Nutting by William Wordsworth (Poem, Summary, Paraphrase & Analysis)

 

Nutting

by William Wordsworth

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase & Analysis) 

Nutting

It seems a day

(I speak of one from many singled out)

One of those heavenly days that cannot die,

When forth I sallied from our cottage-door,

And with a wallet o’er my shoulder slung,

A nutting-crook in hand, I turned my steps

Tow’rd some far-distant wood, a figure quaint,

Tricked out in proud disguise of cast-off weeds

Which for that service had been husbanded,

By exhortation of my frugal Dame—

Motley accoutrement, of power to smile

At thorns, and brakes, and brambles,—and, in truth,

More ragged than need was! O’er pathless rocks,

Through beds of matted fern, and tangled thickets,

Forcing my way, I came to one dear nook

Unvisited, where not a broken bough

Drooped with its withered leaves, ungracious sign

Of devastation; but the hazels rose

Tall and erect, with tempting clusters hung,

A virgin scene!—A little while I stood,

Breathing with such suppression of the heart

As joy delights in; and with wise restraint

Voluptuous, fearless of a rival, eyed

The banquet; or beneath the trees I sate

Among the flowers, and with the flowers I played;

A temper known to those who, after long

And weary expectation, have been blessed

With sudden happiness beyond all hope.—

Perhaps it was a bower beneath whose leaves

The violets of five seasons reappear

And fade, unseen by any human eye;

Where fairy water-breaks do murmur on

For ever; and I saw the sparkling foam,

And—with my cheek on one of those green stones

That, fleeced with moss, under the shady trees,

Lay round me, scattered like a flock of sheep—

I heard the murmur and the murmuring sound,

In that sweet mood when pleasure loves to pay

Tribute to ease; and, of its joy secure,

The heart luxuriates with indifferent things,

Wasting its kindliness on stocks and stones,

And on the vacant air. Then up I rose,

And dragged to earth both branch and bough, with crash

And merciless ravage: and the shady nook

Of hazels, and the green and mossy bower,

Deformed and sullied, patiently gave up

Their quiet being: and unless I now

Confound my present feelings with the past,

Ere from the mutilated bower I turned

Exulting, rich beyond the wealth of kings,

I felt a sense of pain when I beheld

The silent trees, and saw the intruding sky—

Then, dearest Maiden, move along these shades

In gentleness of heart; with gentle hand

Touch—for there is a spirit in the woods.

 

Summary

Opening – The Memory of a Special Day

The speaker recalls a memorable day from his youth—a day that stands out as one of those rare, “heavenly” days that seem eternal. He sets out from his cottage, dressed in mismatched, second-hand clothes specifically kept for outdoor excursions. He carries a wallet (a small bag) over his shoulder and a “nutting-crook” (a stick used to hook branches) in hand.

 

Journey into Nature

He describes his solitary walk through rough, untamed natural landscapes: over rocks, through fern-covered ground, and tangled thickets. He is heading towards a secluded wood, far from any human presence.

 

Discovery of a Virgin Nook

Eventually, he arrives at an untouched, hidden spot in the woods where hazel trees stand tall and undisturbed. No broken branches or withered leaves suggest previous visitors—this place is pristine and pure. The hazel trees are laden with nuts, and the sight fills him with quiet joy and deep reverence.

 

A Moment of Calm and Wonder

Before gathering any nuts, he pauses to take in the beauty and stillness of the place. He breathes deeply, feeling a hushed joy. He sits among the flowers, feeling overwhelmed by sudden happiness, as if gifted beyond expectation. The speaker imagines this grove as a magical spot, untouched for years, with murmuring brooks and mossy stones like sleeping sheep. Resting with his cheek against one of these mossy stones, he listens to the soothing sounds around him and feels a gentle, dreamy pleasure.

 

The Act of Destruction

However, after this serene moment, the mood changes. The speaker suddenly rises and begins to break branches and tear down the hazel boughs to gather nuts. He describes this as “merciless ravage.” The once-peaceful bower is violently disturbed and ruined by his actions. The natural beauty is “deformed and sullied,” as if he has violated something sacred.

 

Emotional Aftermath

After collecting the nuts, he feels a mixture of triumph and unease. Though he is “rich beyond the wealth of kings,” he experiences a sense of pain. The destruction he has caused makes him notice the quiet trees and the now-visible sky—details that suggest loss. The mood turns reflective.

 

Closing Advice

In the final lines, he turns to address a “dearest Maiden” (likely symbolic of innocence or a younger version of himself or others). He advises walking through nature gently, with kindness in the heart and a soft hand. He ends with the statement: “there is a spirit in the woods,” suggesting that nature is alive and deserving of respect.

 

Line-by-line Paraphrase

It seems a day

I speak of one from many singled out

It was one particular day, special among many others,

One of those heavenly days that cannot die,

A perfect, blissful day that stays in memory forever,

When forth I sallied from our cottage-door,

When I eagerly stepped out from our cottage,

And with a wallet o’er my shoulder slung,

Carrying a bag slung over my shoulder,

A nutting-crook in hand, I turned my steps

And holding a hooked stick for gathering nuts, I began walking

Tow’rd some far-distant wood, a figure quaint,

Toward a distant forest, looking rather strange,

Tricked out in proud disguise of cast-off weeds

Dressed proudly in old, worn-out clothes,

Which for that service had been husbanded,

Which had been saved especially for this kind of outing,

By exhortation of my frugal Dame—

On the advice of my thrifty mother.

Motley accoutrement, of power to smile

My odd outfit gave me courage to laugh at

At thorns, and brakes, and brambles,—and, in truth,

The thorns, thick bushes, and brambles in my way—and honestly,

More ragged than need was! O’er pathless rocks,

I was more ragged than necessary! Over rocky places with no path,

Through beds of matted fern, and tangled thickets,

And through thick, entangled fern and underbrush,

Forcing my way, I came to one dear nook

Pushing forward, I arrived at a beloved hidden spot,

Unvisited, where not a broken bough

A place no one had disturbed—no branch was broken,

Drooped with its withered leaves, ungracious sign

Nor did any branch hang with dry, dead leaves,

Of devastation; but the hazels rose

Showing signs of damage. Instead, the hazel trees stood

Tall and erect, with tempting clusters hung,

Tall and upright, with inviting clusters of nuts,

A virgin scene!—A little while I stood,

A pure, untouched place!—I stood there briefly,

Breathing with such suppression of the heart

Holding my breath in deep emotion,

As joy delights in; and with wise restraint

The kind of quiet joy that comes with self-control,

Voluptuous, fearless of a rival, eyed

Joyfully savoring the view, without fear of anyone else arriving,

The banquet; or beneath the trees I sate

I either looked at this feast of nature or sat beneath the trees,

Among the flowers, and with the flowers I played;

Among the wildflowers, playing and admiring them,

A temper known to those who, after long

A feeling familiar to anyone who, after long

And weary expectation, have been blessed

And tiring waiting, is suddenly given

With sudden happiness beyond all hope.—

A joy greater than they could have hoped for.

Perhaps it was a bower beneath whose leaves

Maybe it was a hidden arbor beneath whose leaves

The violets of five seasons reappear

The violets had bloomed and returned for five years

And fade, unseen by any human eye;

And faded again, unseen by people;

Where fairy water-breaks do murmur on

Where gentle, magical streams continued to murmur

For ever; and I saw the sparkling foam,

Endlessly; and I saw the sparkling white water,

And—with my cheek on one of those green stones

And with my face resting on a mossy green stone

That, fleeced with moss, under the shady trees,

That was covered in moss beneath the shady trees,

Lay round me, scattered like a flock of sheep—

Stones scattered around like a flock of resting sheep—

I heard the murmur and the murmuring sound,

I listened to the constant soft sounds of water,

In that sweet mood when pleasure loves to pay

In that blissful mood where even simple things feel rewarding,

Tribute to ease; and, of its joy secure,

When joy is so secure that it gives in to peace and relaxation,

The heart luxuriates with indifferent things,

And the heart indulges in joy over even trivial things,

Wasting its kindliness on stocks and stones,

Feeling warmth even for trees and rocks,

And on the vacant air. Then up I rose,

And for the empty air itself. Then I got up,

And dragged to earth both branch and bough, with crash

And violently pulled down branches from the trees,

And merciless ravage: and the shady nook

Destroying everything without mercy. The shaded area

Of hazels, and the green and mossy bower,

Full of hazel trees and the mossy green nook,

Deformed and sullied, patiently gave up

Became damaged and ruined, yet endured it silently,

Their quiet being: and unless I now

Giving up their peaceful existence. And unless I’m now

Confound my present feelings with the past,

Mixing up how I feel now with how I felt then,

Ere from the mutilated bower I turned

Before I left the ruined bower behind,

Exulting, rich beyond the wealth of kings,

Feeling triumphant and rich—richer than any king—

I felt a sense of pain when I beheld

I still felt a deep pain when I looked around

The silent trees, and saw the intruding sky—

And saw the quiet trees and the sky peeking through the broken branches—

Then, dearest Maiden, move along these shades

So now, dear girl, walk through these woods

In gentleness of heart; with gentle hand

With a kind and tender heart; and with a soft touch,

Touch—for there is a spirit in the woods.

Touch everything gently—for nature has a living spirit within it.

 

Analysis in Detail

William Wordsworth’s poem “Nutting”, first published in the 1800 edition of Lyrical Ballads, is a reflective and autobiographical piece that captures a significant experience from the poet’s youth. It is not merely a memory of a childhood excursion but a profound meditation on nature, innocence, destruction, and the awakening of moral and spiritual consciousness. Written in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter), the poem showcases Wordsworth’s characteristic reverence for nature and his philosophical depth, framed through the lens of a simple pastoral episode.

 

The Setting and Structure

The poem is narrated as a recollection of a single memorable day from the speaker’s boyhood—a day set apart as “one of those heavenly days that cannot die.” The narrative unfolds chronologically: the boy’s departure from home, his journey through untamed nature, the discovery of a secluded grove of hazel trees, the moment of serene admiration, and then the sudden violent act of gathering nuts, which shatters the harmony of the place. This is followed by a reflective conclusion, where the speaker offers a moral appeal, addressed to a “dearest Maiden,” perhaps a younger person or symbolic of innocence itself.

Wordsworth uses this simple structure to dramatize a moral and emotional journey. The transformation from peace to destruction, and from innocence to guilt, parallels the human journey from unawareness to ethical maturity.

 

Nature as a Living Presence

At the heart of the poem is Wordsworth’s deep spiritual connection with nature. The forest is not merely a backdrop; it is almost personified. The untouched hazel grove is described as a “virgin scene,” suggesting purity and sacredness. The description is sensual and reverent—the boy is emotionally overwhelmed by its beauty, entering a contemplative state where he plays with flowers and listens to murmuring water. Nature offers not only beauty but a kind of unspoken wisdom, a spiritual atmosphere that the speaker recognizes as alive: “there is a spirit in the woods.”

Wordsworth’s Romantic view of nature as a divine and instructive presence is central here. Nature is both teacher and sanctuary, but it is also vulnerable to human interference. The poet warns that our actions toward the natural world are morally significant.

 

Innocence, Impulse, and Destruction

A major turning point in the poem occurs when the boy, after a period of wonder and calm, suddenly shifts from passive enjoyment to violent action. He begins breaking branches and stripping the grove of its nuts with “merciless ravage.” This destruction contrasts sharply with the earlier serenity and reverence.

This act is symbolic of a loss of innocence. The speaker doesn’t fully understand his motives—there is no external pressure or need, just a surge of impulsive desire to possess and dominate. In this sense, “Nutting” becomes a spiritual allegory: the boy's impulse echoes the biblical Fall—a move from harmony with nature into a state of moral conflict.

The phrase “rich beyond the wealth of kings” ironically underscores the hollowness of material gain achieved at the expense of natural beauty. What seems like triumph is undercut by a deep sense of pain and guilt. The destruction brings no lasting joy, only a reflective sorrow.

 

Memory and Moral Reflection

One of Wordsworth’s strengths lies in his ability to reflect on past experiences with the clarity and wisdom of adulthood. In “Nutting”, the speaker’s current voice is more mature than the boy he once was. This reflective voice introduces a layer of ethical understanding that the child could not yet articulate.

The final stanza introduces a didactic tone. The speaker addresses a “Maiden” and urges her to tread gently in nature, to handle it with care and respect. The poem thus functions as a moral tale—not merely recounting what happened, but drawing a spiritual lesson from it.

By ending with the line, “there is a spirit in the woods,” Wordsworth affirms his belief in the sacredness of nature. This spiritual presence demands not only awe but ethical treatment. The poet’s transformation from innocent joy to destructive impulse and finally to reflective awareness mirrors humanity’s own journey from ignorance through mistake to insight.

 

Language and Style

Wordsworth’s language in “Nutting” is deliberately plain, yet rich with natural imagery and emotional resonance. The use of blank verse allows a flexible and natural flow of thought. The diction shifts with the mood of the poem—from the joyful, almost playful language of the early stanzas, to the solemn, weighty tone of the reflection. Vivid descriptions of the landscape (“beds of matted fern,” “violets of five seasons”) immerse the reader in the sensory richness of the scene.

Furthermore, the poem is infused with sensuality—not in a sexual sense, but in its attentiveness to texture, sound, and touch. The speaker’s experience is tactile and embodied, heightening the emotional impact of the later devastation.

 

Conclusion

William Wordsworth’s “Nutting” is much more than a pastoral recollection. It is a poetic meditation on the tension between human desire and the sanctity of nature. Through the speaker’s youthful joy, impulsive destruction, and mature regret, the poem presents a deeply moral vision of the natural world—not as a resource to be used, but as a living presence to be honored.

Ultimately, the poem offers a timeless message: that our relationship with nature reflects our inner life. When we act with reverence, we are in harmony; when we act selfishly, we harm not only the world but our own spirit. “Nutting” thus stands as one of Wordsworth’s most intimate and morally resonant poems, capturing the profound spiritual lessons hidden in the simplest of rural experiences.

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