Bridge course: Wordsworth's Preface

  Wordsworth's Preface

Hello Readers, in this Bridge course Thinking activity Blog I am writing down here about my understanding of Wordsworth's Preface and I am also giving the answer to some questions, Which is given by Dr. Dilip Barad sir, Department of English Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.

Introduction:-

William Wordsworth was born on 7, April 1770 in Cockermouth, a town on the edge of the Cumberland into a lawyer's family. He studied at Cambridge and completed his graduation there. He was a leader of the Romantic Movement in England. Wordsworth was a major English romantic poet but not a critic. However, his views on poetry are extremely important and can be found in the preface to the lyrical ballad 1802.  He is the most representative poet of English literature. Wordsworth has written a series of poem collaborations with Coleridge entitled "Lyrical Ballad". He gave definitions of 'poet' and 'poetry' in his "Lyrical Ballad".  His first two collections of poetry would be published in 1793, five years after his first published poem. By the time of his death in 1850 he had produced some of  English poetry's greatest work and was influenced by a future generations of poets.

1.) What is the basic difference between the poetic creed of 'Classicism' and 'Romanticism'?

I think we find vital difference between the classicism and Romanticism. Generally they are two ideologies classicism and Romanticism. But it is different.The Classicism and the Romanticism are literary movements. The term Classicism refers to the admiration and imitation of Greek and Roman literature, art, and architecture. Order, maturity, harmony, balance and moderation are important qualities of Classicism.

The Romanticism might best be described as anti-Classicism. This movement stressed human emotion and thoughts and emphasized the individual, the imaginative, the spontaneous, the emotional, the visionary, and the transcendental. Popular romantic authors include people like Burke, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Blake, Keats, Byron, Gordon, Burns, Southey, Cowper, Shelley, Scott, Goethe, Lamb, De Quincey, Carlyle, Bronte sisters and Jane Austen.

Definition:-

Classicism and Romanticism developed so gradually and exhibited so many phases that a perfect definition is not possible. In general, Classicism can be defined as a style in literature that draws on the styles of ancient Greece and Rome. Classicism is based on the idea that nature and human nature could be understood by reason and thought. It has attached much more importance to reason than imagination. More broadly, Classicism refers to the adherence to virtues including formal elegance and correctness, simplicity, dignity, restraint, order, and proportion. It is often opposed to Romanticism. The Romanticism can be viewed as an artistic movement, or state of mind, or both. It is a revolt against the Neoclassicism of the previous centuries and rebellion against established social rules and conventions.

There are two different ideologies or perhaps more than that. In classicism intellect was considered to be ruling guiding principal and pope, Dryden they were considered to be classicist. Whereas in romanticism we find imagination. Wordsworth, Keats, Shally they were romantic writers. They indulge in fancy and their poetry was highly imaginative. Restrained was ruling word among classicists. Whereas romantics gave liberty, poets were free to express their feeling.Classicists were followed classical masters like Aristotle, Plato. Whereas romantics turn for inspiration not to the classical masters. Medieval was prevented during that time.

We can find urban life; city life was presented in classicism whereas in romanticism rustic life, rural life was presented.

2.) Why does Wordsworth say 'What' is poet? rather than Who is poet?

When we look at the Wordsworth Lyrical Ballad (1798) we found that in his work he talk about the question what is poet rather than what is poetry. He describe the quality of poet.

Wordsworth defines a poet in the following lines:

He is a man speaking to men: a man, it is true, endowed 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 common among mankind.

As Wordsworth said that Poet has great power to express hus feelings & emotions. 

Through his or her imagination they can take away readers beyond this world. 

So we can say that Wordsworth speaks about the quality of poet rather than who is poet. we can also said that " Poet is such a human being who is overall on on degree a far better human being than ordinary human being."

3.) What is poetic diction? Which sort of poetic diction is suggested by Wordsworth in his Preface?

According to Wordsworth - poetic diction means "choice of a word." 

Poetic diction means which type of linguistics style used in the poem. Which type of language, metaphor , meters used in poetry. That we can say thay poetic diction.

Wordsworth published his Lyrical Ballads for the first time in 1798. In Biographia Literaria there is Coleridge's disagreement with Wordsworth poetic diction. Wordsworth is against the poetic diction and says that poet should use language or words which are really used by common people.

According to my point of view valuation of poetry depends on which type of diction use in poetry. Which type of word choose by poet to express his/ her imagination or thinking. Through his/her languages poets differs from each other. So I can say that due to that poetic diction poet can be unique.

4.) What is poetry?

Wordsworth’s Conception of Poetry: Passion and Reflection

Wordsworth propounded his views on poetry, its nature and functions and the qualification of a true poet in his Preface. So far as the nature of poetry is concerned, Wordsworth is of the opinion that “poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.”

Poetry has its origin in the internal feelings of the poet. It is a matter of passion, mood and temperament. Poetry cannot be produced by strictly adhering to the rules laid down by the Classicists.

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

‘Daffodils’ -‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ has been dissected methodically for illustrating the poet’s mood, the surrounding location, the allegorical meanings, and the beauty of nature in full motion. The poet’s love and proximity with nature have inspired and moved generations after generations of poetry lovers and young minds. Here describes the liberty of the daffodils dancing and swaying in the breeze, a sight to behold for wanderer thirsting for refreshment. He attributes Nature’s simple but delicate beauty of Daffodils to a marvel to behold.

It evokes a raw emotion of beauty. He compares the daffodils to the infinite Milky-Way that holds star-gazers spellbound. He reveres Nature’s art of holding the viewer’s gaze to the dance of the Daffodils.William Wordsworth achingly and delicately, describes the tranquil soul of Nature in Daffodils and the feelings elicited, which is one of his most beautiful poems that reverently makes him a Poet of Nature. 

 

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