William Wordsworth and Lyrical Ballads

William Wordsworth: An Introduction

• William Wordsworth (1770) was born in England's Lake District
• Generally known as one of the most prominent figures in English Literature
• Central member of the Romantic movement
• Co-authored "Lyrical Ballads" in 1798 alongside Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Lyrical Ballads

• It broke conventional poetry standards.
• Gave impetus for the wider Romantic movement.
• Wordsworth contributed vivid landscape descriptions to change the direction of English poetry.
• Examines the sublime and celebrates the commonplace.
• Offered profound insights into the human condition

Wordsworth's Literary Contributions

• Writings continue to inspire readers worldwide.
• Widely regarded as one of history's greatest poets
• A pioneer of the early English Romantic Movement
• He contributed to "The Lyrical Ballads" in 1798 with Coleridge
• Launched a new wave of English poetry
• Penned the Preface for the second "Lyrical Ballads" publication in 1800
• Preface now considered to be the movement's literary manifesto
• Renowned works include: The Lucy poems, The Solitary Reaper, Daffodils, The Leech Gatherer, Tintern Abbey, Michael, Ode on Intimations of Immortality, The Prelude, Ode to Duty

Lines Composed A Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey On Revisiting The Banks of The Wye During A Tour

• Abbreviated title is simply known as Tintern Abbey.
• Found in 1798 publication
• The poem showcases two fundamental beliefs Wordsworth explored in "Preface" of The Lyrical Ballads from 1800
• Poetry comes from "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings"
• Originates from "emotion recollected in tranquility."
• Highlights "revisiting" as Wordsworth returned to Tintern Abbey after a five-year absence
• Poem shows a recollection of feelings from a previous visit, a source of new joy

Autobiographical Elements

• Wordsworth expresses feelings and thoughts amidst a remembered scene.
• The recollection of past pleasures intertwines with present harmony.
• He anticipates similar joyous experiences in the future.
• This weaves the poem into an autobiographical framework, tracing the poet's spiritual growth.
• Tintern Abbey stands as the first of Wordsworth's four autobiographical poems

Ode: Intimations of Immortality

• Published in 1807 collection Poems, in Two Volumes anthology
• The poem was originally titled "Ode."
• Used epigraph "Let us sing of higher things,"
• Some minor edits were undertaken in 1815
• New epigraph and subtitle were added to the work in 1815
• Stanzas 1-4 were written in 1802; Stanzas 5-11 written in 1804
• Exploration of what happens when a person becomes an adult

Ode

• An ode is a literary device that pays homage to any thing or person
• Wordsworth honors the idea that even as an adult it is possible to retain some childhood happiness
• Foundation for a mature, serene, and strong perspective
• Some scholars regard Wordsworth's "Ode" as one of the bests of the Romantic era from 1780s-1830s
• The work exemplifies the movement's emphasis on the bond between childhood and nature

William Wordsworth's Style

• Contributed heavily to poetry focusing on nature, emotion, and the human condition.
• Qualities such as sincerity, simplicity, and a deep connection to nature characterize his style.
• Poetry maintains relevance due to its international appeal and timeless topics.

Introduction to Romanticism

• Romanticism was originally defined as literature depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form by Friedrich Schlegel
• This German poet is credited with creating the word
• Romanticism includes a wide range of change-oriented inclinations from late 1700s and early 1800s
• Imagination, uniqueness, and feeling are central

Romanticism

• Literary and artistic movement
• Movement rebelled against neoclassicism.
• Encouraged imagination as critical authority
• Saw imagination emancipate literature and the arts from traditional forms and ideas
• Difficult to precisely define its beginnings
• Folklore rise in early-to-mid 1800s, Grimm brother writing, opposition to neoclassicism all played a part
• Political developments that promoted nationalistic pride contributed

Catalysts for Change

• French Revolution (1789-1799) was a main factor in movement's creation
• Upheld individual free will
• Ended monarchy and feudal powers violently
• Idea of all men's rights reflected in both literature and politics

Liberalism in Literature

• Liberty, equality, and brotherhood were the Romantic poet's inspiration
• Political liberalism that came from the French Revolution influenced the liberty, individualism, and rejection of norms found in Romantic works

Romanticism Qualities

• Uprising against formulas that were the source of their uprising.
• Proclaimed each person's inherent dignity.
• New philosophical paradigm was major tenet for Romantic poets, philosophers and writers
• Individualism constituted Romanticism's core
• Traits include search for new subjects, faith in nature, focus on spontaneity, conviction that everyone can express themselves freely

The Romantic Era

• Intellectual movement
• Encompassed art, music, and literature.
• Began in Europe in the late 1700s
• Peaked between 1800 and 1850
• Literary trends of the 1700s gave way to more unconventional approaches
• Its early years were filled with social and political unrest such as war, this was the backdrop for Romanticism

Social and Political Upheaval

• American War of Independence (1775-83)
• French Revolution (1789-99)
• Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815)
• Industrial Revolution profound societal effects (1760s-1840s)
• Great English poet of era were moved by social inequalities related to the Industrial Revolution
• Captured mood in their poems

Emphasis on Freedom

• The Romantics embraced freedom and revolution and they opposed Classicism.
• They revolted against neoclassical artistic norms.
• Romantic movement turned to sensation's inner realm
• Also turned to nature
• Realism then succeeded the Romantic movement

English Romantic Writers

• William Wordsworth
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge
• John Keats
• Percy Bysshe Shelley
• William Blake
• Lord Byron
• Reflected irrational emotions
• Sought metaphors in nature
• Emphasized creativity over reason

Core Value

• "The artist's feeling is his law,” as declared by Caspar David Friedrich.
• Emotion is of utmost importance in Romanticism
• Poems need to begin as "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings,”, according to William Wordsworth
• Poems should later be put in "recollect in tranquility,”
• Should bring a new feeling that can be shaped into art

Artistic Freedom

• Its material should originate from an artist's imagination
• Should have very minimal impact from "artificial” laws on art

Glorification of the Past

• Emphasis on emotion and individualism
• Glorification of past and awe of nature
• Reason not valued as much as in the 1700s
• Concentration on individualism was key

Main Traits of Romantic Literature

• Focus on individualism alongside subjectivity
• Avoidance of rules and unpredictability
• Significance of self-expression and fearless nature
• Fascination with everyday life and youth

More Main Traits of Romantic Literature

• Isolated existence instead of intense emotions in a social setting
• Ideal placed on imagination versus reason
• Reverence for nature and love of nature
• Fascination for the paranormal and mystical
• Poets abandoned respect for classical literature once held by figures such as Pope
• Romantic styles and novel topics that were out of style were severely limited during the Mediaeval and Renaissance

Revival of Forms and Eras

• Typical heroic couplet of the 1700s was replaced by forms previously disregarded
• Includes ballad, blank poetry, Spenserian stanza, metrical romance, sonnet

Themes of Romanticism

• Prominent in Romantic poetry
• Developed by writers, poets, and free-spirited people in late 1700s through late 1800s
• Social class, nature, imagination, and emotion were the four topics
• The surrounding environment influenced Romantic writers
• Writers worked hard to recall nature's force on the planet
• Writers spoke of free and wild nature because of the Industrial Revolution
• Solace for those in cities came from nature focus

The French Revolution's Impact

• Socioeconomic class leveling impacted poetry and other writings
• The Revolution of 1889 was reflected in both poetry and authorship
• Authors were Robert Burns and Mary Shelley
• People's everyday challenges and wonders shaped imagination and emotions

Prominent Theme

• Nature was a common theme in much of Romantic poetry
• Displayed in works such as, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
• Authors expressed belief that a person deserves equal treatments
• Financial worth was irrelevant
• Determination should be done by traits and character
• Wealthy were also disobeyed

Imagination in Romanticism

• Occurs when new and creative ideas are forged
• Significant facet within Romantic poetry.
• Wordsworth defined it as "the means of deep insight and sympathy,
• “the power to conceive and express images removed from normal objective reality"
• Imagination is found within nature
• Romantic's would find harmony because of imagination of nature

William Blake's take

• "The means through which man could know the world" was how Blake defined imagination
• Using imagination leads one to the core of things
• Similar to vision shared by vision from God
• Poet has ability to have creative agency

John Keats's thoughts

• Experienced imagination in two ways
• Different than firsthand reflection of experience
• World exists in poetry
• Artificial
• Keat's takes poetry as way to interpret ideal human life influenced through pain

Coleridge's Distinction

• Primary imagination can be subjective picture creation and connects to humans perception
• Secondary imagination can be found in poets who intentionally utilize it
• Imagination possesses power to re construct through dissolving and expanding

Romantic Integration

• The Romantics balanced truth and imagination for poetry writing
• They made an effort to utilize truth and imagination
• Atmosphere and feeling were used to show the self's internal view

Emotion's Importance

• Memory, emotion and imagination are intertwined with romantics
• Romantics portray emotion through daily life's inspiration
• The writers sought to incorporate aspects from reason
• The writers determined way to recognize possible versus impossible because they were compelled to write that topic

Individualism Promotion

• Element of the concept of modernity of unique traits
• Romantics could not deny the power of having unique traits
• Believed those restraints would cause self rejection
• The unique features were the essence of writing

The studies of Literature

• Poetics from Aristotle could have served as beginning insight
• Many analyses show study of imagination is thorough
• There needs to be more research in study of conceptual history in poetry

Values

• Emphasis over reason
• Emotion was inherent, significant, and trustworthy
• Believed in capabilities of not needing instruction
• Those talents were more inherent in the human experience
• Writers can create terror which led to Frankenstein

Neo-Classical Theory

• Believed as more passive
• Sensory
• Record through literature works

Romantic Poets

• Poets are thought to show imagery from the past
• Combining perception led to images
• Mythology's traits are used to demonstrate imagination
• Classics view imagination through reorganization
• Creativity drives imagery and material

Imagination

• Passion and emotion allows freedom
• Modern thought is conventional in logic
• Modern approach is subjective in opinion
• Personal approach makes poetry better

Therapeutics

• Can influence the people outside the problem
• Artistic ability can shed light on common goal
• Encompass all spirits
• Shelley wrote about measure and senses from human
• Shows dramatic effect on illustrative poetry

Romantics

• Fundamental element means being able to create
• Not drawing inspiration
• Is a bad thing
• Romantic originality is immoral without that

Self Reflection

• Was being utilized as exposure
• Writers were using themselves in the world
• Wilderness was a main aspect for creation due to city

American Writers

• Well known poets were named Byron, Shelley, WW, Coleridge, Keats
• American writers were now writing poetry
• Hugo helped with romanic poetry and was from France
• Being romantic meant melancholy and people didn't know where emotions came from

French

• Causes were the reason for power coming from France
• Poets can react to those powers when they are given
• Humanity was spread to growing regions
• Conveyed morals and dignity to that area to find value
• Moral principles were that of high value

Poets

• Deviated in logic from traditions
• Failed to meet standards