Criticism 4-Preface to the Balladddd.pptx

Www

1. Preface to the Lyrical Ballad

2. Introduction The neo-classical writers followed the authority of the past, the rules and the regulations and they were more concerned with the form prescribed by the classical writers. The romantic writers were the free writers. They did not want to be shackled by the authority of the past. They thought that every age has its own demands and rules of a particular age might not be applicable in other ages.

3. Classicism & Romanticism

4. Classicism Romanticism Outcome of reason and logic Product of imagination, intuition, emotions, passion and feelings. Dealt with civilized, modern and sophisticated life Pertained to primitive, rural and natural life Writers of society e.g. Rape of the Lock Writers of solitude e.g. The Solitary Reaper Interested in human nature and man Inclined to spiritual and aesthetic values of external nature (Man is part of nature.)

5. Classicism Romanticism Inclined to mundane actualities and worldly realities Interested in mysterious aspects and idealism Discussed day to day problems and criticized through satire Narrated myth, medieval life and old stories Communicated moral truth which is universal and accepted always Conveys moral truth related to beauty which is a variable Belief in God and evil Belief in man and goodness

6. Classicism Romanticism Comprised religious and philosophical creed Consisted of individual speculations & revelations Based on abstract, theoretical and philosophical ideas Deals with concrete realities and substantial things Stands with formal correctness & form of literature by the past Concerned with individual expressiveness & emotions Objective standards regarding universal realities and objective values Subjective values and personal experiences

7. Classicism Romanticism Interested in ideal order and arrangements Interested in intensity of thoughts and deeper effectiveness Based on allegory and conventional sayings Based on imagery and symbolism Used showy and bombastic language Employed the common language of everyday use Interested in Latin literature, language and way of life Inclined to Greek literature and way of life, i.e. Hellenistic

8. Theory of Poetry

9. Introduction Wordsworth was a poet of nature as well as man. To him, the poet is a man speaking to man. The poet differs from other man not in nature but in the degree of gifts. He is a man of greater imagination and power of communication. He can comprehend truths to which others remain blind. It is easier for him to unveil truths and realities hidden behind the shows.

10. Definition of Poetry “Poetry is a spontaneous overflow of powerful emotions, but these emotions be recollected in tranquility.” Poetry is the combination of the following: 1- Poetic Creation 2- Poetic Expression

11. 1- Poetic Creation Spontaneous Overflowing Internal Feeling Emotions Mood Temperament Voluntary Jumbled From Heart

12. 2- Poetic Expression Conscious Laborious Intellectual Meditative Thoughtful

13. Stages of Poetry

14. Four Stages of Poetry 1- Observation and Perception A poet is a gifted person so his observation and perception set up powerful emotions in him. These emotions are deeper, better and different as compare to commoners.

15. Four Stages of Poetry 2- Recollection and Contemplation Good poetry is never an immediate expression of the spontaneous emotions. The poet ahs to ponder over and mediate in a state of tranquility. He recollects past emotions in tranquility. At this stage memory plays a vital role. The impression, as purged of all the irrelevant elements and superfluities, becomes most exciting and effective.

16. Four Stages of Poetry 3- Integration The integration of memory by the poet sets up or revive the emotions in the mind itself, which is like the first emotions, but is purged of all the irrelevant material. In the process of contemplation, tranquility disappears and emotions start flowing onto the mind of the poet.

17. Four Stages of Poetry 4- Composition The poet has to communicate in such a way as to be lucid and as to give entertainment. At this stage, his skill as a poet can work miracles. In addition to have grand thoughts, if the poet has the art of choosing appropriate words and composing them beautifully, the effect of the poetry will be multiplied.

18. Definition of Poetry by Herbert Reed Good poetry is never an immediate reaction to the provoking cause; that our sensations must be allowed time to sink back into common fund of our experiences, there to find their level and due proportion. That level is found for them by the mind in the act of contemplation, and then in the process of contemplation, the sensations revived and out of the union of the contemplating mind and the reviving sensibility rises that unique mood of expression which we call poetry.

19. Function of Poetry Wordsworth declares that the function of poetry is to entertain the reader. By this, he means exalted pleasure and not idle amusement. Exalted pleasure is that which serves the purpose of life and morality. In his own words: “The function of poetry is to console the afflicted, to add sunshine to the day light by making the happy happier; to teach the young and the precious of every age; to see, to think, to feel and therefore, to become more actively and securely virtuous.”

20. Subjects of Poetry

21. Why Should the Subjects be Rustic Wordsworth, the nature mystic, was interested in rural life for its simplicity, honesty, naturalness and grace. Unlike the classical poetry of 18 th century, he chose incidents, situations and characters from rustic and low life for his poetry. He asserted that a poet must deal with such simple subjects, but he must also throw over them a certain colour of imagination, whereby ordinary things should be presented to the mind in an unusual way, so as to make them more beautiful.

22. Problem of Classical Subjects The poetry of pseudo classical school was artificial and unnatural and also limited in themes, because it was primarily confined to lords, kings and princes, etc. The poets were interested in depicting unnatural and artificial life of the fashionable lords and ladies. They did not care for the beauty of nature and the grace of humble humanity. By rejecting the conventions, Wordsworth preferred incidents and situations of humble life for certain reasons.

23. Reasons to Choose Rustic Life It enlarged the scope and range of poetry, rather it provided a whiff of fresh air to poetry. To him, as a poet is a man speaking to Man, he must study the primary laws of human nature. These primary instincts and impulses that govern human conduct can best be understood by studying the simplest and most elementary forms in life. In city life, the fundamental passions of human hearts are not expressed freely and forcefully, but are inhabited by social codes and consideration of public opinion.

24. Reasons to Choose Rustic Life In rustic life, the fundamental passions of human heart can easily be studied. In rustic and rural environment, the passions of man are the result of nature. He was from the rustic background that is why he felt he can create poetry with vividness and accuracy.

25. Poetic Diction

26. Poetic Diction Wordsworth believes that there is no essential difference between the language of prose and metrical composition. His purpose was to choose incidents and situations from common life; so he used a selection of language really used by them. However, it was to be purified of all that was vulgar and coarse in that language. He adopted a selection of language of real men because his aim was to give pleasure.

27. Poetic Diction To Wordsworth the following are the advantages of selection of language used by the common rustics: 1- Rustic language in its simplicity, is highly emotional and passionate 2- It is the natural language of passions 3- It is more philosophical language as its use can result in better understanding of basic truth 4- The rustics are in contact with the beauties of nature, and that’s why, the best part of language is derived from their conversation with it. So, it is noble and poetic. 5- It is capable of giving highest poetic pleasure.

28. Poetic Diction In favour of simple language, he emphasizes that figures of speech, similes and metaphors may not be employed unnecessarily. Wordsworth’s theory of poetic diction is of immense value as a corrective to the inane, artificial and unnatural phraseology current at that time. However, it has been subjected to a lot of criticism, especially from Coleridge.

29. Coleridge’s Criticism on Theory of Poetic Diction The language when selected and purified, would not differ from the language of any other man of common sense. The use of meter is artificial as the use of poetic diction. As Wordsworth rejects poetic diction, he must not also accept meter. As everyone’s language differs, the word “real” used by Wordsworth should be substituted by the word “ordinary”.

30. Coleridge’s Criticism on Theory of Poetic Diction It is not correct that the best parts of language are derived from nature. It is a selected act of mind. If poets want to use rustic language they must think like rustics. Wordsworth himself did not adhere to his own theory in practice.