She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways summary and analysis and themes

"She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways " is a poem in 3 stanzas written by the English Romantic poet William Wordsworth in 1798. It was first printed in 1800.The poem is the best known of Wordsworth's five "Lucy" poems. It was composed both as a meditation on his own feelings of loneliness and loss, and as an ode to the beauty and dignity of an idealised woman who lived unnoticed by all others except by the poet himself, and whose isolated sensitivity expresses a characteristic aspect of Romantic expectations of the human condition. The poem describes the "growth, perfection, and death" of Lucy. Whether Wordsworth's love for her has been declared is left ambivalent, even whether she has been aware of the poet's affection; however his feelings remain unrequited, and the final verse reveals that she has died alone. Lucy's "untrodden ways" are symbolic of both her physical isolation and the unknown details of her mind and life. In the poem, Wordsworth is concerned not so much with his observation of Lucy, but with his experience when reflecting on her passing. (from Wikepedia)
1 Lucy's life - she grew up unnoticed in the countryside, she is associated with natural purity dwelt= lived Dove = a river maid = girl/young woman	She dwelt among the untrodden ways   Beside the springs of Dove, A Maid whom there were none to praise  And very few to love:	Poetic Devices prepositions ="among", "beside","by" diction relating to anonymity and isolation = "untrodden", "there were none", "very few", "half-hidden", unknown", "few could know" diction showing Lucy as special and extraordinary to the poet = "only one", Lucy", " and, oh,/The difference to me!" references to nature = "springs of Dove" (also imagery below) imagery ="a violet by a mossy stone", "fair as a star, when only one is shining in the sky" Rhyme and meter = abab rhyme scheme and ballad meter (iambic unstressed/stressed. The first and third lines typically have four-stresses; the second and fourth have three-stresses) alliteration = "half hidden" sibilance = "as a star", "sky"assonance =  "dove", none", love" / "mossy stone" / "shining", "sky" / "...ing in " / "unknown", know"/ "ceased",  be", "she", "me" / "is", in", "difference" verbs in the infinitive = "to love", "to praise", "to be"
2 Lucy's  beauty - unseen by most, the poet recognises her beauty and conveys it using flower and star imagery.	A violet by a mossy stone   Half hidden from the eye! – Fair as a star, when only one   Is shining in the sky.
3 Lucy's death - few notice her absence but the poet grieves.	She lived unknown, and few could know   When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh,   The difference to me!

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