Coleridge maintains that the language of the rustic purified from its defects and grossness will not differ materially from the language of any other man of common sense, however, learned or refined he may be. In this connection, he refers to Aristotle’s conception of poetry as essentially ideal, so that individual characters in poetry should be general and typical, and their feelings should be typical and representative of the whole class.Įxamine Wordsworth’s theory of Poetic Diction.
Moreover, Coleridge maintains that Wordsworth’s theory of poetic Diction can be applicable to certain classes of poetry only but it can never be a rule of general application. They spring from the general causes which will produce identical feelings in every kind of life either in town or in the country. Coleridge argues that their language and sentiments do not necessarily arise from their social standing. So he chose humble and rustic life, Coleridge points out that this statement is imperfect at all his characters are not chosen from low and rustic life, eg the characters in poems like “Ruth”, “Michael”, “The brothers” etc. First Wordsworth asserts that the proper diction of poetry consists in the language or the real conversation of men under the influence of natural feelings. In this preface, Wordsworth made three important statements which Coleridge found unacceptable. In chapter XVII of Biographia Literaria, Coleridge refers to Wordsworth’s preface to the second edition of the Lyrical Ballads. While critically analyzing Wordsworth’s theory Coleridge has offered his own views on the choice of rustic, themes and characters as well as the language of poetry. The most remarkable part of Biographia Literaria lies in Coleridge’s criticism of Wordsworth’s theory of poetry and poetic Diction. There will also be found in these volumes little of what is usually called poetic diction I have taken as much pains to avoid it as others ordinarily take to produce it this I have done for the reason already alleged, to bring my language near to the language of men, and further, because the pleasure which I have proposed to myself to impart is of a kind very different from that which is supposed by many persons to be the proper object of poetry.Ĭoleridge’s Criticism of Wordsworth’s Theory of Poetry and Poetic Diction
Perhaps the best way to illustrate Wordsworth's point on the elimination of poetic diction is to examine the 1802 preface of Lyrical Ballads: Given that the common man did not speak using elevated vocabulary and figurative language, Wordsworth believed, given he wanted poetry to speak to all, that complete adherence to poetic diction needed to be dropped. Wordsworth's issue, essentially, with the use and adherence to poetic diction was the fact that it tended to alienate the common man.
Up until Wordsworth's writing of the 1802 preface to Lyrical Ballads, the adherence to the poetic diction had yet to be seriously challenged. Poetic diction refers to the style of writing used in poetry (the linguistic style, vocabulary, and use of figurative language-normally metaphors). To begin, poetic diction must be defined. LITERATURENERD eNotes educator| CERTIFIED EDUCATOR What is William Wordsworth's theory of poetic of diction?
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