A Critical Appreciation of 'She Was A Phantom Of Delight', composed by William Wordsworth

This poem has been composed by William Wordsworth in 1804. He was one of the best poets of Romantic Age. He wants to describe his own feeling for his lovely wife. This poem is a beautiful tribute to the poet's wife(Mary Hutchinson). 

"She was a phantom of delight, 

When first she gleamed upon my sight;

A lovely apparition, sent 

To be a moment 's ornament;

Her eyes as stars of twilight fair;

Like twilight's too, her dusky hair, 

But all things else about her drawn 

From May-time and the cheerful dawn;

A dancing shape, an image gay,

To haunt, to startle, and way lay".

                     The poet says in the first stanza that she is a visionary element of beauty. At first sight, I understood that she has been created by the heaven during the best time of this natural atmosphere. Her eyes are as the stars and her hair is as bright as dusky sun. Everything of her appearance gives cheerful moments to us and her body is just as a beautiful dancing girl. He points out through the last line of this stanza that her beauty brings more and more attention and haunts regularly. 

"I saw her upon nearer view, 

A spirit, yet a woman too!

Her household motions light and free;

And steps of virgin liberty;

A countenance in which did meet,

Sweet records, promises as sweet;

A creature not too bright or good, 

For human nature's daily food, 

For transient sorrows, simple wiles, 

Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears and smiles".

            In the second stanza, the poet boldly describes his actions towards her beauty. He says that he is very close with his true ideas. He says that she is a heavenly spirit but she has common attitude as a true woman too. She is belonging from fairy land but she is also very active in household work as a virgin's freedom and liberty. I have also remembered her total promises and sweet records because she is not too bright not to arrogant. She is performing everything as a common woman. She has also love, praise, tears, blame and smiles as a common girl. 

"And now I see with eye serene, 

The very pulse of the machine;

A being breathing thoughtful breath,

A traveler between life and death;

The reason firm,the temperate will, Endurance, foresight, strength and skill;

A perfect woman, nobly planned, 

To warn, to comfort, and command;

And yet a spirit still, and bright, 

With something of an angelic light. 

                    

                                   In the 3rd stanza of the poem, the poet says that he knows everything about her positive qualities. He fortunately feels her pulse of heart. I mean I am being a life traveller so I have to perform anything with her till death. I am confidently saying that she has so many positive thoughts as a perfect woman like Endurance, foresight, strength and skills. A perfect woman always warns her husband from danger and bad deeds and she also provides comfort for him. She is belonging from angelic light but performing her duties as a noble woman. Instead of that, I think, this is a fine tribute to poet's wife. In this poem, the poet used so many poetic terms and rhymes to make the poem so easy for the readers.