Wordsworth’s Fear of Death

as being similar to heaven when he says, “Heaven lies about us in our infancy” (Wordsworth, Line 66). Wordsworth views youth as being as close to heaven as one can get because the thought of death is scary but not immediate.

He also compares growing up to being a sort of prison that closes in around humans as they get closer to the end of life. “Shades of the prison-house begin to close upon the growing boy” (Wordsworth, Lines 67 – 68) shows just how much Wordsworth didn’t want to grow up.

Wordsworth goes on to liken childhood to the greatest treasure because of the hard work and toiling that occurs in adulthood. He once again compares childhood as being similar to heaven because of the freedom that children enjoy. “Thou little Child, yet glorious in the might of heaven-born freedom” (Wordsworth, Lines 121 – 122) should enjoy being a child for as long as possible because becoming an adult means hard work as well as being closer to death.

Finally, Wordsworth recalls his childhood with “delight and liberty” (Wordsworth, Line 136) and writes that remembering the innocence and pleasures of childhood can bring much joy to humans as they grow older. Wordsworth then goes to say that remembering childhood can bring about small moments of peace and quiet in years where things are noisy when he writes, “uphold us, cherish, and have power to make our noisy years seem moments in the being of the eternal silence” (Wordsworth, Lines 153 – 155).

Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood is a poem that can both bring joy as

well as bring sorrow. William Wordsworth’s words have the power to help readers recall the innocence of childhood with much delight.

They also allow a reader to recall favorite memories to help them find joy when life is going down a dark path. At the same time, the poem can bring the fear of death to the forefront of one’s mind and bring about intense fear of the unknown. However, in times when one is fearing death, Wordsworth recommends looking back and recalling how close to heaven being a child is and perhaps begin to look forward to reaching heaven after all.

William Wordsworth, Poems in Two Volumes (1807). See The Manuscript of William

Wordsworth's Poems, in Two Volumes (1807): A Facsimile (London: British Library, 1984). bib MASS (Massey College Library, Toronto).