Michael by William Wordsworth as a tragedy of human life

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Michael by William Wordsworth who is known as the poet of nature, is a famous poem, a pastoral poem, describes about the man the spirit of man and human life. It is the story of an old man who is stout of heart and strong of limb. The poem shows the tragedy of human life very clearly. Wordsworth clearly shows a connection between man and nature.

Michael’ Wordsworth, michael pastoral poem, michael by william wordsworth
                                                William Wordsworth

In this poem Michael by William Wordsworth, We see that Michael, a shepherd is a strong and brave man who was 80 years old. he looked after sheep on the top of the mountain. he knew the hidden meaning of nature. He was a worshiper of nature. He felt a blind love for the rocks and fields. His wife Isabel was 20 years junior to him. In old age, the couple had their only child a son whose name is Luke. Luke was born when Michael was very old. Michael loved his son very much.

Michael Wordsworth

Michael works very hard from dawn to late at night. His wife is also hard working. Luke always works with his parents. The parents love Luke most dearly. The old man instructs Luke in the art of shearing sheep. He gives him the shepherd’s staff. Thus we see the natural bond between the father and the son:

“He with his father daily went, and they

were as companions”

Life is not a bed of roses. So, at last, the family falls on evil times. One day Michael and Isabel were proposed by their nephew to send Luke to London. Michael decided to save the land for Luke. He did not want to lose his assets. He got his assets from his ancestors. Isabel encouraged Michael to send Luke to London. Here the struggle between love and separation is depicted in the expression of mother:

“Thou must not go

We have no other Child but thee to lose

None to remember-do not go away

For if thou leave thy father he well dies”

At the time of departure father tries his best to remind Luke of the relation. At London, Luke felt prey to evil habits. His evil habits broke the heart of Michael. Michael lamented the loss of a dear son and some ancestral lands.

Michael by William Wordsworth shows the tragic end. Isabel lived for little more than three years after Michael’s death. many changes took place in the countryside after her death. After her death, Michael’s lands were sold out. Some stranger purchased them. Michael regarded these lands as sacred because it was the symbol of his ancestors. Some stranger buys the assets of Michael because of the bad habit of Luke. Michael wanted to make his son as an honest man.

Thus the poem Michael by William Wordsworth, a pastoral poem represents every man. Everybody wants to keep his near and dear ones in possession. But cruel reality snatches away everything from him. It goes on and will be going on eternally. This struggle began with the creation of civilization and it will go on with a never-ending course.

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