Wordsworth:- The theme of Poetry

Assignment

Name- Hareshwari Kapdi

Course- M.A. English

Semester- 1

Batch- 2019-2020

Roll No - 10

Submitted to- Smt S.B. Gardi

Department of English MKBU

Paper No- Literary theory and criticism

Topic-Wordsworth: The theme of Poetry

# Introduction

William Wordsworth was  a Romantic Age poet. And we also said that he was a dominant figure of the Romantic Age. He was a Romantic poet with high quality. And here we will discuss about his theme of Poetry. But when we start about this topic we first have to know something about his life.

Wordsworth gives his famous definitions of Poetry as,

" The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings; It takes it's origin from emotion recollected in tranquility".

# His Famous Works:-

• Prelude 
• Lyrical Ballad
• Upon the west minister bridge
• Daffodils
• The Rainbow

Let's see what according to Wordsworth should be the theme of poetry in detail.

# According to Wordsworth: The theme of Poetry.

William Wordsworth is known as a nature poet. Because his  most poems are about nature. His best poem in my sight is "Daffodils". In this poem  his point of view about nature is point of view about nature is very clear and he defined everything clearly. He used nature elements beautifully.

# Definitions of Poetry

For all good Poetry is the Spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling; and though this be true, poems to which any value can be attached were never produced on any variety of subjects but by a man who being possessed more than usual organic sensibility, had also thought long and deeply.

# Theme of Poetry:-

# Theme of nature:

• Nature provides the ultimate good influence on the human  mind.
• The good relationship with nature helps individuals connect to both the spiritual and the social worlds.
• For example

"One summer evening I found 

A little boat tied to a Willow tree

Within a rocky cove, it's usual home ".(The Prelude)

# Childhood as a Theme :

• In Wordsworth's Poetry, childhood is magical, magnificent time of innocence.
• Children from an intense bond with nature, so much so that they appear to be a part of the natural world, rather than a part of human, social world.

• For  example

" She dwelt among the untrodden ways"

"Strange fits of passion have I know".

# The power of human mind:

• Wordsworth praised the power of the human mind.

• For example

" Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey".

# Rustic life

• Wordsworth always use simple and rustic life in his poem.
• The lives of ord Iinary men and women, farmers' rural poor.
• For example

"Solitary Reaper"

Wordsworth view on Theme and subject matter of Poetry

                     

 Let us briefly review Wordsworth view on the theme and subject matter of Poetry:

# Object (Subject matter of Poetry) :-

The principle object, then proposed in these poems was to choose incidents and situations from common life,  and to relate and describe them, thoughout, as far as possible in a selection of language really used by men,  and, at the same time, to throw over  them a certain colouring of imagination whereby ordinary things should be presented to the mind  in an unusual aspect; and further, and above all , to make these situations and incidents interesting by tracing in them , truly  thought not ostentationusly, the primary law of our nature: Chiefly as regards the manner in which we associate ideas in state of excitement.

# Humble and rustic (subject matter of Poetry) :-

Humble and rustic life was generally chose, because in that condition, the essential passions of the heart find a better soil in which they can attain their find a better soil in which they can attain their maturity, are less under restraint, and speak a plainer and more emphatic language: because in that condition of life, our elementary feeling co-exist in a state of greater simplicity, and consequently, may  be more accurately contemplated and more forcibly communicat ; because the manner of rural life germinate from these elementary feelings, and from the necessary character of rural occupations, are more easily comprehended, and are more durable; and lastly, because in that condition the passions of men are incorporated with the best beautiful and permanent forms of nature.

# Language:-

 The language, too of these men has been adopted- purified indeed from what appear to be it's real defects, from all lasting and rational causes of dislike and disgust- because such men communicate with the best objects from which the best part of language is originally derived;  and because, from their rank in society and the sameness and narrow circle of their intercourse, being less under the influence of social variety, they convey their feeling and notions in simple and unelaborated expression.   Accordingly, such  a language, arising out of the repeated experience and regular feeling is  a more permanent, and a far more philosophical language, than that which is frequently substituted for it by poets, who think that they are conferring honour upon themselves and their art, in proportion as they separate themselves from the sympathies of men, and indulge in arbitrary and capricious habits of expression, in order to furnish food for fickle appetites, of their own creation.

than that which is frequently substituted for it by poets, who think that they are conferring honour upon themselves and their art, in proportion as they separate from the sympathies of men, and indulge in arbitrary and capricious habits of expression, in  order to furnish food for fickle appetites, of their own creation.

  

Wordsworth believed that,

" The first principle of Poetry should be pleasure and so the chief duty of Poetry is to provide pleasure through a rhythmic and beautiful expression of feeling. All human sympathy he asserted is based on a subtle pleasure principle that is the naked and native dignity of man".

Wordsworth's poetic Creed initiated the Romantic era emphasized feelings, instinct and pleasure above formality and mannerism. More than any other poet before him, Wordsworth  gave expression to inchoate human emotion.

# To wind up

Ultimately, we may clarify that the theme of Poetry should be about Nature as well as rustic life. Further, he discusses that the language of Poetry must be easy & simple so that the reader can understand very well at the first reading.