Preface to the Lyrical Ballads : William Wordsworth

Name:Jani Hetal umiyashankar

Roll no:12

Class:M.A.part-1

Semester:1

Submitted to:Department of English

M.K. Bhavnagar University

Assignment Topic:

                             

Preface – Wordsworth

View on the theme and subject matter of poetry

Introduction :         

Born : April 7, 1770

Died : April 23, 1850

Nationality : English

Education : St john’s college ,Cambridge

Full Name : William Wordsworth

Occupation : Poet

Books : The prelude , lyrical ballads

                        Wordsworth born in his beloved lake district. He was son of an attorney. He studied at St. John’s college , Cambridge. He wrote many poems in his life style in English language. Like lyrical ballads is his most famous work. Today Wordsworth poetry remains very popular. William Wordsworth is popular poet. Many people read his work.

What is a poet?

                  Wordsworth asked a question “ what is poet? ” he not asked us “ Who is a poet? “. Then answered his question he said : “ He is a man speaking to men ; it is true , endowed with more lively sensibility , more enthusiasm and tenderness.“ Wordsworth told that poet has knowledge of nature and more comprehensive soul , and to be common among mankind. Of Wordsworths point of view this qualities must required in poet. Like his own passions and volitions spirit of life. William Wordsworth makes quotes upon poet he went to say that

                           “ Fill your paper with the

                           Breathing of your heart.“

              Wordsworth says that poet have delighting to contemplate similar volitions and passions as manifested in the goings on of the universe and habitually compelled to create them where he does not find them. To these qualities he has added a disposition to be affected more than other man by absent things as if they were present. Then from practice , he has acquired a greater readiness and power in expressing what he thinks and feels and especially those thoughts and feelings which by his own choice or from the structure of his own mind arise in him without immediate external excitement.

Definition of poetry :

                     “ Poetry is the spontaneous

                      Overflow of powerful feeling : 

                      It takes its origin from emotion

                      Recollected in tranquility. “

                     William Wordsworth says that poetry is flow of emotion , feelings. He says that poems , which any value can be attached were never produced on any variety of subjects but by a man who being possessed of more than usual , organic sensibility , had also thought long and deeply. Our feelings modified and directed by our thoughts. Thoughts are representatives our past feelings. By solving the relation of this representative feeling we can know what is important for men. By repetition this things our feeling connected with subjects. If we have sensibility , habits of mind will be produced. By following this habit we describe objects. Understanding of the reader must necessarily be in some degree enlightened and his affections strengthened and purified. In short we can say that poetry is an imagination of poet’s thoughts and habits.

The Functions of Poetry:

                     Poetry according to Wordsworth is “ The breath and finer spirit of all knowledge the impassioned expression that is in the countenance of all science.”

Poetry gives us happiness and delight from reading them. The poet is a teacher and through the poetry he impacts moral lessons for the betterment of human life.

                     Poetry is the instrument for the propagation of moral thoughts. Wordsworth’s poetry does not simply delight us but it also teaches us deep moral lessons and brings home to us deep philosophical truths about life and religion. Wordsworth believes that poetry of revolt against moral idea is poetry of indifference towards moral ideas is a poetry of indifference towards life. Poetry is an imagination of poet. Poet looks different in same things. We not easily understand some poems and other we like it’s written for us. Poetry gives us delight , sorrow and feelings of poets. When we read poem we realize poet’s happiness and also sadness too.

Style of poetry :

                           “ Words give us eyes

                            To see words “

                     Language is important aspects to write poetry , though language has no sufficient power to carry its own value. Such from which the best part of language is originally derived. By language poets convey their feelings and notions in simple and unelaborated expressions. Accordingly such a language , arising out of the repeated experience and regular feelings is a more permanent and a far more philosophical language. Thus , Wordsworth’s views on poetical style are the most revolutionary of all the idea in his preface. He insists that his poems are written in a state of vivid sensation.

Subject matter of poetry :

                           In poems it was important to choose incidents and situations from common life , and to relate and describe them by a selection of language really used by men and at the same time to throw over them a certain coloring of imagination. In poem ordinary things presented in an usual aspects. To make these situation and incidents interesting by tracing in them truly though not ostentatiously. In poetry everything merge into oneness like emotions , thoughts , human , culture , feelings etc.

“ Imagination which in truth

Is but another name for

Absolute power and clearest

Insight amplitude of mind

And reason in her most

Exalted mood.”

                           Humble and rustic life was generally chosen because in that condition the essential passions of the heart find a better soil in which they can attain their maturity are less under restraint and speaker plainer and more emphatic language because in that condition of life our elementary feelings in a state of greater simplicity and consequently may be more accurately contemplated. Because the manners of rural life germinate from these elementary feelings and from the necessary character of rural occupations are easily comprehended because in that condition the passion of men are incorporated with the beautiful and permanent forms of nature.

                     Imagination of thoughts are necessary for write poetry. Poetry is thoughts and feelings of poet. Two different things make in one means two things are different but poet makes those things in one. Poet’s imagination comes from common life of men. They woven these things in their poetry from nature , politics and our life’s incidents and feelings they make poetry. Poetry is not easy to write and also to understand. We not easily understand poetry. Thus subject matter of poetry is incident of common life of men.

Theory of Poetic Diction :

                     Highly influenced by Rousseau and French revolution Wordsworth came forward in 1798 with a new theory of men , a new theory of nature and poetry. Second addition of Lyrical Ballads published in1802. He explained his theory of poetic Diction. He thinks that a new language is required to write a new age of poetry. He says that sophisticated language is not understand or hardly realize by common men. His effort for renovating the language of poetry was guided by the feeling that all convention of literalism must be discarded in order to involve the true poetic style , which should not only be simple and unaffected but also possess the power and truth of feeling.

                     In second addition of lyrical ballads Wordsworth and Coleridge state in the ‘ Advertisement ‘ , “the poem in the collection were intended as a deliberate experiment in style and subject matter.“ Wordsworth gives this idea in the ‘Preface’ in this his main ideas of a new theory of poetry reflected by him.

Wordsworth explained his poetical concept :

                     “ The majority of the following poems are to be considered as experiments. They were written chiefly with a view to ascertain how far the language of conversation in the middle and lower classes of society is adapted to the purpose of poetic pleasure. “

                     Wordsworth rejects the classical and high language and composed his poetry diction with democratic themes. These themes are : the lives of ordinary men and women , farmers , paupers and the rural poor. In ‘ Preface’ Wordsworth gives his commitment to writing in the ordinary language of people , not a highly crafted poetical language. He says that poetry means poems must depict realistic characters in realistic situations and so contain a strong narrative element. He says that poems language not deal with high quality but it be simple , so the common man can understand that what poet wants to say them. Wordsworth also give comments on poetic Diction that its deals with real character in real situations.

                     Wordsworth gives principle object to write Poetic Diction. He says that Poetic Diction must write about life of common men , nature and by language poet create miracle and this miracle control reader. Poetic Diction is a selected poems that written by poet. Wordsworth gives theory of poetry. He says to poet to write poem in simple language.

Principle of Poetic Diction :

                     Wordsworth gives new theory of poetic diction. When we read it he gives principle of poetic diction. As we examine Wordsworth statement regarding poetic diction , the following three points come to our attention.

1.   The language of poetry should be the language ‘Really used by men’ but it also be a ‘ Selection of such language. All the words used by the people cannot be employed in poetry. It should be filtered and refined. The refined vernacular words shoud be the Diction of poetry.

“ The best portion of a good men’s life : his title , nameless , unremembered acts of kindness and love.”

2.   It should be the language of men in a state of vivid sensation. It should have a certain coloring of imagination. The poet should give the color or his imagination of the language employed by him in poetic composition.

3.   There is no essential difference the words used in prose and in metrical composition. Words of prose can find poetry are not clearly discriminated , so that words which he used in prose can find Place in  poetry and vice-verse what Wordsworth means is that the words in conversation , if they are properly selected , would provide the rough framework of the language of poetry. The language of poetry is highlighted by feeling and emotion. Through the power of imagination the poet can select words fit for poetic composition. When the poet is truly inspired , his imagination will enable him to select from the language really used by men.

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.