William Wordsworth (1770- 1850) [Romantic Criticism]

Introduction:

William Wordsworth is a distinguished pioneer in the field of Romantic Criticism. Though Wordsworth is not among the best Romantic Critics his criticism has value and significance of its own. He was not a born critic but circumstances made him a critic. He chose the field of criticism in sheer self-defense. He had his share in The Lyrical Ballad for which he contributed nineteen poems and four other were contributed by Coleridge. He published Preface to the Lyrical Ballad in 1802 to defend his poetry from dilettantism. Of course the preface contains his critical views on literature.

Themes of Poetry:

The Preface raised a wall between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Wordsworth deftly worked his way out of the frigid and abstract style of the 18^th century verse. Before expressing his own ideas about the nature of poetry Wordsworth attacks the artifice and restricted forms of the neo-classical eighteenth century poetry. As regards the themes of his poetry, Wordsworth seeks the fundamentals of human life by contemplating its simplest forms. He defends his poetry from the charges of triviality  and false simplicity. The principal object in his poems published in the Lyrical Ballads was to “choose incidents and situations from common life and to relate or describe them, throughout , as far as possible in a selection of language really used by men, and at the same time…” Wordsworth thus prefers the life of humble but not ignoble men and women, with their tragic or pathetic fates, their patience and dignity of character, their half conscious but real response to the landscape of which they are a part. In many of his poems such as “Lucy Grey, The Solitary Reaper, Michael,” etc. Coleridge appreciates Wordsworth’s poetic characters for their authentic representation of generic attributes.

Poetic Diction:

Wordsworth changed the very concept of language proper for poetry. He reacted sharply against the abuses of existing poetic diction which was highly pedantic, artificial and full of affections. According to him the language of poetry “is as far as possible, a selection of the language really spoken by men, that this selection whatever it is made with true taste and feeling…” By ‘selection’, he means that “it was to be purified from provincialism’ and from all “rational causes of disgust and dislike”. By language he primarily means ‘vocabulary’. The word selection also means the elimination of local and social peculiarities. Coming to the question of style in his poems, Wordsworth points out that “personification of abstract ideas’ rarely occur in his poems. He utterly rejects them “as an ordinary device to elevate style.” In the matter of metre he appeals to tradition. He justifies the use of metre. The foremost reason is that poetry pleases and this pleasure is enhanced by the use of metre. The use of metre makes poetry more exciting. “There is some danger,’ says Wordsworth “that the excitement may be carried beyond its proper bounds.” At the same time Wordsworth finds no difference between the language of prose and that of metrical composition. He asserts that even in the best poetry, there may be significant passages which may have an order of words similar to that found in a good prose composition.

Definition of poetry and the process of poetic creation:

Defining poetry and process of poetic creation Wordsworth writes “ … poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings, it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility, the emotion is contemplated till, by a species of reaction, the tranquility gradually disappears, and an emotion, kindred to that, which was before  the subject of contemplation, is gradually produced, and does itself actually exist in the mind.” Feelings, he points out are always modified by our thoughts, which are the representatives of all our past feeling. The true poet is able to connect one thought with another and discovers what is really important and worthwhile. The poetic process has four stages such as recollection, contemplation, recrudescence and composition. In some of his poems – Tintern Abbey, Immortality ode, The Solitary Reaper and Daffodils, Wordsworth closely follows his own poetic doctrine of poetic composition.

Who is a poet?:

According to Wordsworth a poet has an important role to play. He has a social function to perform. He does not write merely for the sake of his own pleasure but in order to communicate his feelings and ideas to the public. “He is a man speaking to men”. He is endowed with great imagination. He understands human nature and the nature of human passion. His enthusiasm for life is far greater than that of ordinary man. The poet differs from other people only in degree and not in kind.

Function of Poetry:

Poetry, according to Wordsworth, gives immediate pleasure. He writes, “Poetic pleasure is an acknowledgement of the beauty of the universe, an acknowledgement more sincere…” Poetry gives us knowledge of man, nature and human life and that knowledge is a source of pleasure.

Poetry and Science:

The poet considers man and nature as essentially adapted to each other. Man’s mind is the mirror of the fairest and the most interesting objects of nature. Thus, the poets converse with nature. The scientist, who works hard in the search of truth, also finds pleasure in truth. Thus, boththe poet and the man of science endeavour to seek pleasure in the search of knowledge. But the knowledge of truth which the scientist realizes is particular and personal. This truth comes to him slowly and cannot be shared by mankind in general. But the poet sings for the whole of humanity. All human begin to share his joys. Therefore, the truth uttered  by the poet is of universal nature.

Poetry and Religion:

According to Wordsworth there is intimate relationship between religion and poetry. Like religion poetry also provides comfort. Like religion it also consoles and sustains us. The one supplies what the other lacks. Poetry thus caters to man’s moral refinement and happiness. Wordsworth once wrote to Beaumant that “Every great poet is a great teacher.”

Imagination and fancy:

Imagination, according to Wordsworth has a higher import than merely depicting the images that are merely a faithful copy of absent external objects, existing in the mind. Imagination denotes operations of the mind upon objects and processes of creation or of composition. Imagination has the shaping and creating power also. It is also governed by a sublime consciousness of the soul. Fancy, according to Wordsworth is an “aggregative and associative power,” while imagination is a transforming power, the shaping and modifying power, dealing only with what is plastic, pliant and indefinite.

Wordsworth’s Views on Criticism and Critics:

Wordsworth also expresses his views on true and false criticism. He cautions the readers against false criticism. He argues that it is the feeling that matter and not the language. Real poetry embodies noble feelings and it gives enjoyments ‘of power, more lasting and more exquisite in its nature.” He wants his readers to judge his poems by their own feelings and not by any external standards prescribed by critics. Wordsworth points out that readers should read new poems with an open mind, without any prejudice.

In his Essay Supplementary to the Preface, Wordsworth tells about the essential qualifications of a competent critic. A competent critic is one who is not immature and one who not does appreciate in a fit of excitement. He should not be beguiled by his youthful passions and emotions when reading and appreciating a poem. He should not read poetry only to seek an escape from the hard realities of life. He should try to regulate his sensibilities. A good critic should be free from all prejudice in favour of artificial diction. He should be free from prejudices, religious biases and preconceived notions.

Wordsworth Contributions to Criticism:

Wordsworth is primarily a poet and not a critic, but he has given a most comprehensive critical document in the form of the Preface. It is a great literary landmark which give a new direction, consciousness and programme to English Romantic Movement. He is the first critic to turn from the form of poetry to its substance. He is the first critic who builds a theory of poetry, and give an account of the nature of the creative process. Wordsworth’s emphasis is on novelty, experiment, liberty, spontaneity, inspiration, imagination, simplicity and human values, as contrasted with the classical emphasis on authority, tradition and restraint. He is an illustrious romantic critic.