The Speaker

The speaker is the narrator and main character of the poem. No physical description is given of the speaker themselves. However, ideologically, the speaker appears to be associated with Wordsworth, namely with regard to their belief in the divine power of nature and the necessity of connection between humanity and the natural world. Overall, the speaker is very critical of modern society, denouncing it for its materialism and industrialism. They view the power of nature as more important and spiritually rewarding than the power of material wealth.

While early on in the poem the speaker identifies with society as a whole by grouping themselves in with its desires and practices, later on in the poem they work to distance themselves from this group. They primarily do so by espousing their desire to become a Pagan who places their faith in a creed that values nature rather than...