A very important aspect of this sonnet is the symbolism of the tear. I believe Wordsworth uses the tear as a symbol of “virtue”. The tears of Helen Maria Williams are introduced in the first line of the poem as “She wept” and this is the only place in the poem where Williams is referenced even though her name is in the title. Though Wordsworth is a fanatic of Williams and her work, the only detail about her that matters to him is her tears, which symbolize virtues in her and therefore her sensibility, which Wordsworth believes to be her most superior quality. It is her tears/virtue/sensibility that elicits in him such an erotic and intimate response which could be likened to that of falling in love. He is in love with her ability to feel the pain and suffering of others. The line that provides the most proof of this symbolism is line 9: “That tear proclaims – in thee each virtue dwells,” To shed tears over the distress of others is a sign of a virtuous person and each tear is physical proof of their sensibility. The Oxford English Dictionary defines virtue as “The power of operative influence inherent in a supernatural or divine being; and act of superhuman or divine power”. To Wordsworth, the tears of Helen Maria Williams prove her virtue and give her a divine, superhuman quality which fascinates him. In her own poem “To Sensibility”, Williams personifies Sensibility itself as a goddess. However, Wordsworth takes this belief a step further by saying that anyone who expresses sensibility is also divine, especially Helen Maria Williams.
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