My Heart Leaps up When I Behold

-          William Wordsworth

When the speaker sees the rainbow in the sky, he becomes very happy. He used to be happy in his childhood. Now, he is a grown-up person but yet he loves the rainbow. He will be equally happy in his old days too. Otherwise, he wants to die.

The present is the outcome of the past, so naturally the future will be the outcome of the present. He also wishes his everyday in the future would be full of respect for nature. 

·         What do you think is the central idea of the poem ‘My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold’? Give reasons.

Ans. The present is the outcome of the past, so naturally the future will be the outcome of the present. I think this is the central idea of the poem.

·         Why does the heart of the poet leap up when he sees a rainbow in the sky?

Ans. The heart of the poet leaps up when he sees a rainbow in the sky because he loves and respects nature very much. The rainbow is also a part of nature. 

·         Explain the paradox in ‘The Child is the Father of the Man.”

Ans. Generally, a man fathers a child. But the poet says that the child is the father of the man. This produces confusion in the reader. Actually, he hints to the maturity that one gains along the course of time. First, one becomes child with innocence. Then, with experiences of life, he becomes a man with maturity. This is a natural process.