Wordsworth's Preface Thinking activity

Thinking Activity: Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads

The Preface to the Lyrical Ballads is an essay, composed by William  Wordsworth, for the second edition (published in January 1801, and often referred to as the "1800 Edition") of the poetry collection Lyrical Ballads, and then greatly expanded in the third edition of 1802. It has come to be seen as a de facto manifesto of the romantic movement.

William Wordsworth :

William Wordsworth (7 April 1770 – 23 April 1850) was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication Lyrical Ballads (1798). a key figure of Romanticism, and the author of the most famous poem ever written about daffodils. Born in 1770,Wordsworth and his friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge invented a new style of poetryin which nature and the diction of the common man trumped formal, stylized language.

➤  What is the basic difference between the poetic creed of 'Classicism' and 'Romanticism'?

Romanticism and classicism they are two different ideologies or 'school of thought'. And given idea about dominance of certain things. 

Classicism:in classicism aesthetic attitude and principals manifested in the art architecture and literature if ancient Greece and Rome and characterized by emphasis on form simplicity proportion and restraint. Romanticism: Romanticism was an artistic literary musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of 18th century. 

Difference between classicism and romanticism is that classicism put out restrictions,whereas romanticism believes in liberty. Classicism presents urban life , whereas romanticism presents rural life. classicism believe on subjectivity and romanticism believes in objectivity. classicism is about intellectual and romanticism is about imagination .

➤ Why does Wordsworth say 'What' is poet? rather than Who is poet?

A poet is man speaking to men, a man, it is true, endued with more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm and tenderness,

Who has a greater knowledge of human nature, and a more comprehensive soul, than are supposed to be common among mankind. 

Wordsworth has greater knowledge of human nature through the emotions like observation, heightened. He also uses platonic, more comprehensive soul. 

➤  What is poetic diction? Which sort of poetic diction is suggested by Wordsworth in his Preface?

Poetic diction means 'Choice of Word'- unique style of authors that he or she chooses his or her own language, which is understood by rustic people; who closure to reality and more genuineness the language should be natural not ornamental. Wordsworth's argument is that he is interested in writing poems in lyrical ballads. And the language "as really used by men". Wordsworth also answers to Coleridge that he finds humble and rustic life, a men who closer to reality or more genuineness. Wordsworth preferred rustic men rather than city dwells.

➤ What is poetry?

 Wordsworth's  definition of poetry  :
    " Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings it takes origin from emotion recollected in tranquility. "

   Wordsworth portrays his idea about poetry in this definition that poet is the most comprehensive soul and far better human being than ordinary people. so, the poet is the teacher and through the medium of of poetry he imparts moral lessons for the betterment of human life.

➤  Discuss 'Daffodils - I wandered lonely as a cloud' with reference to Wordsworth's poetic creed.

  'Daffodils' is the best example of Wordsworth's definition of poetry “poetry is a spontaneous overflow of a powerful feeling, recollected in tranquility". We all see the beauty of nature by our different point of views  but we cannot recollect and express that delight in tranquility.  so, we can call Wordsworth as nature poet, by recalling his memory and sensibility and by observing the nature, Wordsworth wrote his poetry.