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Explication of Preface to Lyrical Ballads (1802) - Part 3

Purpose of the Preface

Wordsworth emphasises his purpose in writing the Preface. His purpose in
explaining the aims and objectives is not merely to suppress any hostile criticism of his
poems, but persuade people to understand his standpoint. His purpose is to convince
people and create faith in the new kind of poems he has written for the people. If he
succeeds in making a difference, and the people realise the suitability of his view point,
he is sure that the judgements of the people regarding the poets of the past would
undergo considerable change.
In this way, he would bring about a revolution in the taste and judgement of the
reading public, and this in turn would result in the reassessment of some of the greatest
poets, both ancient and modern. For example, it would then be made known that Geoffrey
Chaucer and William Shakespeare cannot be considered barbarians, but they are to be
viewed as greater poets than Alexander Pope and his followers. Wordsworth did succeed
in bringing about a revolution in literary taste. This is perhaps the historical significance
of the Preface.

Conception of the Poet

Wordsworth elaborates his conception of the poet and the role he plays in the
society. He emphasises the communicative ability of the poet. “A poet,” according to him
is, “essentially a man speaking to men”. He is a person, who writes not for his own
pleasure, but primarily to communicate his own thoughts and emotions to his readers. He
thus has a social function to perform.
The poet is a man who is endowed with a livelier sensibility, that is to say he reacts
more strongly to external impressions and so his emotions and passions are more
powerful. He is gifted with greater imagination and so he can feel or react emotionally
even to those events and incidents he has not directly experienced
The poet is “affected by absent things, as if they were present.” He is bestowed
with greater knowledge of human nature and hence he can comprehend the nature of the
passions, which he has not directly experienced. He has a more comprehensive soul and
can share the emotional experiences of others. The poet can identify himself with them
and express their feelings and emotions. He has greater zest for life than any ordinary
individual. He rejoices in the working of life in others and in nature and takes pleasure in
communicating his own joy in life to the world at large.
Lastly, the poet is a man who encompasses greater power of expression and
communication. This strength results from the possession of a livelier sensibility, which is
enhanced by constant practice. This greater power of communication is seen in the fact
that he can commune even those thoughts and feelings that arise in him without any
immediate external excitement. Without any force, the poet can retain the enthusiasm
that has been created, and overtly share the experiences with the people around him.
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Judicious Selection of Language.

Despite enjoying a heightened power of communication, the language used by the
poet is not as lively and true as the language of men, who have actually experienced
those passions. The poet writes of emotions, which he has not experienced, but has
spoken about his characters who are supposed to have experienced them.
The passions, which he communicates are “mere shadows” of the passions of real
men. So, the language used by him is likely to be mechanical, lacking in warmth and
liveliness of the language used by men in real life. Therefore, the poet should try to
achieve emotional identification with characters whose feelings he has to convey and he
should do so in a language that such characters actually use in real life.
This language should be modified only by one consideration, which is giving pleasure.
The function of poetry is to give pleasure and, with this end in view, the poet should apply
the principle of selection and purification of language to eliminate all that is coarse, vulgar,
painful and disgusting. By pleasure, Wordsworth does not mean mere idle amusement.
His conception of pleasure is a much elevated one.
No language is nobler and more exalted than the one which is really used by men,
which the poet truthfully and faithfully imitates. The primary function of poetry according
to Wordsworth, is to give pleasure and not impart instruction or moral edification. These
propositions by Wordsworth prove that he is a genuine Romantic and not a Classicist.

Pleasure: Poetry, Philosophy and History

Critics point out that since the poet does necessarily express intimate and subjective
emotions, he may not always be able to use a language that would immediately relate to
these emotions. Just as a translator beautifies a passage while translating the original
into another language, the poet should beautify his language in his own way. Wordsworth
does not agree with this defensive stance of poetic diction. He reiterates that such views
are expressed by those who do not understand the real nature of poetry and who regard
poetry as mere idle amusement; a short-lived entertainment as that provided by dancing
or drinking.
The pleasure derived from poetry is a lofty one. Wordsworth refers to Aristotle’s view
that poetic truth is much higher than the truth of history or philosophy. In his view, as that
of the Greek philosopher, poetry is more philosophical than philosophy itself and
considered the most philosophical of all writings. While history deals merely with particular
facts and philosophy deals with abstract truths, poetry alone deals both the particular and
the general.

Poetic Truth
Poetry aims at universal truths and exemplifies them through specific examples.
Poetry is the outward manifestation of the intricacies in man and the bounty of nature. It
aims at projecting truth to nature, which is the faithful reproduction of reality. This faithful
adherence to nature and reality is modified by one consideration, which is giving pleasure
and this is the only obstacle between the poet and the truth he aims at. There are many
obstacles in the path of the historian and the philosopher. Poetic truth cannot be devoid
of pleasure since pleasure is crucial to Romantic philosophy.
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Sources of Poetic Pleasure

The fact that the function of poetry is to give immediate pleasure must not demean the
value of the poet’s art. On the contrary, the pleasure that is derived from art is seen as an
acknowledgement of the beauty of the universe and the worth and dignity of man. This
function can be performed only by the person who looks at the world with love. Pleasure
is the basic principle of life and nature. It is through pleasure that man knows he feels,
lives and moves on. Man is able to sympathise only because sympathy gives pleasure.
Sympathy with those in pain and suffering causes inner satisfaction. It is a source of
spiritual pleasure. Scientists, mathematicians and others work hard to acquire pleasure
from knowledge.
The recognition of pain and disgust is a source of pleasure. Aristotle comments that
even an imitation of the ugly and the obnoxious, when performed well is the source of
pleasure. Imitation of the unknown and the unfamiliar gives pleasure. The poet studies
the fundamental nature of man with his elementary instincts and impulses. He studies
man in his ordinary life, the actions and reactions of man and nature, through which man
acquires a host of ideas and sensations. The knowledge that he obtains is because of his
sympathy with the objects of nature.
The poet perceives an organic unity between man and nature. He is conscious of the
sympathy that exists between man and the objects and the various phenomena in nature.
The soul of man as well as nature is derived from God and hence the essential oneness
of man and nature is recognised. It is for this reason that Wordsworth considers the mind
of man to be the mirror that projects the beauty of nature. The realisation of this universal
truth confers utmost pleasure on him.

Primacy of Poetry over Science

The scientist works hard over lengthy periods of time in the search of truth. He finds
pleasure in truth, but the truth he realises is particular and personal. Pleasure is achieved
through intensive study and research in a particular field, and it cannot be shared by
mankind in general.
The pleasure of science is limited only to fellow scientists and individual researchers
or scientists. Poetic truth, on the other hand can be experienced by everyone because it
results from the perception of the basic principles of life that is, the unity of nature and
man and all other forms of life. Poetry, in this respect is considerably superior to science.
According to Wordsworth, knowledge provided by science is superficial and entirely
intellectual. The scientists study only through intellect. The scientists dissect and examine
only the superficial realities of things. In contrast, the poet goes down to the inner reality.
He possesses the faculty to penetrate through surface appearance and reaches the soul
that lies beneath. Since he is a man of greater sensibility, the truth, which he discovers is
charged with his feelings and emotions. That is why Wordsworth defines poetry as “the
breath and final spirit of all knowledge; the impassioned experience which is the
countenance of all science”. The truth of the poet can be shared by all because it is the
realisation of basic laws, which have always been the same in all ages and countries.

Distinguishing Characteristics of a Poet and a Scientist

A poet is a general benefactor, a genial companion and friend. The scientist is also a
benefactor, but he remains aloof, enjoying his knowledge of truth in solitude. It is the
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message of love and unity that the poet brings as he seeks to bind all mankind in ties of
mutual love and affection. Nature everywhere speaks to him of the essential oneness of
everything in the universe. The perception of this truth excites him emotionally and he
expresses his own emotions and sensations through his poems. Therefore, his appeal is
not only to the intellect, but also the heart of man.
Poetry is the first and last of all knowledge, which is endowed with eternity. A time
may come when science will revolutionise the material conditions of human life. At that
time, poetry would have a phenomenal role to play. The poet would always be informed
about the perfection of the truth discovered by the scientists. It is the poet who would
infuse new life and substance, flesh and blood to science.

Poetic Diction
Poetic diction, according to Wordsworth, is superficial and trivial ornamentation that
is hindrance to the sublime and noble nature of poetic truth and poetic vision. The
perpetual use of such stylistic devices implies that the poet has a negative opinion of his
vocation or he regards his subjects to be mean, so he tries over them through unnatural
ornamentation. The poet communicates with people and when he expresses his opinions
through the medium of his characters, it becomes inevitable that the language he uses
should be true to the characters in real life. In such cases, the artificial stylistic devices
would sound unnatural.
When the poet speaks in his own person, his passion, thoughts and feelings are not
different from the general passions and feelings of humanity except in the degree of their
intensity. The thoughts and feelings are derived from the diverse appearances and the
objects in the universe. By using a language different from the language of those who feel
vividly, the poet would lose fulfillment of expression.
Self-gratification is not the aim of the poet because he does not write to please
himself. His purpose is to convey his thoughts, feelings and pleasure to others.
Wordsworth mentions that “poets do not write for poets alone, but for men”, and therefore
should express themselves as others do. The language of the poets should not differ from
the language of common men; it must be a selection of language used by men.

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