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Literature Annotations

Wordsworth, William To ----, in Her Seventieth Year

	On-Line Text
Genre	Poem
Keywords	Aging, Death and Dying, Menopause, Women's Health
Summary	Wordsworth describes his respect for an elderly female friend. Her wrinkles, grey hair, white cheeks, and bent head bring to mind a snowdrop. Like her, the delicate flower that blossoms on snow-covered mountains is a child of winter that prompts thoughts of gentle demise. Aging and death are compared to the moon growing brighter as night grows darker. Old age refines people into something more pure and exquisite.
Commentary	This poem might serve as a contrast to less complimentary images of aging women. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that Wordsworth can only praise the old woman in so far as she is acorporal. She is no longer an old woman in his eyes but a symbol of purity, disembodiment. Women's non-reproductive bodies are often ignored or despised.
Source	Poetical Works
Publisher	Oxford Univ. Press
Edition	1989
Editors	Thomas Hutchinson
Place Published	New York
Alternate Source	The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth
Alternate Publisher	Clarendon
Alternate Edition	1954
Alternate Editors	E. De Selincourt & Helen Darbishire
Place Published	Oxford
Miscellaneous	First published: 1827
Annotated by	Moore, Pamela
Date of Entry	08/08/94
Last Revised	05/07/01