William Wordsworth is an idol to poetry lovers round the world. His intense love for nature was reflected in his poems. Wordsworth spent the major part of his adult life in the scenic Lake District of England.
William Wordsworth was born on 7th April 1770 in England. He was a pupil of Hawkshead Grammar School where he discovered his love for poetry. He went on to attend the St. John’s College in Cambridge.
His first poems were published in ‘An Evening Walk’, and ‘Descriptive Sketches’, a collection of poems. Wordsworth’s meeting with Samuel Taylor Coleridge proved to be a turning point in his life and in the history of poetry.
He collaborated with Coleridge to create ‘Lyrical Ballads’, in 1798. ‘Lyrical Ballads’, is poetry classic ‘The Prelude’, perhaps his greatest work, is partly autobiographical, and focuses on his early years. The poem went through several editions.
The Prelude was published after his death. During his lifetime it was known as the poem by Coleridge. ‘The Borderers’ was the only play penned by Wordsworth. It was a tragedy in verse.
Wordsworth died of pleurisy on 23rd April, 1850. Wordsworth had the honour of being Britain’s Poet Laureate from 1843 until his death.