The two settings in the poem are the “lonely fen” (Line 1) and the “lonely dale” (Line 7). If the description of “lonely” isn’t enough to tell readers how they should interpret these settings, then reading more into the exact implications of each may help clarify their symbolism.

According to Merriam-Webster, a “fen” is a “low land that is covered wholly or partly with water unless artificially drained and that usually has peaty alkaline soil and characteristic flora (as of sedges and reeds)” (“fen.” Merriam-Webster, 2022). These swampy and marshy wetlands are often depicted as misty and obscure. One never knows what resides under the water in the bog, or who awaits out on the moor. An aura of mystery and lurking danger symbolizes the strife of the boy. A child would have a difficult time struggling through the water in a bog or swamp. The setting represents not only a literal journey, but a figurative one, as well. The boy is physically wandering, but with the appearance of God and the spiritual implications this adds to the poem, the child may suffer from a trying spiritual journey, too.