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What is the main point of the poem "A Character" by William Wordsworth?

Asked by nimarka1 (942points) December 5th, 2011

“I marvel how Nature could ever find space
For so many strange contrasts in one human face:
There’s thought and no thought, and there’s paleness and bloom
And bustle and sluggishness, pleasure and gloom.

There’s weakness, and strength both redundant and vain;
Such strength as, if ever affliction and pain
Could pierce through a temper that’s soft to disease,
Would be rational peace—a philosopher’s ease.

There’s indifference, alike when he fails or succeeds,
And attention full ten times as much as there needs;
Pride where there’s no envy, there’s so much of joy;
And mildness, and spirit both forward and coy.

There’s freedom, and sometimes a diffident stare
Of shame scarcely seeming to know that she’s there,
There’s virtue, the title it surely may claim,
Yet wants heaven knows what to be worthy the name.

This picture from nature may seem to depart,
Yet the Man would at once run away with your heart;
And I for five centuries right gladly would be
Such an odd such a kind happy creature as he.”

I’m having trouble understanding this poem. I know Wordsworth is known for writing a lot of nature and the connection we have to it, but I’m not sure if that’s what he is doing in this poem. It is in iambic tetrameter. And follows a rhyming pattern of AABBCCDDEEFF and so on. But is he trying to say that humans are part of nature and so are the many facial expressions we have? Is he trying to say humans are fascinating; we can feel so many things and express them all, all contrasting? Why is the word nature capitalized in the first stanza? Why is man capitalized in the last? I’m not sure what the last stanza is about either. What is the point of it? Any input or analysis of this poem would be great. Thanks

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