The Idealized Woman in Wordsworth’s “She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways” and Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130: A Comparative Study of Feminine Representation and Poetic Idealization

The representation of women has remained a central concern in English literary traditions, often reflecting prevailing cultural notions of beauty, virtue, and desire. William Wordsworth’s “She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways” (1799) and William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 (1609) offer two distinct approaches to portraying women. While Wordsworth idealizes Lucy as a pure, nature-bound figure whose significance emerges through solitude and loss, Shakespeare challenges conventional poetic idealization by presenting a woman whose imperfections are openly acknowledged. This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of these poems to examine how each poet constructs femininity and negotiates the relationship between love and idealization. Drawing upon Romantic and Renaissance literary contexts, as well as feminist critical perspectives, the study argues that Wordsworth’s portrayal elevates the woman into a symbolic and passive ideal, whereas Shakespeare’s anti-Petrarchan approach humanizes his beloved by rejecting exaggerated comparisons. The analysis reveals broader shifts in literary attitudes toward women, moving from Romantic transcendence and spiritualization to Renaissance realism and emotional authenticity.