“The Tables Turned” By William Wordsworth Essay Samples

In “The Tables Turned,” William Wordsworth shows clearly that he does not believe that the true knowledge exists within the closed walls of a classroom and in those books that promise academic learning. According to him, the true wisdom and knowledge lies in the natural world around. Wordsworth tells that it is dull and tedious to read those books as compared to listening to the sounds of nature outside. He tries to convey the thoughts directly in these lines in the poem -"Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your teacher." Wordsworth encourages one to break away from the traditional means of learning and study the natural world of beauty that have the lot more to teach.
There are plenty of other lines in the poem that encourage the audience to follow the liberating view of education for a true understanding. Wordsworth is truly romantic in nature and motivates others to find the true knowledge of the sun, birds and the grass. Well, students would have to read the poem from a book in their classrooms in the first place before going out to the nature outside. They could just take a stroll in the garden instead of entering those classrooms. Moreover, one should remember that Wordsworth is known for simplifying poetic language and making it more conversational.
"The Tables Turned" fits the Romanticism effortlessly as it stresses upon nature. Wordsworth talks about watching and listening to the nature around us and says that we have had enough of Science and Art. However, the component of sarcasm that plays here is that he relies on the same books to convey his message. He still trusts in nature and its being a great teacher. Still, he himself is not able to throw away the books altogether and relies on this medium to reach out to his audience. Wordsworth certainly is being extreme and should have chosen a middle ground.

Reference

Wordsworth, William. "The Tables Turned." Poetryfoundation.org. Poetry Foundation, 2015. Web. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174826>.