The French Revolution and Nature - 2386 Words

Consider the historical development of the French Revolution and its aftermath over the course of the 1790s and its impact on British poets. The French Revolution was born out of an age of extraordinary triumph where man decided to fight for the rights of his kind. It was described by Thomas Paine as a period in â€Å"which everything may be looked for† (The Rights of Man 168) and attained. â€Å"Man† was readily developing into an idealistic concept that had the capability to accomplish things that had only previously been matters of thought. However this glorious Revolution soon showed signs of weakness and was eventually marked a failure by the Jacobin â€Å"Reign of Terror†, resulting in William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge facing profound†¦show more content†¦The first failure of the Revolution that the poets focus on is the uniting of the multitude under one harmonic voice. This was a necessity in order to progress forward in the attainment of human rights. However from the onset the Revolution was faced with opposing beliefs which broke its hope for absolute unity and hindered its s trength. In Book IX of the Prelude, whilst referencing his conversations with the opposing Royalists, Wordsworth states that these â€Å"defenders of the crown† (198) did not refrain from trying to win him over to their side (197-200). This inability to achieve a unified body is however countered in Wordsworth’s â€Å"Lines written in Early Spring† as he reveals Nature’s success at accomplishing what man failed to. In the first line of the poem Wordsworth declares, â€Å"I heard a thousand blended notes† (â€Å"Lines written in Early Spring† 1) and therefore, in this beautiful grove, the poet reveals the presence of multiple sounds that grow in harmony with each other. The choice of the word â€Å"blended† (1) highlights the unification of Nature’s sounds into one cohesive body of song. Along with this, the use of sibilance also emphasizes this fusion as it produces one peaceful sound that pervades the rest of the stanza, there in mimicking the successful union of nature into one voice. In a manner similar to that ofShow MoreRelatedGeorge Washington : The French And Indian War1249 Words   |  5 Pagescommander in the French and Indian war, George Washington was better equipped to serve as a commander in chief during the Revolution because of his respected nature and his newly found military tactics. â€Å"The French and Indian War was the North American conflict in a larger imperial war between Great Britain and France known as the Seven Years’ War.†(â€Å"Office of the Historian†1) George Washington served as the commander during this war. He led his troops to victory against the French. George WashingtonRead MoreThe New Idea Of Romanticism1745 Words   |  7 Pagesnoble, and political authority and firm conventions needed a revolution. 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