The Tables Turned is a special poetic text that sheds light on the value of nature, and its intrinsic significance in human development. With the kind of elements mentioned and comparisons the poet makes, The Tables Turned is more relevant today than ever before.
Whether you are a green panther or someone disassociated with nature, the poem is going to ignite a sense of love for nature in you. Get settled on your comfy couch, and explore the real meaning of Wordsworth’s incredible poem. As usual, you can drop your thoughts in the comments below:
What does Wordsworth think of books?
The poet pits the quality of knowledge gained from books against that acquired through nature. According to Wordsworth, nature holds more lessons for us to learn than any kind of book ever can. Of course, books are essential, but one must not look away from nature as practical knowledge is more important than bookish knowledge. He writes, “Up! up! my Friend, and quit your books; Or surely you’ll grow double:”
What you get from the atmosphere and the outside world prepares you to make a positive impact on everything and everybody around you.
Why does Wordsworth call nature a teacher?
Wordsworth thinks city life is chaotic and may sometimes be responsible for corrupting people. Indirectly, the poet suggests one can’t have a clear understanding of oneself and of worldly affairs in the urban atmosphere. On the other hand, when a person connects with nature, he can introspect and accumulate a wealth of practical knowledge. With that, he encourages people to live a rural life.
The serenity, rivers, trees, and birds all have something to teach provided you pay careful attention to them. A stanza goes, “And hark! how blithe the throstle sings! He, too, is no mean preacher: Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your teacher.”
How is The Tables Turned relevant to climate change?
Today, we have at hand all sorts of conveniences in life one could ask for. Additionally, we are witnessing advancements and technologies that seem unreal. However, at the same time, the health of our Earth has deteriorated to such a level that our future appears to be highly vulnerable. Wordsworth writes, “Enough of Science and of Art; Close up those barren leaves; Come forth, and bring with you a heart That watches and receives.”
We got all our knowledge from the pages of science books, but we failed to develop a complete understanding of the only abode known to humanity. Our incomplete knowledge made us so ignorant and self-consumed that we forgot to take care of what’s most important to life on earth. Had we paired the bookish knowledge with the knowledge obtained from nature early on, the Earth wouldn’t be faced with dire threats today.
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