The changing political views of William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth was a social thinker and a man thoroughly engaged in political debates throughout his life, contrary to the generally held perception that he became isolated and disillusioned. In fact, Wordsworth continued to discuss politics and remained informed about issues relating to social change. This study shows that these political discussions of his are also reflected in his late poems, and it will be argued that some of his less-regarded late poems merit more attention than they usually receive. His political ideas both in his poems and prose were well known to the people of his day and contributed to the new Victorian world view. The poems which will be considered include early works such as An Evening Walk, Salisbury Plain, The Female Vagrant, The Last of The Flock and Michael, in addition to the late poems such as Ode to Duty, and The Excursion, which is often seen as a public rejection of his earlier views.