Wordsworth As A Literary Critic And His Theory Of Poetic Diction

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Name : Kailash P. Baraiya  

Roll No:17

Study: M.A. Sem -1, Year:2016

Sub: Literary Theory And Criticism (Paper No 3)

Topic :

Wordsworth As A Literary Critic And His Theory

 Of Poetic Diction

Submitted To:- Dr. Dilip Barad , Department Of

 English M.K. Bhavnagar University

 Introduction

Wordsworth was primarily a poet and not a critic. He was left behind him no comprehensive treatise on criticism. The bulk of his literary criticism is small yet the core of his literary criticism is as inspired as his poetry There is the same utter sincerity, earnestness passion and truth in both he knew about poetry in the real sense and he has not said even a single word about poetry says chapman,

“Which is not valuable, and worth thinking over “

Wordsworth As A Critic :- 

 

Wordsworth was born in 1770 and died in 1850. He was primarily a poet and not a critic. He belongs to the age of romantic critic. His view on poetry are extremely important and can be found in the preface to the Lyrical Ballads (1800). The preface was first published as a short advertisement in 1798. In 1800 AD he wrote the Detailed preface was an 'Half a child of my own Brain'. The most important addition in the 1802 preface is the long account of nature, qualification and function of a poet the demonstolation of his superiority over the mass of poetic pleasure. Would Scooth added an Appendix on poetic diction.

The aim of writing the preface was to introduce to the renders poems of a new kind both in theme and style. Wordsworth evaluate early poetry and how new poetry is different and can be appreciated. the dominant them of the preface is Wordsworth's view of poetic diction and thus subject of poetry.

Wordsworth’s conception of poetry:-

After his attack on the diction of the Neo - Classical poets and the poets of his time Wordsworth moves to his conception of poetry and its function words worth defines poetry as 'The Spontaneous' ever flow of powerful feelings recollected in tranquility. The two parts of the definition are opposite to each other. The first one is sudden while the second one suggests a deliberate recalling to memory thus Wordsworth is giving an idea of a poetic process. The four stages in the poetic composition are:

1. Observation
2. Recollection
3. Contemplation
4. Imaginative expression.

In this , Wordsworth has given emphasize to emotion has to be expressed by thought. The critics view of the poet gives the poet a very high status.

According to him the poet is a man speaking to man. He differs from other men not in nature but in the degree of talent. The poet Wordsworth says is the man of greater sensibility ¸observation, reflection, imagination and has great powers of communication he can communicate his comprehending to the soul the readers.

Talking about the function of poetry Wordsworth says that it gives him pleasure. By pleasure here he means knowledge and understanding. He considers poetry to be superior to history, philosophy and science. For Wordsworth poetry is the pursuit of the truth and a great force for good. He differs from Neo - classical critics because for him poetry.

Wordsworth's view on meters makes a diction between use of meter and the use of poetic diction. The use of meter are fixed. It gives the sense of restrained contrast, it gives pleasure by softening the emotion grace and dignity and shows the emotion grace and dignity and shows the skills of the poet. But in diction he says there are no rules but he advocate the use of simple everyday language. Wordsworth theory of poetic diction is very important but it thus been criticized Coleridge was the first been criticized, Coleridge was the first to criticize his theory of leading diction is not just word but also arrangement of words, imagery etc. Wordsworth does not define what he meant by fiction.

Wordsworth said that the language of the rustics need purification, Coleridge says in that case. There will be no difference between rustics diction and diction of other secondly he feels that of poetry and prose. Criticizing him Coleridge point out that the use of meter and the arrangement of words in a poem makes poetry different from prose. T.S. Eliot also point out that Wordsworth on one hand talk about using the real language of men and on the other hand he speaks of selection. This nothing but contradictory view.

The literary criticism of William Wordsworth is usually considered the menifectory of the English Romantic Movement. The single for the break with the age of Neo - Classicism. After several criticism by other critics Wordsworth had to write criticism in self Defiance and justification of the type of poetry he was writing. Only a thorough study of his critical writing can prove his worth as a literary critics and can also bring originality of his views with regard to the natural of poetry, poetic creation and poetic diction.

Wordsworth's Achievements As a Critics :-

Wordsworth not among the best English critics and his position as a critic is not as high as that of Coleridge. But still his criticism has a value and Wordsworth was against Neo - Classicism in his view on the nature of poetry. Poetic diction and also in his judgment of set rules and principles and adhered to them closely and rigidly either when writing poetry or when judging poetry. Wordsworth posed and important problem that a poem might be flawless and prefect from the point of view of meter, diction etc. and yet it may full to pleaser the reader. The ultimate lest of the beauty and literary excellence of a work therefore, is not in its out wardly perfect structure but somewhere else. It lies, according to Wordsworth, in the healthy pleasure in poetry than to any other thing in it. This impression linguistic approach towards literature was a major contribution to English critical idea. He says good poems are produced only by a man who has thought long and deeply.

Wordsworth’s reaction against the 18^th century poetic diction:

Highly influenced by Rousseau and French revolution, Wordsworth came forward in 1798, with a new theory of man, a new theory of poetry. In another edition of Lyrical Ballads polished in 1809, he elaborately explained his theory of poetic diction as against highly sophisticated language of 18^th century, he gave rustic colours to the poetic diction. Wordsworth rightly felt that for the new poetry of the new age, a language was needed and what he earnestly felt, he expressed in the 'preface' to the Lyrical Ballads. His entire effort in renovating the language of poetry was guided by the feeling that all conventions to evolve the true poetic style, which should not only be simple and unaffected but should possess the power and truth of feeling.

Wordsworth's theory of poetic diction :

Wordsworth is the English critic of romantic Age. people tendency arose towards romanticism. The broke off from the Neo - Classical ideas. Wordsworth and Coleridge are considered to the beginners in Romanticism. In it he discussed theory of poetry subject matter of poetry theory of poetic diction etc. here I am going to discuss the theory of poetic diction in the preface to the Lyrical Ballads.

Basically Wordsworth is a poet, however, his criticism is small but whatever he says about poetry is full of sincerity, passion and truth. He knows about poetry in real sense and whatever he says is valuable and worth thinking when words worth started writing, it was the era of Neo - Classical criticism. when poetry was judged on the basis of rules devised by Aristotle and other ancients, who cared for rules, forms but ignored the substance the soul of poetry. He is the first critic who times from the form of the poetry to the substance. He is he is the first critic who builds the theory of poetry. His emphasis is on novelty. Experiment liberty, inspiration and imagination as contrasted with the classical's emphasis on authority, restrain and tradition. Poetry is communication and it is the pleasure that poet communicates. Traditionally it has been believed that the function of the poetry is to interest and delight but Wordsworth says that the function of the poetry is to give pleasure. Wordsworth says that poetry is most philosophical.

Regarding process of poetic creation he says that all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. The process of storm is claim when the man recollects some past emotional experience.

Wordsworth’s preface has been badly criticized by some of the contemporary critics but the preface is probably the most important single document in the history of English criticism. It provide the readers his most important views and reforms on poetry.

Wordsworth insists on humble and rustic life. He also talks of simple language, which is rustic and simple.

Conclusion

Wordsworth loved nature so his themes are also natural. He is language is also natural. He says that there is neither and nor can be any difference between language of prose and verse. The only difference is that the poet uses meter. Wordsworth says since meter add an additional source of pleasure so it is useful. The poet speaks through the character so his language should be proper and simple diction should be preferred.

In those day most of the writers or poets glorified Royal families where as Wordsworth wants the glory of all. He wants the poets to write and communicate in such a way that no class remains untouched. He wants to write in local language as our Tulsidas write Ramayana in the local dialects again as the original in Sanskrit seemed though for common people.

SOURCE : NET AND TEXT