A Sister’s Love: “We Are Seven”

As many with siblings know, our brothers and sisters become our protectors. Through out our lives, they are our playmates, our friends, and the ones that look out for us in times of great peril. There is little that can end this bond, especially the one a sister has for her siblings. In Wordsworth’s “We Are Seven,” this loving bond is shown through the conversation held between that of a small child and the narrator as she shows not even death can break blood ties.

“We Are Seven” opens with the narrator taking pause as he watches this small cottage girl. He begins to questions what “it” knows of death. He uses “it” rather than “her” to dehumanize her, thus establishing that his character is one of an outsider. As being such can remove himself from her situation and have a completely logical position. The narrator continues on describe the girl, who is sweet and cherub like with her thick head of curls, fair eyes, and beauty that brought him happiness. The reason she is described as such is the author is setting the tone for her future actions within the poem, for she is not only angelic in her looks.

Finally, the narrator speaks aloud to the girl and ask her “’Sisters and brothers, little Maid,/ How many may your be?’” The exchange continues on with the girl telling of her seven brothers and sisters: two of which dwell in Conway, two are at sea, and “Two of us in the church-yard lie,/ My sister and my brother.” The narrator, curious as to how this can still make a sum of seven, questions the little girl to her logic. To this, the angelic reply was simply a parrot response in disbelief that this person could not understand her. At further prodding, she explains more in depth the story of her sister and her brother, which is as follows:

          "Their graves are green, they may be seen,"

          The little Maid replied,

          "Twelve steps or more from my mother's door,

          And they are side by side.                                  

          "My stockings there I often knit,

          My kerchief there I hem;

          And there upon the ground I sit,

          And sing a song to them.

          "And often after sunset, Sir,

          When it is light and fair,

          I take my little porringer,

          And eat my supper there.

          "The first that died was sister Jane;

          In bed she moaning lay,                                     

          Till God released her of her pain;

          And then she went away.

          "So in the church-yard she was laid;

          And, when the grass was dry,

          Together round her grave we played,

          My brother John and I.

          "And when the ground was white with snow,

          And I could run and slide,

          My brother John was forced to go,

          And he lies by her side."             

These lines give great merit to how her angelic looks tie in, as mentioned above. Not only does she look like an angel, but she is the angelic protector of her brother and sister. She speaks a bit backwards, as at first she tells of them in death. She speaks of how in death she watches over them, taking on many of her daily task with them where they lie. Then, she then continues with a bit more back story as she tells of her sister’s fate. She was neither sad nor angry when she passed away, but felt G-d had released her and took her away. Her phrasing with her sister’s passing further drives home the angelic protector that she is. She then moves on to her brother and that though her sister had passed she did not forget him but rather played with him while still including her sister’s memory until he fell ill. Even though these two are gone and she can no longer protect them from earthly ills, she can protect their memory and does so with a child like innocence personified through cherub qualities. Still, the narrator, ever the outside logic, questions her but this little girl remains firm, stating “Nay, we are seven!”

There are few that will protect you from all the harms and ills of the world. So much is out there that tries to destroy, yet the love of a sister will keep a light burning for all time, even if it to just protect a memory. Wordsworth grasped innocent love of a family through a child’s eyes within “We Are Seven” and the small cherub will keep her siblings alive for years to come.