Dorothy Wordsworth/The Grasmere Journal

With all the famous poets in the Romantic Era, personally I like Dorothy Wordsworth the best. I am not sure if I like her better because she is a woman, or the fact that we get an overwhelming view of how men in this era were viewing the world, but we never get it from a woman's perspective. Although what she writes about seems simple and plain, her views are totally distinguished from those of her colleagues. I am sure because she was able to aquainted with great writers like Samuel Coleridge, and being William's kin that she learned many things, but the heart of her work was when she was casually writing in her journal. The sheer glimpse into the lives of these poets is in itself powerfully fascinating. Some of the simplest gestures that she describes heightens your senses. She clinged to Williams every word and their relationship is somewhat questionable. The night before he marries Mary she suddenly becomes ill. She writes I slept a good deal of the night and rose fresh in the morning....I saw them go down to the avenue towards the church. William had parted from me upstairs. I gave him the wedding ring.......I took it off my forefinger(p.291)...I am not completely sure but it seems that his wedding day made her sick. To add she wore the ring and did not attend the wedding ceremony. Their relationship may have been something different. I am sure when she started to write poetry she was being coached by William and Coleridge as well because she picked up on the area surrounding her.