''The Tables Turned'' is a

poem Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings in ...

written by

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication '' Lyrical Ballads'' (1798). Wordsworth's ' ...

in 1798 and published in his ''

Lyrical Ballads ''Lyrical Ballads, with a Few Other Poems'' is a collection of poems by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, first published in 1798 and generally considered to have marked the beginning of the English Romantic movement in literatu ...

''. The poem is mainly about the importance of

nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...

. It says that books are just barren leaves that provide empty knowledge, and that nature is the best teacher which can teach more about human, evil and good. Wordsworth describes the beautiful songs of birds like the woodland

linnet The common linnet (''Linaria cannabina'') is a small passerine bird of the finch family, Fringillidae. It derives its common name and the scientific name, ''Linaria'', from its fondness for hemp seeds and flax seeds—flax being the English n ...

and the throstle.

Synopsis

The poem consists of eight ballad stanzas with 32 lines total. Each stanza follows equally except for the last that, in comparison, has a more irregular

rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...

. The poem puts forward the message that nature is the ultimate good influence. It compares the city life (the notion of corruption) with a rural/natural life (the notion of purity) and moreover, the effect these

lifestyle Lifestyle often refers to: * Lifestyle (sociology), the way a person lives * ''Otium'', ancient Roman concept of a lifestyle * Style of life (german: Lebensstil, link=no), dealing with the dynamics of personality Lifestyle may also refer to: Bu ...

s have on the

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...

. The poem's main message is that one can learn more from nature than from a book. The poem does not deny the importance of books but it only indicates that excess of anything, in this case excessive reading, can be harmful. one who is erudite but has no experience of practical life is as good as an imbecile. Nature through its laws teaches us the way things work out. Major themes in the poem are: appreciation of nature and importance of practical learning. {{DEFAULTSORT:Tables Turned Poetry by William Wordsworth 1798 poems