Themes and message

The main theme of the poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth is that of bliss, or a certain state of natural happiness. Adjacent themes are man’s relationship with nature and the effect which memories have on people.

Bliss

The poem is mainly about the state of bliss or inner happiness the poet experiences thanks to a group of daffodils which impress him deeply. This inner state of bliss happens almost instantly, even if the poet started off “lonely as a cloud” (l. 1). The daffodils and the overall setting change his mood as he associates them with a state of perfection and harmony:

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company: (ll. 13-16)

The idea of the healing powers of nature were central to Romantic poetry like this poem. Nature was idolised as a place where man might go and learn or find inner pe...