Short Learning Videos on Wordsworth's Preface to Lyrical Ballads

Short Learning Videos on Wordsworth's Preface to Lyrical Ballads 

 

• What are the basic difference between the poetic creed of 'Classicism' and 'Romanticism'?
• Why does Wordsworth say 'What' is poet? rather than Who is poet?
• What is poetic diction? Which sort of poetic diction is suggested by Wordsworth in his Preface?
• What is poetry?
• Discuss 'Daffodils - I wandered lonely as a cloud' with reference to Wordsworth's poetic creed

Respected Sir,

                        As we discussed about Wordsworth's Preface to Lyrical Ballads this all the videos help us a lot to understand the basic ideas of poetry that what is poetry, who is poet rather then what is poet and also about the language of poem that what should be the language of poem. 

                       First of all I want to clear this term that what is “Classicism” and what is “Romanticism”. Difference between this is that a romantic poem will be about love towards people while classical will be more old fashioned and be about other things. The romantic era was not about love at all. In fact it had nothing to do with romance of the conventional kind. It was imaginative and more related to democracy and nature than anything else. Had relations to human life, and was highly philosophical. It was most definitely not about love. The Classical age on the other hand was the complete opposite to the romantic age in some respects. It had no real interest in nature as it exists naturally. Satire and realism was present, as well as a strong union with politics. It was highly critical, unimaginative and intellectual as opposed to the spontaneity of the romantic age. The basic difference between the classicism and romanticism is that the former is based on intellect and the latter is based on imagination.

                       There is difference between Who and What. Generally we use that who is poet ?? means we connect poets identity with it that This person is poet or that person is poet like example Wordsworth is poet is answer of this question but when we speak What is poet ??? We cannot find answer of this question easily because this question ties with inner quality or strength of poet. That what qualities poet has to write some good poems and then he gives reply that poet is one who is a man speaking to man, endowed with more lively sensibility because everyone cannot create lively images in front of readers who real poets can do. 

                      From Wordsworth’s point of view Diction means choice of language, selection of words and arrangement of words with the help of emotions. He says that the language of poetry should be the language means language of day to day life who can understand by everyone but with the selection of proper words poet cannot use mean language or slang or wrong words for poetry. Language has power to create certain images in readers mind so use proper word so with the help of that word appropriate images can immerge for poetry. The word selected by the poet must fit to his imagination. If he is truly inspired, then his imagination will enable him to select from the language which is used by men in routine life.

                        According to Wordsworth What is poet,

He is a 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; a man pleased with his own passions and volitions, and who rejoices more than other men in the spirit of life that is in him; delighting to contemplate similar volitions and passions as manifested in the goings-on of the universe, and habitually impelled to create them where he does not find them.”

And poetry means:-

"Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility". 

                                               In poetry we may find the idea of immediate truth and ultimate pleasure. Apart from meter and rhythm poetry is existence with the contradiction things. Poetry brings the whole soul of man, means in the poetry all the things are there that generally we may find in poem and important thing is harmony and arrangement of words. Poet is a man who is a genius, a special person, capable of re-articulating thoughts and feelings. He has a greater knowledge of human mind. With the help of this all the things we can say that “Poetry is the product of poet’s mind.”

                      Wordsworth’s ‘Daffodils - I wandered lonely as a cloud’ poem is written in very simple language. That’s why everyone can understand this poem very easily. Children also can understand this poem very easily that’s why this poem is in the syllabus of standard-  5 of English medium schools. And with the help of this we can say that language of this poem is very easy and exactly suitable for William Wordsworth’s poetic creed. In this poem as we can clearly see that the language used by him is simple one. The very first paragraph of the poem is written in the past tense and the last paragraph of the poem is written in the present tense. Means he was recollecting the spontaneous overflow in tranquility. He go to near to the nature and open his heart and start receiving and then he try to learn whatever he can and then create this wonderful poem.     

                                        Thank You ………