A Character – A poem by William Wordsworth. About the poet – William Wordsworth (1770 – 1850) was a major English Romantic poet who helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature. He was born in Cockermouth, England. His poetry was mainly focused on the nature, children, the poor, common people. Wordsworth was Britain's Poet Laureate from 1843 until his death in 1850.