Time

There is an interesting relationship between the past, present and future in the of Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey. Wordsworth begins this poem by taking great lengths to describe the length of time between his last visit to this location and the one in which he was presently writing about. I believe the point of this is to make a clear delineation of time.

In recalling previous memories while in the same area five years prior, Wordsworth remarks that these past experiences served as a crutch to help get him through life. Although it had been a considerable period of time since his last visit, the present observations are no different than the past memories he recalled in his mind. According to Wordsworth the "forms of beauty" helped him get through tough, lonely times. Specifically Wordsworth affirms that it brought him tranquil restoration: that is the past brought him help and emotion in the present. Here we see the past bringing happiness and contentment to the present.

Later in the poem Wordsworth shows another dimension of the time component when he states, " Of present pleasure, but with pleasing thoughts that in this moment there is life and food for future years." Earlier he recognized that the past served as a crutch in the present (now the past); here Wordsworth demonstrates that what is present now will become past in the future and will again serve as a means to reflect and gain strength from. It is a never-ending, self-powering cycle - but for Wordsworth a good one. Overall, Wordsworth's revisiting of this location provides a good forum for exploring the meaning and application of time.