Here I share my understanding about
'preface to Lyrical ballad' by William Wordsworth.
William Wordsworth :
William Wordsworth is a great Poet and Critic of the Romantic age. He and Samuel Coleridge gave their great contribution to launch the Romantic age in English literature. He was born in 7th April 1770 and died in 23rd April 1850. He and Coleridge both combined published the famous book " Lyrical Ballads " in 1798 in starting of the Romantic age and the ending of the Neo Classical age in 1798. As a Critic he criticised the poem and gave his view in the Preface of the Lyrics Ballads. In this preface he gave his view on the language - diction , what is poet and poet do and his poetic creed.
"Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher "
Lyrical Ballads is a collection of poems by William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge. Title of collection recalls rustic form of art. French revolution had deep influence on Romanticist and Wordsworth. Liberty- Equality- Fraternity are three watchword of the French revolution and inspired Wordsworth and other romantic posts.
In preface of Lyrical Ballads, William Wordsworth give the Definition of poetry, that is,
" Poetry is the Spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. "
Wordsworth says that this is true. Any value of poem can be attached were never produced on the variety of Subject but it depend on a man who being possessed of,
" More than usual organic sensibility, had also thought long and deeply. "
1) First Wordsworth talked about difference between classicisms and romanticism.
Classicism and Romanticism they are two ideology. Sometimes they are school of thought- sometimes it is all about technique of writing certain things or instance the way you write poetry or epic or whatever. so it is something more than just a manner it is something more than just an ideologies or just a school of thought.
Difference between classicism and romanticism. They are two ideologies. he points which differenciated Classicism and Romanticism are given below,
In the later half of the 18th century we know that it was a period in which intellect was considered to be the rulling guiding principles, Pope , Dryden they were be considered Neo - classicists and they believed in intellect their poetry was intellect.
When we come to romantic poetry - poetry of Wordsworth, Keats and Shelley. It is again instead intellect we find imagination is the guiding principle.
Classicism - INTELLECT is the guiding force
Romanticism - IMAGINATION is the guiding force
They indulge in the fight of fancy and see their poetry is highly imaginative so from intellect <-----> imagination shift was there.
Another difference we find between Neo - classicism and Romanticism is that in Neo- classicism RESTRAINED was the rulling World they believed that they should be restrained where as Romantic poet they did not believe in any kind of restrained. They Believed in LIBERTY - FREEDOM so we find free play of emotion and patience in imagination.
Neo - Classical - Intellect and Restrained
Romantic - Imagination and Liberty - Freedom
In Romantic there is no Restrained on them and they believed man - poet is a free to express in the way he likes.
Classical and Medieval
Classical poets were followed classical masters like Plato , Aristotle, Socrates but Romantics poets were followed medieval poets and writers.
Classical - follow master - Biblical
Romantic - follow medieval writers - inspiration
Urban and Rustic life
In Classical works city or urban life represented where as in Romantic works rustic life and country side glorious life represented. The rustic life attracts them more rather than the city dwellers.
Objectivity and Subjectivity
Classical writers were believed in objective and Romantic writers believed in subjective.
Example- The line from Wordsworth's Daffodills "Spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings", the first two words spontaneous overflow represents subjectivity.
So these are the basic difference of both writers . They have different approaches for life and different way to looking work. So they are two different ideology. They different for each other in techniques of writing and subject they choose
2) what do mean by DICTION ?
Poetry is all about choice of words how poet and author Choose his or her language
In general poetic diction means ' CHOICE OF WORDS' which lands uniq style for poet or author. It was particular that how poet choose it.
In that sense Wordsworth published in 1798 lyrical Ballad he offered that authology as an experiment and he said that he not really satisfied by what goes on name of poetry, obviously he was attacking on Neo Classical mode of writing poetry. In the preface he mentioned that way of writing- diction was in an highly unnecessarily- ornamental and consequently only limited to city dwellers again distinction between country life and city dwellers.
Wordsworth interested in,
"The language really used by men"
But Wordsworth didn't follow his own statement about use of language and that's why his own friend Coleridge in Biographia literaria there is extensive section of Coleridge disagreement with Wordsworth's poetic diction where he actually questioned,
' My dear friend Wordsworth what do you actually Mean by men , which means what you mean by real men?? '
Implying that are the people who are erodied city dwellers not real men? In answering Wordsworth say that in preface, in humble, rustic life - the humbleness in Countryside to be with emotions which are more genuine and therefore,
'The language as really used by men'
So we can say that Wordsworth mean to say that ,
1)According to Wordsworth language of poetry must be the language that really used by men and it should be a selection of such a language. All the rustic words can not be used and applied in poetry but it should be clarified and filtered.
2) Second principle is that the language should be the men's state of vivid sensation. It should have a colour of imagination. The aspects of words by ordinary men, the poet gives the perfect shapes and colouring imagination and after use it in poem.
3.The final and third step is the language of poetry is full of emotions and feelings. Through the power of imagination the poet used the words and fit in poetic compositions
3) What is poet ? And what does poet do??
"Poet is a man speaking to men endowed with more lively sensibility"
Which Means poet is a man speaking to men with more lively sensibility more enthusiasm and tenderness, who has a greater knowledge of human nature and more comprehensive soul , who rejoices more than other men in the spirit of life habitually impelled to creative volitions , passion and situations where he does not find them.
The insight of the poet is higher than other people. That is why, a poet can create new ideas and present them to us with images and symbols. The poet’s curiosity and interest in life is intense. Therefore, the poet depicts human life in different ways. His responsibility is great because, what other people can’t think or see, he is to present the incredible and invisible images to the readers. Other people also feel and think that but they don’t have the diversity of their sense perception as the poet has, that is why, the poet’s soul is very powerful and creative. The poet must have the knowledge of human life and human society because his main study is man society. The poet seeks the truth about life and nature. His main purpose is to give pleasure by painting out the different branches of knowledge of this vast universe.
Wordsworth say what is poet rather than who is poet because he focus upon the role of poet. He endowed with more lively sensibility, enthusiasm, tenderness, He has greater knowledge of human nature.
Poet creates the things which is not exist in the world. He habitually creates situation and passions where they do not exist . The poet is who rejoices more than other men in spirit of life.
4)What is poetry ?
"Poetry should be written in the real language of common man, rather than in the lofty and elaborate diction that were then considered ' Poetic.' He believed that the first principle of poetry should be pleasure and so the chief duty of poetry is to provide pleasure through a rhythmic and beautiful expression of feeling. All human sympathy, he asserted is based on a subtle pleasure principle that is the naked and native dignity of man."
Wordsworth gives definition of poetry
" Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings it takes origin from emotion recollected in tranquility. "
So poetry gives happiness and it related with human emotions and recollecting nature and recollection in tranquility. Wordsworth is the only poet who takes this definition of poetry after Dryden in his Preface.
'Daffodils - I wandered lonely as a cloud'with reference to Wordsworth's poetic creed.'
Daffodils (1804) Written by Wordsworth in 4 stanzas first three in past and the last one in present tense. The poem begin with ,
" I wandered lonely as a cloud... Ten thousand saw I at a glance"
This poem is good example of language and grammar. When poet remembers Daffodils tranquility vanishes and Spontaneity of happiness comes again.
" For off when on my couch I lie in vacant or in pensive mood they flash upon that inward eye which is the bliss of solitude, and then my heart with pleasure fills , and dances with the daffodils"
The last stanza is in present tense.
Wordsworth wrote about nature in his poetry. His main theme of poetry is based on nature. In this poem Daffodils he described beautifulness of nature. If we observed by stanza and if we minutely observe it we can find or see that the tranquility of recollection is happens. He has used figures like: Cloud, vales, hills, lake, trees, breeze, stars, Milky way and through that he has described beauty of nature.
Conclusion :
Wordsworth idea of a new theory of poetry is very good given by him in ‘Preface’ addition. He gives commitment to all poets who write poetry to be written in simple language. Thus , Wordsworth gives a new meaning or definition of poet and also poetry. In ‘Preface’ Wordsworth give a new theory of poetry.
Words count : 1690
References : https://youtu.be/qQkL7ucOTvE
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