William Wordsworth’s Poetic Response to the French Revolutionary War: Reconsideration on His Political Sonnets

Abstract

In this essay I would like to discuss the productive impact of the French Revolutionary War on the creative flow of William Wordsworth. The war was one of the most important events in Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Therefore it would be fruitful to examine the interaction between the French Revolutionary War and English literature written during the conflict. In so doing, I will read Wordsworth''s two sonnets, titled “It is not to be thought of that the Flood” and “October, 1803.” This essay aims to construct a historical framework by examining the French Revolutionary War in detail. The understanding of the war is essential in interpreting the two sonnets, as the latter were composed in response to the conflict. Therefore, I will examine the social and historical implications of the war. Wordsworth''s patriotic enthusiasm was stimulated by the invasion crisis of 1802. The national crisis led Wordsworth to compose those belligerent and militant sonnets. This essay aims to recognize Wordsworth''s patriotism and pro-war sentiments in the two sonnets.