Human interactions, within certain realms, are the architects of place. Proven by Michel De Certeau’s “Spatial Stories,” human interactions with their surroundings have a direct proportionality to the actions associated to one place. Such that the stories inspired are the determinants of the activities in a space. “Tintern Abbey” becomes William Wordsworth’s vessel in the exploration of the two spaces that exists within one place, which proves that the only true boundary in one place, is the boundary of time.
In Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey,” the existence of time is essential as it is the boundary that allows for the existence of two separate spatial stories in the exact same location. Through De Certeau’s text and Wordsworth’s poem, one can decipher how the boundary of time came to its existence. De Certeau stresses the difference between space and place. In which, space is defined by the “vectors of directions, velocities, and time variables,” as opposed to place which is defined by the “elements” that create it and transforms it into something with distinct qualities that make it “proper” or stationary. Through De Certeau’s definition, “Tintern Abbey” would comprise of two different stories of unique spatial experiences that act in two separate time periods, yet occupy the same location. These stories juxtapose against one another. Wordsworth begins with, “FIVE years have past; five summers, with the length/Of five long winters!” which indicates that he has just recently revisited Tintern Abbey. Although he has returned to the same location, it is obvious that this experience did not parallel with his past visit to Tintern Abbey as a child. In which, he states, “For I have learned/To look on nature, not as in the hour/Of thoughtless youth.” Indicating that he has in fact evolved with time and that he has since then learned, “Of elevated thoughts; a sense of sublime/Of something far more deeply interfused.” Within these stanzas, it is obvious that Wordsworth has achieved the form of existence through De Certeau’s definition of “space.” He exists in these two different spatial stories as a different individual in the same place, twice. In this story he is weathered by his experiences in the cities and towns, which in turn transformed him into a different person with newfound appreciation for Tintern Abbey, as opposed to the younger him, who was naïve and only saw the beauty of Tintern Abbey on a surface level. Time creates two legible boundaries, in the sense that one space is occupied by the younger naïve Wordsworth and the other is taken by the older sophisticated Wordsworth.
De Certeau’s “Spatial Stories” on short narratives, further proves that Wordsworth exists in two spaces, yet in the same place due to the boundary of time. Although boundaries usually apply some form of segregation, De Certeau’s “logic of ambiguity,” allows for the “bridging” between the gaps of two distinctive spaces. De Certeau uses a short narrative to point out the fact that, although boundaries are created, it does not necessarily mean that the place itself is divided. In the narrative about the architect who filled in the spaces in a fence to separate space, De Certeau reveals that even through boundaries, therein exists a path. Through this “logic of ambiguity” one can infer that, even though Wordsworth’s adult-self and child-self exist in different dimensions, there is a bridging that occurs in the boundaries of time. Similar to, “The door that closes is precisely what may be opened; the river is what makes passage possible… the picket fence is an ensemble of interstices through which one’s glances pass,” De Certeau outlines the fact that these boundaries form actual pathways. In these indefinite zones, there is ironically a definite form of transition from his childhood-self to his adult-self. In the boundary of time, there exists of the time period, in which Wordsworth was forced to interact with the outside “towns and cities.” As stated, they have only successfully given him “hours of weariness.” Through these experiences in the real world, he has gained knowledge to successful appreciate Tintern Abbey on a different magnitude. On another note, the short narrative on the architect further proves that the difference between two distinct spaces will each be treated differently in the sense that a new space created receives a new set of rules because of its “theater of actions.” Similarly so, a new space created will form different interactions, which is proven in Tintern Abbey through the division of time in spatial terms. Therefore through De Certeau’s “Spatial Stories,” one can infer that the boundary of time is the boundary that is created in Wordworth’s “Tintern Abbey.”
Through De Certeau’s “Spatial Stories,” one can conclude that the boundary of time created in “Tintern Abbey” is the result of it creating two spaces in one place. This boundary that exists within one place, also abides De Certeau’s “logic of ambiguity.” Through these definitions, the boundary of time is strengthened, which clearly supports the existence of Wordsworth in the two spatial realms with the contrast between the “now” and “then,” as well as a transition from childhood to adulthood.
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