William Wordsworth

[pattygray]

Please help. Ihave to answer this question. Do you agree or disagree that William Wordsworth might have been a Pnatheist? Defend your answer.

[Nick Rubashov]

well based on this definition of Pantheism....

From the Greek words "pan" (all) and "theos" (God). God is all. The belief that every existing entity (humans, animals, etc.) together, is a part of God. The entire universe is divine. They do not view God in personal terms, as having a personality, having the ability to make decisions, able to interact with humans, etc.
www.religioustolerance.org/gl_p.htm

I would have to agree with the statement that Wordsworth was a Pantheist. I think his poems speak clearly show that Wordsworth found god in nature and mystical. Tintern Abbey is a great example, as much of the poem touches on religion and his views on it.

[superfabulous]

I'd probably agree than Wordsworth was a Pantheist. He lived by nature. His poems reflected how much he adored the outdoors and in my opinion, Tintern Abbery deeply reflects how he personal viewed nature as being 'divine'.

[Dark Muse]

Yes I would have to agree, many of his poems express a deep connection to nature as well as an admiration for nature and he does seem to hold some deep spirituality that is nature based by the content within his poetry. It is one of the reasons why he is one of my faveorite poets.

[Silvia]

yes, Wordsworth is definetely a pantheist...he believed in the hieling power of nature and thought of it as a moral teacher for humankind. He believed nature was a God's manifestation whereas Coleridge didn't.

[ex ponto]

I think he was a christian, that he believed in Christ.
And Christians believe that God created Nature, and that everything in it that's wrong came with the deterioration of man.

[blazeofglory]

He rose above Christianity and was not confined to rituals and values normally people hold onto out of narrow sentiments.

I am too in for pantheism. Of course I do not subscribe to the idea that God exists regardless of this universe. It is within and the universe is within it.

Wordsworth was really a great poet and I am always moved by his poems. He remained unmatched and nobodies could surpass him in presenting ideas in a beautiful and in a simple language.

[michaelonlyson]

Pantheism is a metaphysical and religious position. Broadly defined it is the view that (1) "God is everything and everything is God … the world is either identical with God or in some way a self-expression of his nature" (Owen 1971: 74). Similarly, it is the view that (2) everything that exists constitutes a "unity" and this all-inclusive unity is in some sense divine (MacIntyre 1967: 34). A slightly more specific definition is given by Owen (1971: 65) who says (3) "‘Pantheism’ … signifies the belief that every existing entity is, only one Being; and that all other forms of reality are either modes (or appearances) of it or identical with it." Even with these definitions there is dispute as to just how pantheism is to be understood and who is and is not a pantheist. Aside from Spinoza, other possible pantheists include some of the Presocratics; Plato; Lao Tzu; Plotinus; Schelling; Hegel; Bruno, Eriugena and Tillich. Possible pantheists among literary figures include Emerson, Walt Whitman, D.H. Lawrence, and Robinson Jeffers. Beethoven (Crabbe 1982) and Martha Graham (Kisselgoff 1987) have also been thought to be pantheistic in some of their work — if not pantheists. Given Wordsworth's use of nature in relation to the divine, I would say that if he was not a pantheist he certainly leaned in that direction.