The Speaker

The unnamed speaker is the poem’s sole voice and narrator. As no characterization of the speaker is given, they are primarily characterized through the thoughts they communicate throughout the text. It is implied the speaker is in love with the unnamed woman who is the subject of the poem, based on the fact that their relationship with her puts them in a state of “no human fears” (2). While the power of their love causes them to view this woman as immortal, they acknowledge and lament her death in the latter half of the poem.

The Unnamed Woman (Lucy)

The unnamed woman who is the subject of the poem is more than likely Lucy, the central character from Wordsworth’s series of Lucy poems. Throughout the poem Lucy has no voice and the speaker offers very little description of her. The speaker implies that she is youthful...