Bridge Course: Thinking Activity on Wordsworth's Preface 'Lyrical Ballad'

This Blog-post is a response of thinking activity on Wordsworth's Preface as a Bridge Course, given by Prof.Dr.Dilip Barad Sir. To know about more this task,CLICK HERE

William Wordsworth(1770-1850) was the prominent figure and the senior poet of Romantic Literature. He and his friend S.T. Coledrige wrote 'Lyrical Ballads' in 1795 as anonymously. In 1802 second edition was published and Perhaps, Wordsworth wrote this time the preface- an essay  in more detailed to the readers of Lyrical Ballads. In this preface, he wrote about his poem's style and themes which he felt that is unique. 

• Historical Background:

Wordsworth was prominent poet of Romantic Literature. Before his age of writing, there was Neo-Classical Age which followed the tendency of classicism and try to put in Modern era. Then, in Romanticism, poet such as Wordsworth,Shelly,Byron, Coleridge, Scott they were came with new ideology of express the emotions towards nature, pastoral life which we also found as major theme in Wordsworth' poetry, etc.  So Perhaps this changes leads the writer with new enthusiastic level of reading their work especially, poetry. We find main tow things between this two literary era that,

In Classicism: Intellect is the guiding Force

In Romanticism: Imagination is the guiding Source. 

The another thing is that about French Revolution. The timeline was 1789 to 1799. This revolutionary movement came up with new ideas for human life and their emotions. In shot, that was the movement of searching individuality, spirit of nature in terms of livelihood in nature. The Idea leads posts like Wordsworth, with enthusiasm in nature and rustic life. The poets were inspired as such equality, liberty etc.

To know about more in detailed, Click this table given here and visit the website which provides free sources to students. 

Here are my questions which given in the  Worksheet of this Bridge Course.

Que:1.What according to Wordsworth should be the theme of Poetry?

In an Essay of the preface to Lyrical Ballads, Wordsworth also try to explain that what should be the particular theme of the poetry. In his poetry, we found as major theme is 'Nature' not only natural elements but also about the nature of human life with emotions, rustic people's life and their reality. His kindly aim was to choose the theme likewise,  nature of rustic life and the character of rustic people because he believed that they were very closed to nature. Along with this theme he wrote poems on Morality, Memory, Religion, Humanity,Transcendence and Connectivity, Mortality. 

Que:2.Write note on Wordsworth’s view on the subject matter of poetry

As Wordsworth said in Preface, 

“It is the honourable characteristic of poetry that its materials are to be found in every subject which can interest the human mind.”

He mentioned, that whatever subject was it will be a martial  of poetry, it's depends on poet about it's shaping as poetic or unpoetic. With rhythm and voice of true human services towards their life. Which means he mentioned that subject which can interest the human mind.Here, perhaps the subject was human mind and nature. He also believed that what his characters were did in his poetry was realistic that means presents the realistic feelings of emotions within us. 

Que:3 "A Poet has a greater knowledge of human nature, and a more comprehensive soul, than one supposed to be common among mankind." Explain with reference to your reading of Wordsworth’s views in Preface to the Lyrical Ballads.

According to Wordsworth, poet has the capability regarding a the knowledge of human nature. Poet has the feeling about that how to know the human nature and how to described it in his poetry. Second thing is about that poet is more comprehensive soul that means poet has widely sense of knowing about what going on in his around. Here soul means poet's inner voice of speaking in his ink and who rejoices his writing.