In the poem titled “Nuns Fret Not at Their Covent’s Narrow Room” by William Wordsworth, there is a double meaning to the word prison. Prison typically connotes a very negative place where someone is confined as punishment. However, some people choose or become quite content with a lifestyle or living situation that others view as a prison without iron bars and locks. Wordsworth uses a series of similar phrases containing a common theme of places of many kinds and inhabitants ranging from humans to insects to contradict what the reader might initially assume when reading the poem. William Wordsworth writes: “Who have felt the weight of too much liberty, / should find brief solace there, as I have found” (13-14). These two lines simplify down to when people find themselves with too much freedom, they may find comfort in restrictions and not view their lifestyle as being related to a prison. The use of phrases containing inhabitants and places clearly supports the argument of the word prison being a paradox. 

Looking at the phrase “Nuns fret not at their convent’s narrow room” (Wordsworth 1), one can see how Wordsworth describes that nuns do not mind their narrow rooms. One might view being stuck in a confined narrow room relatable to that of a narrow space in a prison. However, the lifestyle of being a nun is not forced upon anyone. There is a choice or a “calling” made by a person to become a nun with the understanding of the personal sacrifices she will endure. A nun specifically is a member of a religious community of women, especially a cloistered one, living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They are at peace with their choice of life and made a vow to it therefore do not view their rooms given to them as being stuck in a prison-like space. This contradicts what might first come to the reader’s mind until they read what was explained earlier about too much liberty. This helps proves the author’s argument by supporting the claim why one might not mind living in such a confined space.

In the second line, the phrase “hermits are contended with their cells” (Wordsworth 2) is describing how hermits are completely satisfied with the space they are in. No one would expect someone to be content with their cell because to most people they would be daunting and restrictive. However, a hermit might more easily embrace the cell since they are people who prefer live in solitude. This is why there is a paradox of the word prison, because one might think that they are in a prison like space, but to the hermit they are satisfied and do not view themselves in that situation. 

The third phrase “students with their pensive citadels” (Wordsworth 3) is describing how students are engaged in a citadel which is similar to a fortress with confined spaces. Again one might view being stuck in these tight spaces inside of a fortress to be unethical in the sense that it is not enough for students. However, the truth being that students make the choice to go to citadels. These restricted spaces can serve their purpose to limit the freedom of the students for military disciplinary reasons to others reasons. When someone else has less freedom, someone else has more. For example, one may not be able to conceal carry a firearm inside a bank, but a security guard is eligible to have one. This allows him to have more freedom which essentially gives someone else less, but in return someone gets protection. This sense of being watched over and someone looking out for you can often bring comfort. This can be connected back to the quote about feeling comfort when given less liberty.

 The line “maids at the wheel, the weaver at his loom, / sit blithe and happy” (Wordsworth 4-5) refers to how maids and weavers are often found trapped in their work. One might look at a maid and feel bad for them that they are stuck cleaning and doing housework. Likewise, one might feel bad for weavers who seem to never leave their endless work cycle at a loom. This might be compared to prison in the sense that inmates are expected to serve endless duties such as serving food during meal times. The reality is that most people generally get the opportunity to choose a profession that they like. The reason the maids and weavers are often found trapped in their work is because they are happy with their job and do not want to leave their work until it is finished. They take a sense of pride in the profession they have and what some people might see as prison is their opinion, while the maids and weavers see it as a lifestyle. 

In the lines “bees that soar…will murmur by the hour in foxglove bells” (Wordsworth 5-7), one can see that William Wordsworth not only uses humans and buildings, but also uses insects and flowers as descriptors in his prison theme. People do not usually associate the word “prison” with insects like bees since they have free range in the open world. However, bees can often find themselves trapped in the bells of the flowers collecting pollen. Prisoners are generally trapped in a small cell, while bees are generally found in that of a small flower. Bees like the fact that they can crawl in a flower and spend long amounts of time collecting pollen. It is their instinct to collect pollen to help the environment thrive, but also it provides them with shelter and safety. For example, bees do not like when it is raining outside so they will either return to their hive or stay inside it. If a bee were to venture out too far they might be able to crawl in a flower and stay dry. It will trap them like being stuck in a prison, but at least they are safe.  

 Through a series of phrases with a common theme of places of many kinds and inhabitants ranging from humans to insects, one can see how there is a paradox of the word prison. The paradox lies between what one might initially expect an inhabitant to feel and how there is actually a choice and valid reason to why it is not imprisonment. William Wordsworth can support the argument by connecting how all these similar phrases work together to change the reader’s mind of the word prison. The author can also support this by explaining that some people find comfort and peace when they know they are restricted in some way. At the end of the poem and the beginning of the Essay, the lines “Who have felt the weight of too much liberty, / should find brief solace there, as I have found” (13-14), are used to finalize and tie the argument together of the poem. 
