Lines Written in Early Spring (AQA GCSE English Literature)

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“Lines Written in Early Spring”

Each poetry anthology at GCSE contains 15 poems, and in your exam question you will be given one poem – printed in full – and asked to compare this printed poem to another from the anthology. As this is a closed-book exam, you will not have access to the second poem, so you will have to know it from memory. Fifteen poems is a lot to revise. However, understanding four things will enable you to produce a top-grade response:

The meaning of the poem
The ideas and messages of the poet
How the poet conveys these ideas through their methods
How these ideas compare and contrast with the ideas of other poets in the anthology

Below is a guide to William Wordsworth’s poem “Lines Written in Early Spring”, from the Worlds and Lives anthology. It includes:

Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations
Writer’s methods: an exploration of the poet’s techniques and methods
Context: an exploration of the context of the poem, relevant to its themes
What to compare it to: ideas about which poems to compare it to in the exam

Exam Tip

“Lines Written in Early Spring” is part of the Worlds and Lives anthology of poems, and the exam question asks you to compare the ideas presented in two of these anthology poems, specifically related to the ideas of worlds and lives. The collection focuses on universal themes, which relate to our relationships and connections with places, as well as ideas about home and heritage.

It is therefore just as important that you learn how “Lines Written in Early Spring” compares and contrasts with other poems in the anthology as understanding the poem in isolation. See the section below on What to compare it to for detailed comparisons of “Lines Written in Early Spring” and other poems in the anthology.

Overview

In order to answer an essay question on any poem, it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:

The poem in a nutshell
A “translation” of the poem, section by section
A commentary of each of these sections, outlining William Wordsworth’s intention and message

“Lines Written in Early Spring” in a nutshell

“Lines Written in Early Spring”, written by the Romantic poet William Worsdworth, explores complex emotions related to nature and humanity’s place in the world. During his close observations of his natural surroundings, he sees harmony and finds a personal connection with his environment. However, this leads him to consider whether humanity has forgotten this bond.

“Lines Written in Early Spring” breakdown

Lines 1–4

“I heard a thousand blended notes,

While in a grove I sate reclined,

In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts

Bring sad thoughts to the mind.”

Translation

The poem begins by describing the speaker’s experience as he sits in a grove
Although the mood is positive and “sweet”, the speaker hears a variety of sounds
The speaker refers to pleasant thoughts that then bring sad thoughts to mind

Wordworth’s intention

Wordsworth refers to the mixed emotions his narrator feels in the pastoral setting
The speaker suggests they are overwhelmed by thoughts and feelings
The “blended sounds” refer to the contrasting emotions experienced:

Positive thoughts about nature can also create negative ones

Lines 5–8

“To her fair works did Nature link

The human soul that through me ran;

And much it grieved my heart to think

What man has made of man.”

Translation

The speaker considers how the beauty of nature connects the soul with the universe
However, they are saddened to reflect on what humankind has done to itself

Wordsworth’s intention

Wordsworth introduces ideas typically found in Romantic poetry:

The poem raises ideas about human emotions and inner turmoil

Wordsworth finds that nature brings him closer to the universe and his soul
However, while finding a connection with nature, we are reminded of the impact of human beings in the world:

Wordsworth may be referring to violence between “man” and “man”, or to society’s departure from their inner worlds and connection with nature

Lines 9–12

“Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,

The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;

And ’tis my faith that every flower

Enjoys the air it breathes.”

Translation

The speaker describes what they see in the grove
They describe the flowers (primroses and periwinkle) and the green tree branches
The speaker believes every flower enjoys being part of nature

Wordsworth’s intention

Wordsworth’s Romantic poem expresses the beauty of the natural world:

Wordsworth’s speaker observes how other living things feel a joyful connection with the universe, implying a sense of harmony within the natural elements

Lines 13–16

“The birds around me hopped and played,

Their thoughts I cannot measure:—

But the least motion which they made

It seemed a thrill of pleasure.”

Translation

The speaker describes the birds as cheerful and playful
The speaker says they cannot guess the thoughts of animals, but they seem happy in simple activities

Wordsworth’s intention

Wordsworth considers a disconnection between humans and animals as the speaker finds themself unable to communicate with them
Wordsworth’s speaker closely observes how other living things have the ability to find joy in the simplicity of life

Lines 17–20

“The budding twigs spread out their fan,

To catch the breezy air;

And I must think, do all I can,

That there was pleasure there.”

Translation

The speaker observes how the buds on a tree’s branches appear to surrender themselves to the elements
The speaker believes that this action brings pleasure

Wordsworth’s intention

Wordsworth uses natural imagery to convey Romantic ideas:

He implies there is pleasure in the natural elements
He seems to suggest a sense of harmony between all living things

Lines 21–24

“If this belief from heaven be sent,

If such be Nature’s holy plan,

Have I not reason to lament

What man has made of man?”

Translation

The speaker summarises their observations with religious imagery
They wonder if God has provided this experience to make humans question their role in the universe
The speaker says this brings reason to “lament” (to complain about man’s actions)

Wordsworth’s intention

Wordsworth concludes his poem with an unanswered question
He uses two conditional statements to examine the experience:
- If it is God and Nature’s plan to make him consider humanity, then he has even more reason to find a connection with the universe

The speaker asks if his reflections were created by nature or by God:

Exam Tip

Your exam question will ask you to compare how poets present ideas about worlds and lives in the poem given to you on the exam paper, and one other from the Worlds and Lives anthology. It is therefore a good idea to begin your answer using the wording of the question and summarising what the poem tells us about the nature of the world or individual lives. This demonstrates that you have understood the poem and the poet’s intention. For example, “Wordsworth presents ideas about…”

Writer’s methods

Although this section is organised into three separate sections – form, structure and language – it is always best to move from what the poet is presenting (the techniques they use; the overall form of the poem; what comes at the beginning, middle and end of a poem) to how and why they have made the choices they have.

Focusing on the poet’s overarching ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. Crucially, in the sections below, all analysis is arranged by theme, and includes William Wordsworth’s intentions behind his choices in terms of:

Form
Structure
Language

Exam Tip

The last thing examiners want to see is what they call “technique spotting”. This is when students use overly sophisticated terminology unnecessarily (e.g. “polysyndeton”; “epanalepsis”), without explaining how the use of this technique contributes to the meaning of the poem.

Knowing the names of sophisticated techniques will not gain you any more marks, especially if these techniques are only “spotted” and the poet’s intentions for this language is not explained. Instead of technique spotting, focus your analysis on the reasons why the poet is presenting their ideas in the way that they do: what is their message? What ideas are they presenting, or challenging?

Form

The poem is in the form of a ballad, specifically a lyrical ballad. In this way, Wordsworth is able to create a harmonious tone to reflect the way the speaker finds sensory pleasure in their environment. The natural rhythm of speech (a typical convention of Romantic poetry) contributes to the theme of personal introspective reflection.

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Belonging and connection	The poem is divided into six stanzas of quatrains: The stanzas follow a simple ABAB rhyme scheme	Wordsworth presents the harmony and pleasure of nature using a regular rhyme scheme, which contributes to the lyrical(song-like) quality of a folk ballad
	However, in the first stanza, Wordsworth uses a half-rhyme: The rhythm is disrupted by “notes” and “thoughts”	Wordsworth presents some tension within his reflection on nature
	Wordsworth uses a regular ballad form to present ideas about pleasure. However, his lyrical tone is disrupted at times as he considers the dichotomies of his experience

Structure

Wordsworth’s poetry often makes use of an Iambic meter in order to mirror the sound of speech. In “Lines Written in Early Spring”, Wordsworth destabilises the rhythm of speech in order to show the tensions in the speaker’s positive reflections.

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Disconnected relationships	In the first, second and sixth stanzas, three lines of Iambic tetrameter build up the pace: This ends abruptly on a single line of Iambic trimeter This brings attention to the sadder tone of “Bring sad thoughts to the mind”	The change in rhythm conveys the speaker’s abrupt change of mood to signify mixed emotions
	In the third, fourth and fifth stanzas, Wordsworth uses a steadier meter: These stanza alternate lines of tetrameter and trimeter These stanza describe the cheerful activities of the flowers, birds and buds	This balanced rhythm may reflect the joy and calm the speaker feels as they describe their delight with the natural world
	Wordsworth uses a rhetorical questions to end the poem	The poem is left with unresolved conclusions, leaving the reader to consider the poem’s themes
	The poem’s structure reflects the speaker’s changing thought process in order to raise questions about man’s place in the natural world

Language

“Lines Written in Early Spring” is an exploration of humanity’s place in the natural world. Typical of Romantic poetry, Wordsworth describes nature positively as he examines distinctions and connections between humans and other living things.

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Relationships with the world	Wordsworth uses hyperbole and sensory imagery to open the poem: “A thousand blended notes”	In this way, the speaker conveys extreme emotions, typical of Romantic poetry
	Wordsworth uses natural imagery to present his speaker’s experience as they sit in a grove and observe birds, trees and flowers	Employing alliteration to describe the “periwinkles” and “primrose tufts” contributes to the playful and sensual mood
	Wordsworth conveys the speaker’s mixed feelings with contrasting verbs: The birds hop and play, the twigs “spread” and “catch the wind” and the flowers “enjoy” the air However, the speaker still finds reason to complain	The poem presents dichotomiesabout man’s place in the natural world: While the other living things take pleasure in nature, the speaker finds the experience upsetting as it reminds them of disconnections in the human world
	Wordsworth uses religious imagery to present connections in the universe as sacred: He suggests God and Nature have conspired to bring a “holy plan” sent from “heaven” The personification of “Nature” links to Wordsworth’s ideas that God and Nature are connected	Wordsworth presents the sacred and spiritual connection he has to the natural environment: The speaker questions whether God and Nature have sent a warning about man’s relationship with the world
	Wordsworth explores the intimacy of all living things in the natural world and connects this with religion, suggesting that a close connection with nature is sacred and brings tranquillity, an integral idea in Romantic poetry

Exam Tip

Try not to separate “language”, “form” and “structure” into three separate elements you need to include in your answer. To achieve top marks, you need to include an integrated comparison of the themes and ideas in this and the other poems in the anthology, and focus on the relevance of the method used by the poet to the ideas in the poem(s).

This means it is better to structure your answer around an exploration of the ideas and themes in the poems, commenting on elements of language, form or structure that contribute to the presentation of these themes, rather than simply listing all of the key methods you think should be covered when writing about poetry (with no analysis or exploration of their relevance to the themes and ideas). Stay focused on the task, and then choose your evidence based on the focus of the question.

Context

Examiners repeatedly state that context should not be considered as additional factual information: in this case, it is not random biographical information about William Wordsworth that is unrelated to the ideas in “Lines Written in Early Spring”. The best way to understand context is as the ideas and perspectives explored by Wordsworth in the poem that relate to worlds and lives. This section has therefore been divided into two relevant themes that Wordsworth explores:

Belonging and connection
Relationships with the world

Belonging and connection

"Lines Written in Early Spring" is a poem from Lyrical Ballads, a collection of poems written with fellow Romantic poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in 1798:

The collection focuses on the experiences and complex emotions of the ordinary individual
Wordsworth employs simple language to depict this experience as everyday

This poem focuses on a speaker’s sense of disconnection as he relaxes in a grove:

Although he finds pleasure in the natural world, it reminds him of the lack of connection in the human world to which he belongs

Typical of Romantic poets, Wordsworth prioritises emotion over reason:

It can be argued that his poem reflects a response to an increasingly scientific world
His poem focuses on pleasure and joy, which can be found in simple connections and interactions with other living things

In “Lines Written in Early Spring”, the speaker conveys inner turmoil as he observes nature:

He is in a “sweet mood”, yet this brings “sad thoughts”
He hears a “thousand blended notes”, the hyperbole suggesting he is overwhelmed

The speaker considers that there is a difference between the way humans treat each other and how other living things work in harmony:

The repetition of “what man has made of man” reinforces how “much it grieved” his heart to consider the lack of harmony between humans
It is recorded that Wordsworth was horrified by the violence of the French Revolution

Romantic poets feared that rationalism could lead to a rejection of a spiritual world and, instead, a world that invalidates one’s emotions

In “Lines Written in Early Spring”, the speaker ends the poem asking, “Have I not reason to lament/What man has made of man?”
Here, he applies logic to an argument about man’s connection with each other

Relationships with the world

Typical of Romantic poetry, “Lines Written in Early Spring” expresses a speaker’s awe of the natural world
He believes that humans are connected spiritually with the natural world: “To her fair works did Nature link/The human soul that through me ran”
The speaker repeats how “pleasure” is gained from harmonious interaction between living things
Romantic poetry is considered to be an artistic response to the Industrial Revolution

Industrialisation saw the destruction of rural areas in favour of factories and buildings
In this poem, Wordsworth uses a pastoral setting to contemplate man’s relationship with the natural world

The use of religious language expresses devout respect for the natural world:

The speaker considers it may be “Nature’s holy plan”, a “heaven sent” warning, to remind him of man’s relationship with the natural world

Exam Tip

Remember, AO3 is only worth up to 6 marks in this question. You will be expected to demonstrate your understanding of the relationship between the poem and the context in which it was written in an integrated way throughout your answer. It is therefore important to focus on the key themes, and have a thorough knowledge of the cluster of poems.

Context comes from the key word in the task, so your answer should emphasise the key themes. Writing a whole paragraph about Romantic attitudes is not an integrated approach, and will not achieve high marks.

What to compare it to

The essay you are required to write in your exam is a comparison of the ideas and themes explored in two of your anthology poems. It is therefore essential that you revise the poems together, in pairs, to understand how each poet presents ideas about worlds and lives in comparison to other poets in the anthology. Given that “Lines Written in Early Spring” explores the ideas of disconnected relationships between human beings and nature, the following comparisons are the most appropriate:

For each pair of poems, you will find:

The comparison in a nutshell
Similarities between the ideas presented in each poem
Differences between the ideas presented in each poem
Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences

Exam Tip

You will be expected to not only explore this poem in depth, but to make perceptive comparisons to themes, language, form and structure used in other poems in the anthology that also comment on complex relationships and connections with personal and external worlds. It is therefore important that you have a thorough knowledge of all of the poems, rather than just memorising a series of quotations. It is also essential that you not only write about the named poem, but compare it to one other in the anthology. Only writing about the poem given on the paper will severely limit your marks.

“Lines Written in Early Spring” and “In a London Drawing Room”

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both William Wordsworth’s “Lines Written in Early Spring” and George Eliot’s “In a London Drawing Room” employ speakers who explore their feelings about their place in the world, especially in relation to their environment. Both poems examine how a disconnection from nature affects individuals negatively and takes joy and harmony from their lives. However, while Wordsworth sets his poem in a pleasant pastoral setting, Eliot describes a dreary urban environment.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems explore disconnections between human relationships and the natural world
Evidence and analysis	“Lines Written in Early Spring”	“In a London Drawing Room”
	Wordsworth’s speaker reflects on the way humans treat each other: He asks himself “what man has made of man”	Eliot’s speaker notices the way the individuals on the street ignore each other: They “All hurry on & look upon the ground,/Or glance unmarking at the passers by”
	The speaker’s tone is pessimistic: The Emotive Language suggests his pain at humanity’s lost connection with each other He says it “grieved his heart” and he has “reason to lament” He repeats his question, which remains unresolved at the end	Eliot’s speaker is similarly pessimistic: She ends the poem describing a world where humans have lost connection with each other: “Where men are punished at the slightest cost”
	Wordsworth argues that humans have forgotten a “holy plan”, a sacred connection with the universe: The speaker believes his reflections on humanity are “heaven sent”	Eliot comments on how urbanisation has disconnected humans from the universe: The speaker describes the buildings as “Cutting the sky with one long line of wall” The speaker says this leaves no room for human imagination: “Without a break to hang a guess upon” She suggests urbanisation leaves little space for living things: “No bird can make a shadow as it flies”
	Both “Lines Written in Early Spring” and “In a London Drawing Room” explore how external worlds impact human beings’ inner lives

Differences:

Topic sentence	While Wordsworth describes the beauty of nature to convey how this can bring humanity pleasure, Eliot describes an urban setting to comment on its joylessness
Evidence and analysis	“Lines Written in Early Spring”	“In a London Drawing Room”
	Wordsworth’s poem describes how living things gain pleasure from harmonious relationships: The speaker describes how the “flower enjoys the air it breathes” He says he is certain there was pleasure as the “twigs spread out” to “catch the breezy air”	In contrast, Eliot’s poem describes the lack of harmony on the London streets: The speaker describes the urban world as similar to a “huge prison-house & court” The speaker refers to the way the street outside the window is restrictive and punitive
	The speaker personifies “Nature”, representing it as a force that runs through the “human soul”	Eliot comments on the way human beings outside her window seem to have lost connection with their world and each other: The speaker says they are “All closed, in multiplied identity”
	Wordsworth explores how living things find joy in simple everyday activities: He observes the “thrill of pleasure” as the birds play and hop He implies through his sad “lament” that humans may not find similar pleasures in life	In contrast, Eliot describes the lack of joy in the world she sees: Eliot describes the lack of comfort: “No figure lingering/Pauses to feed the hunger of the eye/Or rest a little on the lap of life”
	While Wordsworth describes a pleasant and tranquil rural setting, Eliot describes a monotonous and darkened city street in order to raise questions about humanity’s relationship with the natural world

Exam Tip

It is a good idea to outline your choice of second poem in your introduction to your response, with a clear overview of the overarching themes within both poems. You can then use the theme to move between both poems to provide the substance to illustrate your arguments. However, this does not mean that you cannot focus on one poem first, and then the other, linking ideas back to the main poem. You should choose whichever structure suits you best, as long as comparison is embedded and ideas for both texts are well-developed.

“Lines Written in Early Spring” and “Like an Heiress”

Comparison in a nutshell:

This is an effective comparative choice to explore individuals’ responses to their changing worlds. Both poets describe mixed emotions as their speakers observe their natural surroundings and reflect on humanity’s relationship with nature. However, William Wordsworth’s “Lines Written in Early Spring” depicts an idyllic, tranquil setting, while Grace Nichols sets her poem, “Like an Heiress”, in a chaotic scene.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems explore a speaker’s intense emotions as they contemplate human relationships with the natural world
Evidence and analysis	“Lines Written in Early Spring”	“Like an Heiress”
	While Wordsworth’s speaker is in a “sweet mood”, his “sad thoughts” interrupt his calm observations of nature: Though Wordsworth employs a regular form of four quatrains, the meter is disrupted when the speaker considers what “man has made of man” The dash in “Their thoughts I cannot measure:—” highlights a pause to convey his deep introspection	Nichols’s speaker similarly feels mixed emotions as she watches the ocean: The poem is a sonnet which is subverted by a lack of rhyme The speaker uses a dash to highlight moments that interrupt positive observations of nature: “except for a lone wave of rubbish –”
	The speaker’s sadness at the way human beings have lost connection with each other is conveyed through emotive language: Their heart is “grieved” and they have reason to “lament” at human behaviour	Similarly, Nichols’s speaker is emotionally affected by her observations: The speaker states they must “dwell” on what they have seen The speaker expresses concern over the changing nature of the ocean from their past
	The speakers comment on changes observed in their natural surroundings, which bring unease and concern

Topic sentence	Both poems comment on the natural world as valuable to human beings
Evidence and analysis	“Lines Written in Early Spring”	“Like an Heiress”
	Wordsworth uses natural imagery to describe a positive pastoral scene that pleases him: Alliteration highlights the harmony in nature: “primrose tufts, in that green bower,/The periwinkle trailed its wreaths”	Nichols uses imagery to depict the beauty of nature and the speaker’s connection to it: The speaker describes the close relationship they have with the ocean: Like an “heiress” who is “drawn” to "eye-catching jewels”
	Wordsworth uses religious imagery to allude to the close relationship between all living things and God: The speaker believes nature and the “human soul” are linked The speaker suggests God sends human beings messages through their silent reflection in nature	Nichols alludes to prosperity when she describes how humans and the natural world are connected: The speaker compares the sun to “burning treasury”: This suggests a paradise of great wealth, attributing value to natural elements
	Both poems describe the natural world as having a positive impact on human beings

Differences:

Topic sentence	William Wordsworth’s “Lines Written in Early Spring” depicts an idyllic, tranquil setting, while Grace Nichols sets her poem, “Like an Heiress” in a chaotic scene
Evidence and analysis	“Lines Written in Early Spring”	“Like an Heiress”
	Wordsworth presents Romantic ideas about nature using sensory language: He describes the “breezy air” and the “thrill of pleasure”	Nichols’s speaker, however, conveys the way humans have polluted the natural world: The speaker lists objects in the ocean, such as “used car tyres, plastic bottles” and “styrofoam cups”
	Although the speaker in “Lines Written in Early Spring” expresses concern about humanity, they imply a faith in nature’s ability to restore harmony: He suggests he is reassured by a “faith” that “every flower/Enjoys the air it breathes” The speaker believes God and the universe collaborate to help human beings reflect on their place in the world	Nichols’s poem, instead, describes an unsettled and ominous mood: The ocean is described as having “mood swings” as it “tossed back” debris The speaker seeks “sanctuary” in “air-conditioned coolness”
	The speaker in Wordsworth’s traditionally Romantic poem finds solace in nature, despite underlying frustration with humanity’s lack of harmony, while Nichols’s poem is a modern comment on the result of humanity’s disconnections with the natural world and each other

“Lines Written in Early Spring” and “With Birds You’re Never Lonely”

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both William Wordsworth’s “Lines Written in Early Spring” and Raymond Antrobus’s “With Birds You're Never Lonely” explore contrasts between the natural world and the world of humans. Both poems consider the significance of connecting with nature to find peace and harmony. While Wordsworth’s Romantic poem expresses the joy and harmony found in nature, Antrobus expresses the sense of isolation individuals feel in the urban world.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems highlight dichotomies between the natural world and the world of humans
Evidence and analysis	“Lines Written in Early Spring”	“With Birds You’re Never Lonely”
	Wordsworth uses natural imagery to convey the natural beauty found in nature: He describes the birds hopping and playing and the branches and flowers enjoying the “breezy air” He uses alliteration to describe the “primrose tufts” and the “periwinkle”	Correspondingly, Antrobus uses natural imagery to describe nature as vibrant: The speaker misses the “sun-syrupped” and “earthy” trees with “brown and green trunks of sturdiness” The speaker describes the colourful birds “with white tufts and yellow and black beaks”
	Wordsworth’s poem hints at disconnections between the human world and the natural world: Observing nature brings “sad thoughts” The speaker is “grieved” to consider human behaviour	Antrobus’s poem, too, considers the contrasting environments of humans and nature: The speaker describes the city environment as joyless and isolated: “for any grey tree in London,/for the family they don’t have”
	The speaker asks an unresolved rhetorical question, which conveys the frustration at humanity’s lack of harmony with each other The speaker wonders, too, if the universe and God are communicating a message	Here, too, the speaker asks a rhetorical question: The speaker asks what the trees may think of humans The ending is unresolved as the speaker sees little connection or colour in London
	The poets both comment on differences between the natural world, which is described as tranquil and vibrant, and the human world, which is devoid of harmony

Differences:

Topic sentence	Wordsworth’s poem is a Romantic poem which depicts the speaker’s spiritual connection with God in a pastoral setting, while Antrobus’ poem explores human connections with the natural world across two modern settings
Evidence and analysis	“Lines Written in Early Spring”	“With Birds You’re Never Lonely”
	Wordsworth’s poem depicts an individual reclining in a grove, a traditionally pastoral scene: The speaker describes an English springtime He observes the “green bower” and trails of “periwinkle” The bare trees are waiting for the buds to emerge	Antrobus’s poem is set in urban London, opening in a noisy coffee shop: The speaker hears the noises of spoons as they “slam” and watches as the “steam rises” They describe the “grey” trees on London streets
	Wordsworth’s speaker suggests an underlying faith in God and the universe with religious imagery: He believes observing nature is a natural way to receive God’s messages	Antrobus’s speaker appears to put faith in other humans in rural communities: They describe a young Maori woman who has a connection with the birds She has a skill she learned from her grandfather
	Wordsworth’s poem focuses on the lack of harmony between humans, which can be restored with the help of God	Antrobus’s poem, however, implies that the lack of nature and life in urban settings leaves little room for spirituality: The speaker mourns for the trees in London with “Gods they can’t hold”
	Wordsworth’s poem explores spiritual connections between nature, God and humans, while Antrobus examines connections forged by family, which can lead to a better connection with the natural world

Exam Tip

You can choose whichever poem you feel you are able to make the most in-depth comparisons to in the exam. For example, you could choose to compare the presentation of individuals’ observations about their worlds in “Lines Written in Early Spring” and “Like an Heiress”. Or you might wish to explore the way poets examine connections and relationships in “Lines Written in Early Spring” and “With Birds You’re Never Lonely”. What is important is that you view the poems thematically, with a clear emphasis on worlds and lives. This will give you a better framework in which to write your response in the exam.

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Lines Written in Early Spring (AQA GCSE English Literature)

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Author: Sam Evans