Thinking activity on Wordsworth's Preface to Lyrical Ballad.

         Lyrical Ballads is a collection of poems by William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge. Title of collection recalls rustic form of art. French revolution had deep influence on Romanticist and Wordsworth. Liberty- Equality- Fraternity are three watchword of the  French revolution and inspired Wordsworth and other romantic posts.

Q.1] What is the basic difference between the poetic creed of  'Classicism' and 'Romanticism'?

          Difference between classicism and romanticism. They are two ideologies. he points which differenciated Classicism and Romanticism are given below:-

Intellect and Imagination

          Classical writers were believed in intellectual but the Romantics writers were believed in imagination.

Classical and Medieval

          Classical poets were followed classical masters like Plato , Aristotle,  Socrates but Romantics poets were followed medieval poets and writers.

Restraints and Liberty

          Romantic writers Were not believed any kind of restrictions but they believed in liberty and Freedom of emotions and imagination but classical writers believed in restrictions. In Romanticism there is free play of imagination, poet is free to express his feelings and thoughts in a work of art.

Urban and Rustic life

            In Classical works city or urban life represented where as in Romantic works rustic life and country side glorious life represented. The rustic life attracts them more rather than the city dwellers.

Objectivity and Subjectivity

           Classical writers were believed in objective and Romantic writers believed in subjective.

Example- The line from Wordsworth's Daffodills  "Spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings", the first two words spontaneous overflow represents subjectivity.

          So these are the basic difference of both writers . They have different approaches for life and different way to looking work. So they are two different ideology. They different for each other in techniques of writing and subject they choose.

Q.2] Why does Wordsworth say 'What" is poet? rather than who is poet ?

          Wordsworth in "preface to lyrical ballad" says that -He wants to wrote these poems and lyrical ballad in the language really used by man. His friends Coleridge in his "BIOGRAPHIA LITERARIA" asked some questions on poetic diction are -'what do you actually mean by language really used by man ? Which man? What reality? Which real man? etc. Wordsworth's ans: " He finds humble and rustic life to be with emotions which are more genuine words, diction of those people who are more closer to genuineness. He says that a poet is more comprehensive, a better human being. Wordsworth says about 'what is poet' rather than 'who is poet'.

Q.3]  What is poetic diction? Which sort of poetic diction is suggested by Wordsworth  in his preface ?

          Wordsworth say what is poet rather than who is poet because he focus upon the role of poet. He endowed with more lively sensibility, enthusiasm, tenderness, He has greater knowledge of human nature.

          Poet creates the things which is not exist in the world. He habitually creates situation and passions where they do not exist . The poet is who rejoices more than other men in spirit of life.

Q.4]  What is poetry ?

Wordsworth gives definition of poetry

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

     So poetry gives happiness and it related with human emotions and recollecting nature and recollection in tranquility. Wordsworth is the only poet who takes this definition of poetry after Dryden in his Preface.

Q.5]  Discuss 'Daffodils - I wandered lonely as a cloud'with reference to Wordsworth's poetic creed.

Daffodils  (1804) Written by Wordsworth in 4 stanzas.

First stanza I wandered lonely as a cloud... Ten thousand saw I at a glance. This poem is good example of language and grammar. When poet remembers Daffodils tranquility vanishes and Spontaneity of happiness comes again.

          Wordsworth wrote about nature in his poetry. His main theme of poetry is based on nature. In this poem Daffodils he described beautifulness of nature. If we observed by stanza and if we minutely observe it we can find or see that the tranquility of recollection is happens. He has used figures like: Cloud, vales, hills, lake, trees, breeze, stars, Milky way and through that he has described beauty of nature.