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Shvoong Home>Books>Poetry>Review on “Michael” by William Wordsworth Review

Review on “Michael” by William Wordsworth

Book Review   by:akso6o175     Original Author: Andy Kester Sawian
  • Summary rating: 4 stars (20 Ratings)
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“Michael” is a pastoral poem. Should anyone climb up to the top of the steep cliff to the very source of the mountain spring by the name of Greenhead Ghyll? One must struggle with such bold ascent on the upright path up the pastoral mountains and with courage around the boisterous brook which leads to the hidden valley. The rushing mountain brook consisted of straggling heaps of unhewn stones that related to a story which was enriched with strange events. These were believed to be tales of shepherds, men and dwellers in the valley who were strengthened by the power of nature. Somewhere in the forest in the suburbs of Grasmere Vale; a valley in Scotland; lived a shepherd by the name of Michael. Though he was aging in his physical body, he was stout of heart, strong of limb and his body was determined to stay consistently fit from his youth to his present age. He was more watchful than other men and was more prompt in his shepherd calling.
Michael could perceive the distant rumbling sound of the bagpipes on the distant highland hills. The winds amidst the bad weather seemed to devise work for him for whenever a traveler is driven towards a shelter he would have to go up the mountains upon summon. Though many times he got lost on the heights of the mountains and was all by himself, yet he still lived past his eightieth birthday. His ‘helpmate’ who happens to be his wife; the origin of this word-compound can be traced back to the Authorized Version of ‘The Bible’-where the expression ‘to make a help meet for him’ occurs. The word ‘helpmate’ was coined out of phonetic similarity with the corresponding expression therein.
Michael’s life as a shepherd was quite simple. Each evening he would sit for his supper with his ‘mess of pottage’; meal of a thick vegetable soup; skimmed milk, a basket piled with oaten cakes and plain home-made cheese. Then he and his son, Luke, would sit beside the fire and engaged themselves in preparing wool for the housewife’s spindle or repair the broken or blunt ‘sickle, flail, or scythe’; these are farmyard implements. From down the ceiling, by the chimney’s edge in their ancient uncouth; unsophisticated; country style with huge and black projection over-browed large space beneath as duly as the light of the day grew dim, the housewife hung a lamb. His cottage was built on a ploy of rising ground. It stood as the sole human dwelling with a large prospect and faced westward to the village near the lake. From this constant light which was so regular and seen so far the house was named by all who dwelt in the valley as ‘The Evening Star’. Easedale and Dunmail-Raise are the names of two places. The former is a ‘dale’ i.e. low valley while the latter is a ‘Raise’ or raised bit of land.
Michael was closer to his son than his wife though he loved them both equally. The greatest gift that earth can offer to an aging man would certainly be a male offspring who would bring him hope and forward-looking thoughts with stirrings of inquietitude; disquiet; when they by tendency of nature needs must fail. Michael bore an exceeding love for his son Luke who has always filled his heart with joy. While Luke was a baby in arms, old Michael ‘had done him female service’: had looked after the baby as a nurse would; with a patient mind and acts of tenderness had rocked baby Luke’s cradle like the gentle hand of a woman. When Luke was ten years old he could stand against the mountain blast and immeasurable heights with no fear for neither toil nor length of weary ways, he accompanied his father daily. From the boy came the feelings and emanations; revelations; that made the old man’s heart be born again. Luke grew up in his father’s sight and became his father’s comfort and daily hope. At the least expected time an unforeseen misfortune struck Michael ‘and old Michael was summoned to discharge the forfeiture’; as a guarantor he was required to pay up for the debtor who had defaulted on the loan. The Shepherd’s sole resource was to sell at once a portion of his patrimonial; inherited; fields to clear up his debts though he was reluctant to do it.
In that deep valley near the tumultuous brook of Greenhead Ghyll, Michael had designed to build a sheep-fold and there he heard the tidings of his melancholic loss. He gathered up a heap of stones which laid thrown together by the streamlet’s edge and ready for the work. That evening Luke walked thitherward; that way; and stopped when he reached the place. When Michael passed away, Luke began to be slacken in his duty and within no time he gave himself into the dissolute; immoral; city to evil courses including ignominy and shame which fell on him. At last he was driven out to seek a hiding place beyond the seas.
Published: October 05, 2010   
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