Abstract The present thesis seeks to answer the question “why ‘my’ heart leaps up” in that famous poem of Wordsworth’s by showing that Iris the Greek goddess of rainbow, with all her appeal to children’s imagination, explains more about Wordsworth’s leaping heart than Noah’s duty-laden rainbow in the Holy Bible; and the Greek philosophy attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, which binds children’s heart with Immortality, is powerful in justifying Wordsworth’s wish for the “natural piety”。 Some biographical knowledge of the poet’s process of composition and revision further illustrates the case。88947

Keywords: rainbow; the Greek mythology; children’s heart; immortality

我心为何雀跃？—从希腊视角探寻

摘  要雨霁彩虹卧，心跃动。我心为何雀跃？—本文试从希腊视角进行探寻：希腊女神凝结的光芒折射出儿童般的想象力，比之圣经故事里沉重的彩虹之契更易牵动人心；赫尔墨斯·特利斯墨吉斯忒斯的希腊哲学在将儿童与不朽的联结中，也裹挟华兹华斯自然的虔诚。笔走心荡，诗人曲折的感悟亦蔓延其间。源Q于D优G尔X论V文Y网wwW.yOueRw.com 原文+QQ75201`8766

毕业论文关键词：彩虹；希腊神话； 童心；不朽

Contents

1。 Introduction 1

1。1 Brief Account of “My Heart Leaps Up” 1

1。2 Research Background 2

1。3 Significance and Aims of Decoding the Poem 4

2。 Literature Review from Different Aspects 6

2。1 Criticism Focusing on Nature 6

2。2 Criticism Focusing on the Child 6

2。3 Criticism Focusing on the Rainbow 7

3。 The Rainbow and the Greek Mythology 9

3。1 The Greek Goddess of the Rainbow, Iris 9

3。1。1 The Messenger between Gods and Men 9

3。1。2 The Embodiment of Breezy Deity 10

3。2 Wordsworth’s Admiration for Greek Mythology 12

3。2。1 His Use of Greek Mythology and Iris in Other Poems 12

3。2。2 Wordsworth’s Long and Extensive Greek Education 13

4。 The Greek Rainbow and the Child 14

4。1 The Active Greek Imagination 14

4。2 The Lively and Jolly Greek Mythology Appealing to Children’s Heart 15

5。 The Wordsworthian Idea of Children’s Natural Piety 17

5。1 Wordsworth’s Knowledge of the Neo-Platonist Belief of the Immortal Soul Awakening in the Infant 18

5。2 Wordsworth’ Celebration of Children’s Celestial Nature 19

6。 Why Does Wordsworth’s Heart Leap up? 21

6。1 For the Joy of Regaining the Vision of Immortality after the Loss 21

6。1。1 The Inevitable Loss of Children’s Vision of Light 21

6。1。2 The Timely Utterance Giving Relief to Anguished Wordsworth 23