Regarded as one of the founders of Romanticism in England, William Wordsworth has inspired a countless number of works. From Lyrical Ballads in 1798 to French Revolution in 1810, he has continued to dominate the literary world throughout the centuries. He’s even appeared in numerous modern works, such as The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid, and even the anime, Black Butler. Wordsworth has remained the cornerstone of literature, and continues to do so today.

William Wordsworth was born in Cockermouth, Cumberland on April 7th, 1770. His father was distant from him and his siblings, but he did push Wordsworth to read, especially works by Milton and Shakespeare. His mother was actually the one who taught him to read, and after she died he was sent to the Hawkshead Grammar School. Eventually, he published his first piece in The European Magazine. Soon, he attended St. John’s College where he graduated with a bachelors degree.

When Wordsworth visited revolutionary France, he fell in love with a woman named Annette Vallon, whom he wished to marry. She gave birth to a daughter, and though he supported them both, the outbreak of the French Revolution caused him to stop seeing her. However, with the signing of the Peace of Amiens, Wordsworth, alongside his sister Dorothy, visited Annette, this time though for his marriage to another woman. However, he still supported his daughter and continued to support her until 1835.

Wordsworth received many awards during his lifetime, including an honorary doctorate from the University of Durham and Oxford University. John Kebble praised Wordsworth as a poet for humanity. In 1843, Wordsworth became a Poet Laureate. At first, he refused it, believing he was too old for such an honor, but when the Prime Minister, Robert Peel, pressured him, Wordsworth accepted. He died on April 23rd, 1850, and is buried in St. Oswald’s Church in Grasmere.

One of Wordsworth’s most famous pieces was Lyrical Ballads. Written alongside Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the work was considered to be the start of the Romantic movement. The collection includes poetry that gave way to voice concerns for the impoverished and helped shine a light on common language found in middle and lower classes. A theme in the collection was that humanity was good, though because of society’s influence, it was corrupted. Another beloved work of Wordsworth was The Prelude, which is regarded as Wordsworth’s masterpiece. The work details his own philosophies, as well as his development as a poet. Separated into three parts, The Prelude gives insight into a poet's mind and incorporates Wordsworth's many resolutions and conflicts into each poem.

Wordsworth has left his mark on the Romantic Movement. He, along with many others, established the beauty of everyday life, emotions, and nature. He encouraged people to use their imaginations to free themselves from social conventions and with the influence of the French Revolution his poetry continued to advocate social change. Wordsworth has been praised by many of his colleagues during his time, and to this day he continues to be admired by many authors alike.