Body to Mind

In Tintern Abbey, I was really interested in how Wordsworth's relationship with nature changed as he got older and, of course, in turn, changed him. He talks of when "wild ecstasies shall be matured into a sober pleasure". As a youth, the body was what was important, enjoying coarser, animal pleasures. The extremes were extreme, "aching joys" and "dizzy raptures". There was indeed nothing wrong with this, it was wonderful and pleasurable, but these things of youth, of "thoughtless youth" (I think this is an important phrase, emphasizing that youth is more concerned with matters of the body and the material), but now Wordsworth is older and his relationship with nature has changed, but it is not something that saddens him, for although he has lost certain gifts, he has gained others that (more than) make up for the ones lost. Nature lightens the mysteries and weight of this confusing and foreign world. "We are laid asleep in body, and become a living soul." Again, the body becomes less important as it is our soul that is awakened, and we gain a deeper understanding of the world, one that comes from closing our physical eyes and opening those of our minds. Wordsworth speaks of hearing the "still, sad music of humanity"...but it is not a harsh music, but simply one that sobers us. The exuberant youth is sobered, but is none the worse for it. As we age, we gain so much in our relationship with nature, gain in our peace of mind and connectedness, we are now running towards it instead of away from it. But I do not think that Wordsworth finds one stage of this relationship better than the other. They both have their time and should be enjoyed and embraced equally, it is a natural progression ("other gifts have followed, for such loss, I would believe, abundant recompense.")