A volta or a turn, is an analytical device used by authors in poems to completely change moods, or thought processes. In “Nuns Fret not at their convents narrow room” a volta is used in 8th line to dramatically shift the mood of the poem. Voltas are key in causing readers to further interact in the text- “indispensable” that’s how author and historian Paul Fussell described it. The volta is used to change the mood of the poem, shift the rhyme scheme, and even reconstruct the diction of the writing, specifically sentence structure, all to catch the reader’s attention and draw them into the text.

The poem starts off in a light, joyful mood. Using imagery and words that appeal to emotion, Wordsworth carefully crafts a mood that can be interpreted as safe and content. Certain lines including the poem’s name itself help convey this. A particularly strong line within the first part is “Sit blithe and happy; bees that soar for bloom, /High as the highest Peak of Furness-fells,” (lines 5-6). Looking at key words and phrases the words high, happy, soar, bloom and peak are all emotional words that convey freedom or joy. These lines are the “finisher” or in other words the last sentence before the volta, the one to bring the mood home. They serve to catch the reader, to break down his or her barriers and get into the mood Wordsworth started off conveying, all so the volta has an increased effect. 

Wordsworth then turns the poem against its original joyous mood. Line 8 states “In truth the prison, into which we doom” the words “doom” and “prison” already have a negative connotation in the English language, but when the author uses them after bringing up points about bliss and soaring, the negative connotations are amplified. This is such a powerful literary device for a writer, as it can allow the author to change trajectory in a piece without being labeled sloppy or all over the place within that work. The second mood of the poem is critical, harsh, and overall despaired. Wordsworth uses imagery and ethos just like before but this time to convey a polar opposite mood. “Within the Sonnet’s scanty plot of ground; /Pleased if some Souls (for such there needs must be) /Who have felt the weight of too much liberty,” (Lines 11-13) contain great uses of imagery as Wordsworth paints a picture using scanty, Souls, and too much liberty to convey to the reader that the people who seemed free in the first part of the poem are actually the ones imprisoned. Wordsworth resolves this “Doom” by inferring “liberty,/Should find brief solace there, as I have found.”(Last line).

Other than word choice, Wordsworth changes the rhyme scheme in the poem as well. “Nuns fret not in their Convent’s narrow room” is a Petrarchan sonnet with fourteen lines; a rhyming scheme of ABBAABBA and CDDCCD. The original rhyme scheme of the poem is more pleasing with a rhythmic flow that is easier to follow. It conveys happiness as the reader keeps along with the one, two-two, one, two-two scheme. The second part of the poem is harder to continue with, its more aggressive and requires it to be read differently to feel smooth. The whole poem is written in iambic pentameter however the last line is not; it is written in trochaic meter which puts emphasis on the last line “Who have felt the weight of too much liberty.” Wordsworth uses rhyme scheme in a way that as a reader reads the poem, they notice the change. It is sharp, tactical, and both rhyme schemes convey the moods previously discussed.

Sentence structure is yet another tool the author manipulated to convey the moods he wanted to in both parts of the poem. The first half of the poem’s sentence structure consistently ends in semi-colons. The sentences are spaced apart, they flow well and pause after each one before continuing. This structure allows for smooth reading and its more comfortable than the second half. The second half of the poem is choppy, aggressive and doesn’t have many pauses. It’s unconsciously read faster because of the lack of pauses and its words are shorter. Everything Wordsworth did to the tiniest detail within this poem solidified his overall moods, and theme.

Wordsworth conveys these moods and uses the volta all to show the readers his points in a special manner that differs this work from others. The poem is about freedom and liberty but not for the original people he mentioned. On the contrary, the “nuns”, “weaver”, “maid” and “students” are the ones “in prison” as he states. Wordsworth is saying that having too much liberty is actually a living hell, that he loves the fact he doesn’t have as much freedoms as them. That the “bees” or workers may have a monotonous life, and that people may hate their jobs, but having a job and responsibilities keep us busy. The “brief solace” in which he confides in is being busy writing. All of the moods, words, diction, and the volta itself were tools used to draw the reader in, and the fact this poem is so highly recognized and studied proves Wordsworth accomplished that goal. 