William Wordsworth Not Only Democratized But Revolutionized English Poetry: Critical Overview of Preface to "Lyrical Ballads"

"Every great and original writer, in proportion as he is great and original, must himself create the taste by which he is to be relished."

William Wordsworth (1770 - 1850)

British poet.

Lyrical Ballads (2nd ed.)

Wordsworth was the chief spokesman of the Romantic Movement. His Preface to Lyrical Ballads says M.H. Abraham has been one of the most discussed and influential of all critical essays. “In the preface Wordsworth tried to overflow the basic theory, as well as the practice of non-classical poetry and also sought to defend and justify the new kind of poetry that he himself and Coleridge were writing.”

In the Preface Wordsworth says that his principle object in the Preface is to choose incidents and situations from common life and to relate or describe them throughout as far as was possible in a selection really used by man, and at the same time to throw over theory a certain colouring of imagination. Where by ordinary things should be presented to the mind in an unusual aspect in setting before him. Such an object Wordsworth was striking at the very roots of strict view classic view that the highest and most serious poetic kinds such as epic and tragedy were limited to the action of kings, nobles and heroes and that only the lower poetic kind such as comedy and satire might concern themselves with the lower classes. This neo classic view was known as the principal of decorum. Wordsworth, who was a democrat and who at one time had been ardent admirer of the French-revolution, used the preface to translate his democratic sympathies into critical terms. He even turned the preface of tradition, decorum in order to justify the serious pathetic treatment of peasants, children, criminals and idiot boy.

In the Preface Wordsworth also attacked the ‘Poetic Diction’ of neo-classic writers. He took the neo-classic writers to take for their gaudiness and phraseology, Wordsworth undertook to deal with humble and rustic life. In selection of language really used by men but purified from all lasting and rational causes of disguise and disgust. Wordsworth took the radical position that there was not any essential difference between the Language of prose and that of metrical composition. Wordsworth asserted that not only the language of the large position or every good poem even of the most elevated character must necessarily accept with reference to the meter in no respect differ from that of good prose but likewise some of the most interesting parts of the best poets will be found to be strictly the language of prose which the prose is then written. Thus Wordsworth opposed the basic neoclassic principle that in order to give it proper pleasure the language of the poem must be artfully elevated over standard prose by a special diction and figures of speech in order to make itself to the height of dignity of its particular poetic kind.

William Wordsworth

Wordsworth’s own views of poetic style and language are based on the new critical promise and the art of this theory that all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. Similarity therefore, between the language of poetry and of prose really spoken by men is not one of vocabulary of grammar it is the similarity of psychological origin since both ought to originate strictly and effortlessly.

Wordsworth’s Preface is rightly celebrated as central of significant decent in English Romanticism. Perhaps Wordsworth went too little to fan in trying to establish a straight equivalence between the language of prose and that of poetry probably commonly spoken by men. Thomas Gray was probably nearer to the ‘truth when he urged that the language of poetry’. Wordsworth’s major critical contribution was to assert emphatically that humble and rustic life was proper and suitably fit for poetry. Wordsworth not only democratized but revolutionized English poetry.

😀Key points from the preface to "Lyrical Ballads" include:

👉Language and Diction: Wordsworth advocated for the use of simple, everyday language in poetry, drawn from common speech and the lives of ordinary people.

👉Democratizing Poetry: He sought to break away from the elitist conventions of the 18th century, making poetry accessible to all readers, regardless of social status.

👉Natural Subjects: Wordsworth emphasized the importance of drawing inspiration from nature and rural life, seeing it as a source of genuine emotion and spiritual insight.

👉Spontaneity and Emotion: The preface emphasized the significance of spontaneous overflow of emotions as a driving force for poetic expression, rather than strict adherence to poetic rules.

👉Unity of the Poet and Nature: Wordsworth believed that poets should be connected to nature, allowing their emotions and experiences to shape their poetic voice.

👉Rejection of Ornamentation: The preface rejected the excessive use of poetic ornamentation, advocating for a plain and unadorned style to convey sincerity and authenticity.

👉The Role of Imagination: Wordsworth emphasized the role of the imagination in perceiving deeper truths and connecting with the universal human experience.

👉Ordinary Characters: The preface highlighted the value of ordinary characters in poetry, as they provided relatable and realistic representations of human life.

😀Wordsworth's preface to "Lyrical Ballads" laid the foundation for the Romantic movement, challenging the prevailing neoclassical norms and ushering in a new era of poetic expression.

😀The democratic and revolutionary principles outlined in the preface have had a profound and lasting impact on English poetry, inspiring generations of poets to embrace individual expression, nature, and the authentic experiences of common people.

Ardhendu De

References

The Poetical Works Of William Wordsworth (vol Viii) : William Wordsworth : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.152354

Essays in criticism. The study of poetry. John Keats; Wordsworth. Edited by Susan S. Sheridan : Arnold, Matthew, 1822-1888 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/essaysincritic00arnouoft