What according to Wordsworth should be the theme of poetry? Or write note on wordsworth ’ s view on the subject matter of poetry.

Assignment

Name: kunvarani Nidhi k

Paper: 'Literary Theory and criticism'

Topic: 'what according to Wordsworth should be the theme of poetry?’ or write note on wordsworth's view on the subject matter of poetry.’

Class: M. A (part-1)

Roll no:18

Submitted to: Respected sir Dilip Barad

                          &

Department of English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavsinhji University.

Bhavnagar.

v  What according to Wordsworth should be the theme of poetry? Or write note on wordsworth 's view  on the subject matter of poetry.

William Wordsworth was born in cockermouth in camberland in 1770, the son of john and Anne Wordsworth. He went to school in Hawkshead, then at the age of seventeen, went up to st.john’s college, Cambridge.

His main contribution in English as a poet. He was the great, supreme and prominent poet of the age. He wrote many works but some of them ‘The prelude’ and ‘preface to Lyrical Ballads’ his great and world famous works. Each and every lines of their works are full of emotions, feelings and passions. ’The Recluse’ is also another great work of him. In this work’s name he was mentioned in the beginning of the ‘prelude’. He felt that it was-

“unprecedented in literary history that a man should talk so much about himself.”

-       (‘The prelude’1799,1805,1850

William Wordsworth)

Only completion of ‘The Recluse’could he thought, justify the claims that he had made in challenging the supremacy of milton’ s Christian epic:

“                                Of  genius, power,

Creation and divinity itself, I have been speaking, for my theme has been what passed within me…

This in truth heroic argument…

(Beginning of the preface of ‘prelude’.)

He was the great creature of poem on nature. In  the “Advertisement” to the 1798 edition of ‘Lyrical Ballads.’ Wordsworth and coleridge state that the poems in the collection were intended as s deliberate experiment in style and subject matter. Wordsworth

Elaborated on this ideas in the “preface” to the 1800 and 1802 editions which outline his main ideas of a new theory of poetry.

Even the language and imagery he used to embody those themes, remained remarkably consistent. They  remained consistent  to the canons Wordsworth had set out in the ‘preface to Lyrical Ballads. ’In the second Edition of the ‘Lyrical Ballads(1802)’, he wrote ‘preface’ to defend himself from the negative reviews.

Wordsworth argued that poetry should be written in the real language of common man , rather than in the lofty and elaborate dictions that were then considered “poetic”. He  believed that the first principal of poetry should be pleasure and so the chief duty of poetry is provide is to provide pleasure through a rhythmic and beautiful expression of feeling. All human sympathy, he asserted, is based on a subtle pleasure principle that is “the naked and native dignity of man.” Wordsworth’s poetic creed initiated the Romantic era by Emphasizing feeling, instinct, and pleasure above formality and mannerism. wordsworth gave his works to human emotions, feelings and passions through their great imagination and style.

Wordsworth elaborated on this ideas in the “preface” to the 1800 and 1802 editions which outline his main ideas  of a new theory of poetry. 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.”

His work was very easy to understand. He wrote their ‘preface’ in the vernacular language. Because he believed that in uneducated country people as the ‘subject’ of poetry was a signal of shift to modern literature. That’s why  wordsworth wrote in simple and easily language and style. so, Everybody can easily got it. one of the  main themes of “Lyrical Ballads” is  the return to the original state of nature, in which man led a purer and more  innocent existence. Wordsworth subjected to Rousseau’s belief that man was  essentially  good and was corrupt by linked with the sentiments spreading though Europe just prior to the French Revolution.

Wordsworth changed the definition of poetry of the poetry that poetry should be about elevated subjects and should be composed in a formal style, wordsworth instead championed more democratic themes-the lives of ordinary men and women , farmers, paupers, and the rural poor. In the

“preface” wordsworth also emphasizes  his commitment to writing in the ordinary language of people, not a highly crafted poetical one. True to traditional ballad form, the poems depict realistic characters in realistic in realistic situations, and so contain a strong narrative element.

Object  or subject matter. He choose incidents and situations  from common life, and to relate and describe them, when he taken the subject matter to the thing in that time may be they became himself this thing that we feel after the reading of their work. A selection of language really used by men, and, at the same  time, to throw over them a certain colouring of imagination .Through the used of his primary and secondary memories colours of imagination through he decorated his poetic work as a beautiful flowers, where by ordinary things should be presented to the mind in an  unusual aspect; and, further and above all, to make these situations and incidents interesting by tracing in them, truly though not ostentatiously, the primary laws of our nature: chiefly as regards the  manner in which we associate ideas in a state of excitement.

Humble and rustic life also the subject-matter of the poetry. wordsworth chosen the subject matter by the rustic life. Because rustic life-style, people and the things are very kind and the things are very kind and very near to the nature and god. And, Through the subject matter of rustic life the essential passions of the heart find a better soil in which they can attain their maturity, are lessen under restraint, and speak a plainer and more emphatic language; because in that condition of life, our elementary feelings co-exist in a state of greater simplicity, and consequently, may be  more accurately contemplated, and more  forcibly communicated; The rural life  and in rustic life we can see  the elements of oneness and brotherhood.

That’s why .may be , Wordsworth mostly chosen his subject matter regarding with the rural and rustic life. And, It also symbol of that may be poet also nearer to the heart rustic life.

Language, style of poetry. Language also played very vital role in process of creative writing. such men communicate with the best objects from which the best  part of language is originally derived; and because, from their rank in society and intercourse. Language is the thing that through men can communicate with the each other. They 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 far more philosophical language, than that which is frequently substituted for it by poets, who think that they are conferring honour upon themselves and their art, in proportion as they separate themselves from the sympathies of men, and indulge in arbitrary and capricious habits of expression in order to furnish for food fickle appetites, of their own creation.”

That’s why 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 ‘selection of language of men in a state of vivid sensation.’His views about poetic diction can be conclude as: ’there neither is nor can be conclude as: ’there neither is  nor can be any essential difference between the language of prose and metrical composition.’ After. he gave the definition of poetry from the his point of view.

Definition of poetry means what he believed about poetry that’s he reflected here. He says about good poetry that,

“Sponteneous overflow of powerful feelings.”

Because it’s true that everyone has feelings, emotions, but even if to wrote poetry is not the ‘cup of tea’ for everyone but only written by those people who seen any thing or incidents and after stirwed in their memories and after it’s spontaneous comes out as a word in rhyme and rhythm that is called poetry. some people says that it’s written by the hands of uncommon people.

Our continued influxes of feeling are modified and directed by our thoughts, which are indeed the representative of all our past feelings. By contemplating the relation of these general representatives top each other , we discover what’s really important to men. our feelings will be connected with important subjects. If we be origionally possessed of such sensibility, such habits of mind will be produced, that by obeying blindly and mechanically the impulses of these habits, we shall, describe  objects, and utter sentiments of such a nature, and in such connection with each other, that the understanding of the reader must be necessary for the poetry. After, we have to know that what is a poet?

Poet is a man speaking to men: a man ,it is true, endwed with more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm and tenderness.

Poet has a greater knowlwdge of human nature, and a more comprehensive soul, than one supposed to be common among mankind. They were known as superior human-being or geniuses or the messenger of the god.

They were a man to got the happiness within their own passions and choice of decision, and who rejoices more than other man in the spirit of  life that is in him; when poet see anything in that time in that mind consciously or unconsciously the thing woven and stored and after it’s comes out as a flow that’s we called spontaneous overflow. To these qualities he has added a disposition to be affected more than other men by absent things as if they were present. Those who has an ability of conjuring up in themselves passions which are indeed far from being those produced by real events. He can better  events which other men are accustomed to feel in themselves.

And, They has very great understanding for to taken any decision or to considered anything. Those who has acquired a greater readiness and power in expressing what   they 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 exeternal excitement. In easy immediate external excitement. In easy words we can say that their internal eyes is more powerful than any common man. There are all some characteristics of the poet.

The function of poetry is very much important for the good writer or poet. ’poetry’, according to wordsworth,’is the breath and finer spirit of all knowledge, the impassioned

expression that is the countenance of all science.’

Poetry seeks to ennoble and edify. It is morning star which throws its radiance through the  gloom and darkness of life. The poet is a teacher and through the medium of poetry he imparts  moral lessons for the battlement of human life. poetry is the instrument for 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,

“A poetry of revolt against moral ideas is a poetry of revolt against life: a  poetry of indifference towards moral ideas is a poetry  of indifference towards life.”

There are  above all some view of wordsworth about theme or subject-matter of poetry, style, definition and functions of poetry  considered very goodly. And, we  can say it’ s very good treatment of wordsworth. He conveyed all some thing in the very easiest way. The subject matter or theme of his poetry is very near to the mother nature and rustic life. So, Everybody can easily got the idea about the view points of the work of wordsworth.