The child, originally one of five siblings, has two siblings who now “in the church-yard lie, / sister and brother” (Wordsworth l. This is seen especially in the poem “We Are Seven”, which depicts a disagreement between a child and a census collector. Wordsworth, employing emotional rhetoric in his poem, attempted to elicit loving feelings for children, portraying them as charming embodiments of innocence. Because of this reality, parents seldom allowed themselves to become too attached to their offspring, as they accepted that they will inevitably have to bury one or more young children. As Wordsworth knew from personal experience, in the late 18th century, “on average, one in four children died within a decade of birth, less than in previous generations but a stark reality nonetheless rare was the family that hadn’t lost a child” (Rovee 2). Prior to the Romantic period, children were regarded with much less emotional attachment from their parents than what is considered normal today, a perspective that is largely due to the child mortality rate. Two of his poems in particular, “We Are Seven” and “Ode to Intimations of Immortality”, strongly provide a juxtaposition between the grim realities of the early 19th century and the aforementioned Wordsworthian romantic illusions. Thus, children are major players in Wordsworth’s poetry as a tool to explain the world in this romanticized way he felt it should be perceived.
![wordsworth ode intimations of immortality wordsworth ode intimations of immortality](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81hAcNnoybL.jpg)
These views of nature as the key to seeing beauty in an imperfect world were reminiscent of childhood, as Wordsworth felt that children possess the ability to see the world in this romantic way he idolized. According to Wordsworth, in his famous essay that set in motion the Romantic Era of literature, “the passions of men are incorporated with the beautiful and permanent forms of nature” (Wordsworth “Preface” 174). In the midst of this culture, William Wordsworth came forward, using poetry to propose an alternate lens to view the world. Additionally, this era of industrialization left no room for a childlike passion and appreciation for nature. Idealism and childlike views of nature and one’s place in the universe were viewed as radical, liberal ideas in this age of pragmatism and rigid logic.
![wordsworth ode intimations of immortality wordsworth ode intimations of immortality](https://s1.adlibris.com/images/12930493/ode-intimations-of-immortality-from-recollections-of-early-childhood.jpg)
In response to such loss, humans became relegated to a number in a new, practical system of population management, as government officials went door to door, inquiring of the household size. The turn of the 19th century was a morbid, dark time period: death was a common visitor, as plagues and diseases diminished the children, and the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars diminished the overall population.