William Wordsworth Reacted Sharply and Sought to Increase the Range Of English Poetry through Rustic Characters and Their Language

The poetry of the Pseudo-classical school was very artificial and unnatural. It was extremely limited in its themes. It was confined exclusively to the city of London and in that city to the artificial and unnatural life of the fashionable lords and ladies. It did not care for the beauties of nature or for the humanity-farmers shepherds, wood cutters etc. Who live its simple life in the lap of nature? Wordsworth reacted sharply and sought to increase the range of English poetry by taking his themes from humble and rustic life, himself living in the lap of nature, was well familiar with the life of the humble people, and he has rendered it in his poetry, realistically and accurately.

There are various reasons why Wordsworth preferred incidents and situation from humble life, as themes of his poetry for one thing, in this way, he could emerge the scope and range of poetry and make a whiff of fresh air to blow through the suffocation atmosphere of contemporary poetry. Secondly, he knew this life intimately, was in sympathy with it and so could render it accurately and feelingly.

Thirdly he believed that a poet is essentially a man speaking to man. Since he is a man, and he has to appeal to the mind and heart of man, he must study human nature and try to understand ‘The primary laws of Nature.” Now these primary instincts and impulses which govern human conduct can best be understood by studying the simplest and most elementary form of life. He chose rustic and humble life, because the village farmers, leach gatherers even idiots represent human life reduced its simplest. In humble and rustic conditions of life man is more natural, and so a proper, and on human life. He did not think city life to be a proper subject of poetry because there the fundamental passions of human heart are not expressed freely and forcefully, but are inhibited by social codes and considerations of public opinion.

William Wordsworth

Fourthly, in rustic and humble life, the fundamental passions of human heart can be easily studied. From a study and understanding of these elementary feelings, the poet can produce to study ‘the primary laws of our nature’. In other words, through a process contemplation and reflection the poet can derive certain universal principles of human conduct which are not true only of individuals or of particular places but are universal and general in, their application. Feelings and passions of a humble are not peculiar to them but are common to all mankind. Universal significance of human emotion can only be studied through life reduced to lowest levels.

Fifthly he preferred rustic and humble life because in that condition. ‘The passions of man are the result of nature.’ They live in the midst of grandeur and beauty of nature and as Plato much earlier has taught us they must absorb some of that beauty and grandeur. In this connection it will not be out of place to refer to the romantic glorification, of the primitive and the cult of the noble savage Wordsworth has been criticized thus for limiting the scope of poetry to humble and rustic life, It has been said that upper class life is as suitable for poetic treatment as humble rustic life, in this way, Wordsworth excluded from poetic treatment a wide range of complex human emotion which are expressed in only sophisticated societies. However, Wordsworth’s views are to be judged in the historical context as resulting from his desire to extend the domain of poetry, conquer new territories for it, and thus to ‘correct’ the contemporary prediction for upper class to exclusion of humble and rustic life. 

🏆Key points about Wordsworth's approach to poetry with rustic characters and language include:

Rejection of Neoclassical Norms: Wordsworth reacted against the rigid poetic conventions of the Neoclassical era, emphasizing imagination and emotion over reason and formality.

Celebration of Nature: He believed in the spiritual and moral significance of nature, and his poetry often explored the beauty and grandeur of the natural world.

Ordinary Language: Wordsworth sought to use everyday language, especially that of common people or rustic characters, to make poetry more accessible and relatable.

Lyrical Ballads: His collaboration with Samuel Taylor Coleridge in publishing "Lyrical Ballads" (1798) marked a significant shift in English poetry, featuring poems that celebrated the lives and language of common people.

Importance of Imagination: Wordsworth believed that the imagination was crucial in perceiving and interpreting the world, and he used rustic characters and settings to evoke powerful emotions in his readers.

Rejection of Artificiality: He opposed artificiality and ornate language in poetry, advocating for a return to simplicity and natural expression.

Poetic Identity: Wordsworth's poetry often reflected his personal experiences and emotions, creating a distinctive poetic voice that resonated with many readers.

💬Wordsworth's efforts to increase the range of English poetry contributed to the emergence of the Romantic movement, which prioritized individual expression, nature, and the ordinary language of people.

💬His poetry continues to be celebrated for its deep connection to human emotions, its celebration of nature's beauty, and its portrayal of rustic characters and their language.

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