The emphasis of this paper is on the characteristic similarities between the poetical works of William Wordsworth and the novels of Kunikida Doppo who owed much of his creative method and imagination to the works of the former.

　Interestingly enough, Wordsworth and Doppo had something in common in their life experiences: even though in different parts of the world, both of them once devoted themselves to the ideal of social reformation as can be seen in the cases when Wordsworth passionately sympathized with the French Revolution and Doppo intended to be a statesman and reformer of society. But due to extenuating circumstances regarding their own societies and personal environments, neither of them was able to become actively involved in the pursuit of their ideals. As a result, they lost confidence in human affairs and turned to nature where they found comfort and solace.

　It is when they faced nature that they meditated on the meaning of human life and death in this universe, which was always a metaphysical question for both Wordsworth and Doppo. Through this experience they were able to develop their “love of nature” which eventually led them to “love of man.”

　Two of the main characteristics of Wordsworth’s works, as Doppo maintains, are an exploration of the spiritual interaction between man and nature and reminiscences from his own childhood. Doppo produced his works along these lines. Just as Wordsworth chose incidents and situations from common life in order to relate or describe them, Doppo chose his materials from ordinary human life.

　One of the purposes of Wordsworth’s works was to expand the reader’s feeling of reverence for the poor, including beggars and idiots, and knowledge of human nature to show that the best qualities of human nature are possessed by those people. Doppo interestingly had quite a similar objective when he too wrote about the poor and oppressed in his novels.