integral to the strength of the volume is the long central chapter, 'Reading Wordsworth's Poetry, ' in which Robinson offers careful, nuanced readings of the poetry of the 'great decade' (1797-1807), all the while locating this work in conversation with Dorothy Wordsworth, Coleridge, Hazlitt, and others. Robinson's guide will be essential reading not only for first-time readers, but also for returning students and scholars in search of a clear presentation and penetrating analysis of Wordsworth's greatest poetry."--Sanford Lakoff