Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Wordsworth And A Windermere Boutique Hotel

By Steven Harrison


A stay at a Windermere boutique hotel can be quite a treat for devotees of English romantic poetry. The lake that William Wordsworth made famous is only one of many attractions in the area. However, it should be remembered that the poet composed his poetry as he strode through the beautiful scenery.

In large part it may be due to writers that English people began to regret that they had destroyed the natural environment and began to try restoring the island to a semblance of what it was when it was natural. Gardens and rights of way are important parts of English culture. Even in the times of surveillance cameras the word 'countryside' has a unique place in English language and culture.

It is often said that one can feel in Wordsworth's poetry the rhythm of a man walking. Apparently lines like, 'fluttering and dancing in the breeze' were composed on foot and recorded in writing only after the great poet returned to his cottage after a hike. In the twentieth century astronauts returning from space sometimes turned to religion to try and express the spiritual dimensions of their experiences. In the nineteenth century Wordsworth also saw a spiritual dimension in natural life around him.

Although England may now be thought of as an insignificant island, and Greece a bankrupt group of hills these two places are important in western civilization. Greece gave the world the concept of democracy and England contributed a language that is second only to Mandarin in its number of users.

There are now about five hundred million native speakers of English in the world but only about sixty million of them live in England. It follows that the language no longer belongs to England but is a global phenomenon. A Pole and an American are among the most important writers. Chinese and Polish people contribute charming oral cadences and world experts on Wordsworth may come from India.

Pilgrims from various parts of the world may meet at a Windermere boutique hotel. They will in many cases be seeking to absorb something of the sense of place that inspired an important movement on English literature. Thanks to the respect for the countryside that survives they may still enjoy some of the sensual experiences that inspired a great poet.




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