Final answer:
The connotation of diction in 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud' by Wordsworth employs similes and personification to deepen the connection between the speaker and nature, assigning human qualities to elements like clouds and daffodils to emphasize a shared existence and value.
Step-by-step explanation:
The connotation of diction in William Wordsworth’s poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud enhances the poetic meaning and expresses the poem’s romantic themes. Wordsworth uses figurative language, particularly similes and personification, to demonstrate a deep and intimate connection between the speaker and the natural world.
For example, when the speaker says, “I wandered lonely as a cloud,” the simile conveys a sense of solitude and freedom. The cloud's high floating over “vales and hills” suggests an elevated perspective and perhaps a longing for transcendence.
Additionally, the daffodils are personified as a “crowd,” hosting a joyful display, which implies a sense of companionship and animation often associated with human gatherings.
Wordsworth's diction provides a stark contrast between the speaker's initial loneliness and the lively company of the daffodils. By assigning human qualities to nature through words such as “fluttering and dancing in the breeze,” the poet elevates the flowers to a status of active, joyful participants in the scene.
This anthropomorphism blurs the lines between the human and the natural, suggesting a shared experience and existential worth. Conversely, the use of “wander” implies an aimless or unguided movement, contrasting with the intentional and lively actions of the daffodils, which heightens their vivacity and further humanizes them.