William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth was an English poet that is best know for his crucial role in the Romantic Literature Movement. He was born in the Lake District of England in 1717. McLuhan references Wordsworth on the bottom of page 44 where he includes a verse from Wordsworth poem entitled Expostulation and Reply. McLuhan includes this exert from Wordsworth's poem because he sees Wordsworth as a radical thinker just like himself. McLuhan agrees with the poet's philosophy, and he expands upon it throughout his book. McLuhan sees himself as a reflection of Wordsworth in several ways.

Here is video which reads aloud Expostulation and Reply. Listen especially at the 47 second mark, for here starts the verse that McLuhan references on page 44.

The setting of the poem in on Lake Esthwaite, located in the Lake District, which is in the Northwestern part of England. The two characters in the poem are William and his friend Matthew. Matthew asks William why he is sitting near the lake daydreaming, when instead, he should be reading books to enlighten himself. This is an example of expostulation. It can be defined as an attempt (in this case Matthew’s attempt at it) is to reason with a person in order to get him to turn away from a course of action.  William’s reply to Matthew’s question is that he is, in fact, enlightening himself simply by allowing nature to stimulate him. This answer expresses a key principle of the Romantic Movement. A common idea of this movement was that nature and human intuition impart a kind of knowledge and wisdom not found in books and formal education. It was also common of the Romantic Movement for the artist to reveal their deep feelings and emotions through their works. Wordsworth is most definitely doing just that in this poem.

So you might be wondering how McLuhan relates to Wordsworth. Well, I would argue that both McLuhan and Wordsworth are very similar people. They are similarly in that they are both radical thinkers of different movements. They both post original ideas, and both are way ahead of their time. In addition, both McLuhan and Wordsworth think that people should learn in their own ways. McLuhan is afraid of what technology will bring for future generations, and he focuses on primitiveness in different sections throughout the book. In the same way, Wordsworth feels as if nature should be the leading force of growth. He thinks nature should be the teacher and stimulate man’s senses in profound ways. Finally, both are alike in that have high expectations for their readers. McLuhan’s book is challenging to read, as are Wordsworth poems. However, once the reader is able to grasp the message the authors are portraying many thoughts come racing through our brains. Because McLuhan and Wordsworth were so trusting in their reader’s mental activity we are able to gain great insight into what these brilliant individuals were thinking.

In conclusion, Wordsworth's verse of Expostulation and Reply are included in The Medium is the Massage because the poem reflects a radical way of thinking, and McLuhan is all about just that. Wordsworth brought many new ideas to the table through his poems, and McLuhan is looking to do the same thing through his writings. McLuhan is inspired by Wordsworth way of thinking, which is therefor why he is referenced in the book.

Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

Amber