An Imaginary Life and Wordsworth Essay

In both David Malouf’s novel ‘An Imaginary Life’ and William Wordsworth’s poems, it is palpable how diverse times and cultures influence the significance of the association humanity can have with the natural world. There are four key techniques which are portrayed by both writers, portraying of characters, symbolism, imagery and concern; these techniques are presented through themes. The portraying of characters is shown through the theme of finding oneself in nature, symbolism finding hope in nature, imagery is emphasized through the indication that it is easier to connect with nature as a child and concerns towards the writers are accentuate through the theme of drifting away from nature. These themes help the writers highlight their techniques to the readers. Although both writers share the same views on nature, their context allows them to differ greatly from one another. Both Malouf and Wordsworth write through certain characters, Malouf wrote in his novel ‘An Imaginary Life’ through the character Ovid and Wordsworth through first person. An imaginary Life was written in a post-romantic era and tells the story of the Roman poet Ovid’s exile from Rome – the centre of culture at the time – to the bleak wilderness at Thomis, near the Black Sea. Here we have a person absolutely dependent on language – a poet – forced to live in a world where the landscape, the language, all is alien him. Eventually, with the assistance of the Child, a youth reared in the wild, Ovid comes to accept his new surroundings. He does this by using the power of language and imagination to construct this new world for himself in a way that is meaningful. His finding of a familiar flower, a poppy, in the wilderness, evokes for him the magical power of language to construct human reality. This reflects his personal views on nature as he himself chose to leave society and become a part of and appreciate nature. Wordsworth on the other hand wrote in first person, making it clear to his audience that these are his views and opinions. His mother died in 1788 at the age of eight and his father in 1783 at the age of thirteen. From there Wordsworth considered nature to be an adoptive parent. He rejected society, ‘Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher’, this shows how Wordsworth idolizes nature, he portrays nature as ‘light’ and puts it into a superior position. Wordsworth introduced the romantic era, at the time poems were written to allow the reader to feel the emotions of the composer. Nature was considered high in the romantic era, Wordsworth’s, unlike Malouf, finds his connection with nature at a young age. This is because of his personal context of losing his parents as a child and having no sturdy adult guide, Wordsworth was forced into nature and away from society whilst Malouf chose to leave society and find nature. Although the romantic era was filled with ‘nature lover’ Wordsworth was said to have an unnatural and concerning relationship with nature, referred to as a ‘nature worshiper’. This comes as a concern to most readers. In his poem ‘Tintern Abbey’ Wordsworth writes â€Å"I cannot paint/ What then I was,† showing and essentially fathoming over his ‘boyish days’ when a blunt â€Å"passion† and a â€Å"feeling† that had no need of â€Å"any interest/ Unborrowed from the eye† Developed from the natural world of Tintern Abbey. Despite never being conspicuous, religion has been implemented into the poem, most of it pantheistic. Wordsworth describes himself as having a â€Å"far deeper zeal / of holier love† Creating the image that mental images of nature can build an enigmatic perceptivity of the holy. Malouf sets no major concerns with his audience however he did drift away from modern society to connect with nature. The times in which both writers wrote allowed their opinions on the attraction to nature to differ. Symbolism is used in both writers’ texts, In David Malouf’s novel An Imaginary Life, one of the most compelling positions of characterization circuits around the Child. Malouf analyzes the contention of the affiliation connecting an old man, Ovid and the Child, and the modifications it brings in human personality. The Child in An Imaginary Life is not a child as a child, but here, the Child is a wild boy, as a symbol of barbaric or uncivilized society and mirrors the method of reflection and of the deepening of humanity’s evolution into a new self. Ovid represents civilized man who has to face changed life situation, in â€Å"new place†, as an exile. In this process, the inner balance of Ovid self-ness has been tested through many experiences. Furthermore, the figure playing main role in Ovid’s process is The Child. Thus, the chronology of the meeting between Ovid and the child in Tomis is really about the process of shaping selfness. Wordsworth on the other hand symbolizes nature and people as one. In his poem ‘Strange Fits Of Passion I Have Known’, he continuously symbolizes the moon with the search for his love. As the moon falls his hope becomes lost. In almost all his poems, Wordsworth used ‘I’ as a symbol to portray his own emotions. Both writers symbolize their hope in nature using certain descriptive languages. Both writers use nature as a symbol entirely. Word worth, in his poem ‘The Prelude’, symbolizes nature, â€Å"Free as a bird to settle where I will†, this shows he symbolizes a bird with himself. Imagery is used in all kinds of writing, it helps the readers understand what the author is seeing and feeling. Ovid, in An Imaginary Life has a ‘fear’ of wolves eating him on page 56, this is ironic as the child who saves Ovid was raised by wolves, and he quotes â€Å"What if the next tongue to touch me was a wolf’s tongue? Rough, greedy.† Malouf also wants his readers to imaginatively come to terms with the suffering and cruelty that resides in Australian history; in the treatment of the Aboriginal people by white settlers. Malouf’s novels deal with the idea that there is a blurred boundary between history and fiction. Official history is revealed as partly a fiction – something that gets modified over time. But unofficial history, the lives of ordinary people, is in a sense the â€Å"true history†¦.the secret history† that can be brought to life through fiction. Wordsworth on the other hand portrays imagery through beauty. Using descriptive language such as â€Å"soft/gentle breeze†, â€Å"lofty cliffs†, Tintern Abbey has great imagery used by Wordsworths, for example: â€Å"Here, under this dark sycamore, and view These plots of cottage-ground, these orchard-tufts, Which at this season, with their unripe fruits, Are clad in one green hue, and lose themselves ‘Mid groves and copses. Once again I see These hedge-rows, hardly hedge-rows, little lines Of sportive wood run wild: these pastoral farms, Green to the very door; and wreaths of smoke Sent up, in silence, from among the trees! With some uncertain notice, as might seem Of vagrant dwellers in the houseless woods, Or of some Hermit’s cave, where by his fire The Hermit sits alone.† It can be concluded that although two people share almost the exact same views, to appreciate and allow others to appreciate nature, they both wrote in very diverse ways. This is clearly due to historical, literary and authors context. Both Wordsworth and Malouf show the quality and importance of humanity’s relationship with nature and how times and culture influence the relationship. Although they are influenced by very different cultural and social values, both writers have the same goal, which is to understand nature and become a part of it. Wordsworth learns through his interaction with nature in â€Å"Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, on Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour, July 13, 1798,† and â€Å"It’s a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free,† that there is a spiritual presence in the landscape. Ovid’s interaction with nature helps him break down the divisions between people and their environment to become at one with it. B oth writers demonstrate how interaction with nature is necessary to appreciate it.