The speaker personifies nature to establish a connection between human experiences and the natural environment, suggesting the importance of recognizing nature's intrinsic value and the influence it has on human emotion and life. This literary technique promotes empathy for the environment and supports themes related to environmentalism and environmental justice.
The speaker personifies nature in order to draw parallels between the experiences and values of human life and the natural world. In I wandered lonely as a cloud, Wordsworth frequently employs anthropomorphism by giving nature human characteristics while also attributing natural qualities to humans, a technique known as chremamorphism. For example, the daffodils in the poem are personified as they are depicted "[t]ossing their heads in sprightly dance," suggesting a liveliness and agency often associated with humans. This technique of personification blurs the line between human and nature, suggesting that nature possesses intrinsic value comparable to human lives.
This portrayal implies that just like humans, nature has life and emotions, which can influence and interact with our own experiences. For instance, nature is described with human-like behavior in violent weather or as comforting companions in the form of dancing flowers. The personification of nature serves to emphasize the interconnectedness and mutual influence between humans and the natural environment, underlining the importance of harmony and respect in this relationship.
Characters in literary works often project their emotions onto the environment, using nature as a mirror to reflect their inner states, as seen in how the flowers seem to reflect Dorothy's weariness in the story. In broader terms, by anthropomorphizing nature, authors like Wordsworth and Cavendish encourage readers to empathize with the natural world, acknowledging its sentience and advocating for its protection, aligning with ideas related to modern environmentalism and environmental justice.