Preface to the Lyrical Ballads

This PPT includes Wordsworth's Preface to the Lyrical Ballads with details.

1. Dr. Pramod Ganganmale Presentation

2. The preface to the lyrical ballads Topic

3. What is ballad? Ballad “a poem meant for singing, quite impersonal in material, probably connected in its origins with the communal dance but submitted to a process of oral traditions among people who are free from literary influences and fairly homogeneous in character.” A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French chanson ballade or ballade, which were originally "danced songs".

4. William Wordsworth: Life Birth: 7 April, 1770 at Cockermouth in Cumberland. Education at Grammar’s School of Hawkshed , then at St. John’s College, Cambridge for B. A. degree in 1791. Visited France and advocated French revolution. Sister Dorothy: Emotional Bound with sister. Settled with her at Lake District. Married with Mary Hutchinson. S. T. Coleridge and William Wordsworth published “The Lyrical Ballads’ together 1798. Successful life as a poet. Oxford University honoured him with the degree of Doctor of Civil Law. Became Poet Laureate in 1843. Died in 1850.

5. Critical & Poetical Works Poetical Works Lyrical Ballads 1798 The Excursion 1894 Prelude 1850 Wrote 500 sonnets Critical Works Advertisement to the Lyrical Ballads 1798 Preface to the Lyrical Ballads 1800 Preface to the Lyrical Ballads with Appendix of Poetic Diction1802

6. Introduction to the Preface to the Lyrical Ballads Important Document in the history of literary criticism First published in 1798 Republished with the second edition of Lyrical Ballads in 1800 Revised in 1802 Added Appendix on Poetic Diction in 1802 Views on poetry

7. Wordsworth’s Conception of Poetry Poetry is spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings recollected in tranquility. Powerful feelings Internal feelings Natural flow of the feelings without labour Natural flow of feelings is proper mood and temperament Voluntarily and willingly nature of feelings From the soul of the poet.

8. Feeling is not intellectual process. Poets have greater organic sensibility of emotions than common man. Better sense impressions

9. The role of Reflection: Four stages of the Process of Creation Experience is necessary. Experience has to pass four stages. Observation or perception of some object, character, incident. These create powerful emotions in the poet’s mind.

10. 2. Reflection or contemplation of that emotion in tranquility. Memory is important in second stage. First experience remains forever as a part of his body or soul. Mind contemplates in tranquility. Removes non essential, accidents or superfluities. Filtering selective process is very low.

11. 3. Interrogation of memory by the poet. First emotion of the poet. A state of enjoyment. It is process of contemplation and thinking denies the tranquility. Poetic creation is full of joy and pleasure.

12. 4. Stage of composition. Poet conveys his emotions and pleasures to others. Poet has best quality of communication.

13. Themes of Poetry New Classical Poetry: Artificial and unnatural. About city of London Discussed artificial and unnatural life of fashionable lords and ladies No beauties of nature.

14. Themes of Poetry Romantic Poetry: Nature as source of pure emotions and original experience of life. Natural life is happy and have original pleasures of life. Poet: Man speaking to Men , appeals heart and mind of men.

15. Themes of Poetry Human nature, mind, primary instincts, impulses, spirits of human life and comprehensive nature of life. Primary laws of nature through lives of farmers, leach gatherers, peasants and simple lives. Child and childhood aspects of life important as child has primary, essential, pure, and natural experience of life. City life is trained and mannerful bound with codes and conducts

16. The Language of Poetry: Theory of Poetic Diction Simplicity in theme and treatment Wordsworth’s theory of poetic language is a reaction against the Pseudo classical theory of poetic diction. He advocates simplicity of language to suit the simplicity of theme Classics supported metrical composition. Wordsworth rejects artificial language of Pope.

17. What is Pseudo Classics? 18 th Century poets (Neo Classicals) used figurative language full of figures, metaphors, and similes. Earlier It attracted readers but later poets used figurative language. It became only imitation of earlier poets, became uninterested and unpleasure. The use of this artificial and unnatural use of language is called Pseudo Classics .

18. Theme of poetry related to common life. Common life comes with the common language. Language used by common people. Language of farmers, rustics, shepherds should be expressed their life in poetry. Vulgarity and course of a language should be avoided. Simple language gives pleasure to readers. The Language of Poetry: Theory of Poetic Diction

19. The rustic language: Simple, highly emotional, passionate. It expresses powerful feelings of human beings. N atural language of the passions. It comes from the heart and goes direct to the heart. Through the use of such a language essential truths about human life and nature can be more easily and clearly communicated. Advantages of Simple Diction

20. 4. It is a more philosophical language so it can express basic truths of human life. 5. It is related to deep natural resources as rustics are connected to nature every day. Advantages of Simple Diction