She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways:William Wordsworth: Summary and Theme: Class 12 Major English Note
The poem ‘ She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways by William Wordsworth, English poet, is an elegy. It deals with the theme of life and death. The speaker is moved by his dead lover, Lucy. He is very much concerned about her death. He is suffering from a never-ending pain of her death at young age. So, we find tragic element in this poem by Wordsworth.
He is showing how loved one’s death affects human life. She used to live in a magnificent place. He found no one to see her beauty there. She was alone. The speaker compares her beauty with the beauty of violet and bright star. She is the symbol of beauty according to the speaker. But death followed her. She failed to win the battle of life and death. Death kissed her beauty.
Now, the speaker is in tension. He is suffering from sense of loss. She was at the centre of his life. He is alone. In this way, we come to know about the speaker’s deep love, care and strong feeling for his lover. Now, she is no more with him.
Theme of the Poem:She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways:William Wordsworth: Class 12 Major English Note/Class 12 Optional English Note
The poem brings the theme of loss, struggle of lonely life and inevitable death. No one can escape the cruel death. We have to surrender everything to death. Death is the only truth in human life. It is unavoidable.
All human beings are born to die. The speaker is trying to accept his lover’s death but he feels deep pain inside his heart. He is suffering from the sense of loss. The world is not affected by her death but the speaker.
The poem also brings romantic theme because it deals with the speaker’s love for the dead lover, Lucy.