Literary Devices in I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

The final two lines of the poem use polysyndeton, or the repetition of conjunctions like “and,” “but,” and “or,” in rapid succession. Wordsworth’s repetition of the conjunction “and” calls attention to the most important theme of the poem: the necessity of memory, or “that inward eye,” in providing joy long after an experience has passed.

This line uses alliteration, or the repetition of consonants. Repeating the softness of the letter “w,” as opposed to a harder consonant, reinforces the poem’s tone and flowing rhythm.

The phrase “I gazed—and gazed” uses diacope, or the repetition of words separated by other words. Wordsworth’s use of em dashes (—) establishes an even greater emotional impact because it interrupts the flow of the line in order to emphasize the significance of the poet’s experience.

Wordsworth uses hyperbole when he claims to see a never-ending line of daffodils along the bay. Hyperbole involves exaggerating for the purpose of emphasizing or calling attention to something. Exaggerating the number of daffodils to the infinite extends the simile introduced at the beginning of the stanza, in which the daffodils are compared to the endless stars of the Milky Way.

This line uses sibilance, or the repetition of words containing the letter “s.” When compared to the repetition of other consonants, sibilance can provide greater emotional impact because of the distinct hissing sound created when the line is spoken aloud.

Wordsworth uses a simile to develop the image of the daffodils. A simile, which compares two things by using the words “like” or “as,” strengthens the impact of images and concepts in memorable ways that can reveal underlying themes in a text. In this comparison, Wordsworth possibly suggests that the daffodils—or their image and influence—have an enduring power on par with the stars in the Milky Way galaxy. This comparison introduces one of the poem’s most significant themes: the importance of memory and imagination, which prolong the impact of an inspiring experience for years to come.

The repetition of the vowel “a” in the words “all,” “at,” “saw,” and “a” is an example of assonance. Assonance, which features a vowel that repeats in rapid succession, reinforces both the poem’s rhythm and its surreal, dreamlike tone.

The first two lines of the poem use enjambment, in which a thought or phrase that begins in one line continues into the following line. In this context, enjambment creates a dreamlike flow while also extending the poem’s first significant image: a lonely cloud floating over vast expanses of land.

Wordsworth employs personification, or the attribution of human qualities to nonhuman things, in this line. The speaker, a poet, uses a simile to compare his wandering to that of a lonely cloud—as though clouds experience loneliness in the way that humans do. In this context, personification enriches the poem’s vivid imagery by encouraging readers to identify with its natural elements.