How does Dr Johnson defend Shakespeare from the charges of mixing comic and tragic elements in one play Preface to Lyrical Ballads What are Wordsworth s views on the use of poetic diction and metre Or what does Wordsworth say about the language of poetry How does Wordsworth appear as a poet of the common man in his Preface to Lyrical Ballads Discuss Wordsworth s Preface to Lyrical Ballads as a manifesto of the Romantic movement Biographia Literaria What are Coleridge s major objections to Wordsworth s language of poetry Or comment on Coleridge s criticism of Wordsworth s theory of poetry and poetic diction Analyse Coleridge s views on fancy and imagination ANSWERS What are Sidney s views objections on to contemporary English Drama Sir Philip Sidney - was a famous poet and critic in the th century In his book An Apology for Poetry he shares his thoughts about poetry and drama He respected poetry very much But he was not happy with the English drama of his time Sidney thought that many English plays were poorly written He believed that drama should follow some classical rules He wanted drama to teach good values and be well-organised He felt many modern English plays failed to do this Breaking of Rules Sidney was upset because many English dramas broke classical rules Good plays should follow the Three Unities unity of time place and action But English plays ignored this A single play might show events across years and countries Sidney thought this was unrealistic and messy For example a character might be a child in one scene and old in the next This made the story hard to follow Sidney wanted drama to be more disciplined like ancient Greek plays Mixing of Characters Sidney dislikes how English plays mix kings with clowns In classical drama tragedies were serious and comedies were funny They were kept separate But English plays often combined both According to the author a play should be pure comedy or tragedy He says The ideal tragedy is an imitation of the noble action in the representation of which it stirs admiration and commiseration Sidney says mixing characters is confusing For example a play might show a noble king in one scene and a silly jester in the next This weakened the play s moral lesson Sidney believed drama should either teach seriously or entertain lightly not both at once Lack of Moral Purpose Sidney believed drama should teach goodness But many English plays failed here Some showed evil characters succeeding without punishment Others made foolish behavior seem funny without teaching a lesson About this the author says Delight hath a joy in it either permanent or present Laughter hath only a scornful teaching Sidney wanted drama to inspire people to be better like Greek tragedies did He thought plays should clearly show the difference between right and wrong Bad Use of Language Another problem Sidney saw was the use of big or strange words Some writers used difficult language just to sound clever Their plays had words that were too fancy or did not match the character He admired poets like Chaucer who wrote clearly and beautifully For Sidney good drama should focus on moral lessons not just show off fancy words Hope for Improvement Although Sidney criticised English drama he did not hate it completely He believed that English had the power to create great plays He praised older poets like Chaucer and believed that with care drama could improve He wanted writers to learn from classical examples and write plays that were both beautiful and meaningful He hoped that English drama would become noble and respected again if writers followed the right rules To wrap up Sidney wanted English drama to be better He criticised it because he loved it and saw its potential He believed drama should follow rules teach good values and use clear language The dramas of his time in his view were full of mistakes But he did not give up hope He wanted writers to improve and make drama that could guide people Sidney s ideas remind us that art should not only entertain but also teach and inspire Discuss Sidney s view on the antiquity and universality of poetry Sir Philip Sidney - in An Apology for Poetry strongly defends poetry against all attacks One important part of his argument is about the antiquity and universality of poetry By antiquity Sidney means that poetry is very old By universality he means that poetry is found everywhere in the world Sidney proves that poetry is the oldest art and also a common art of all nations and all ages He shows that poetry existed before philosophy and history and was loved by all people Poetry as the Oldest Form of Learning Sidney says that poetry is the first form of knowledge in human history In early times people had no books or written records They learned important ideas through poetry Moral lessons history and religion were taught in verse Sidney believes poetry came before philosophy and science He reminds us that even famous philosophers learned from poets For example like Sidney Aristotle also makes poetry superior to history through these words Poetry therefore is a higher thing than history for poetry tends to express the universal history the particular Sidney says poetry was the first teacher of mankind because it used stories and imagination That is why poetry has great antiquity Poets as the First Teachers of Nations Sidney calls poets the first educators of the world In ancient societies poets taught people how to live a good life They showed ideas of courage honesty love and justice through stories Sidney says that poets made people better before laws were written He calls the poets The first light-givers to ignorance He gives the idea that poets helped form civilizations Kings and leaders were praised in poems Brave acts were remembered through verse This shows that poetry played a central role in early human life and culture Poetry in Ancient Civilizations Sidney proves the antiquity of poetry by referring to ancient civilizations He mentions Greece Rome and other ancient cultures In Greece poets like Homer were respected as wise men Homer s poems were not just stories but lessons of life Sidney also refers to ancient religious texts He points out that even the Bible contains poetry The Psalms of David are written in poetic form This shows that poetry was used even for sacred purposes According to Sidney this proves that poetry is not new or inferior but ancient and honorable Universality of Poetry Among All Nations Sidney says poetry is universal It exists in every country and language Even uncivilized or simple societies have songs and stories People naturally express feelings in poetic form Sidney says that poetry is loved by children common people and learned scholars alike It crosses boundaries of class culture and time Whether it is a shepherd s song or a king s praise poem poetry exists everywhere This universality proves that poetry is natural to human beings Poetry as a Natural Human Instinct Sidney believes poetry comes from human nature itself People enjoy rhythm stories and imagination That is why poetry appears naturally in all societies Even before formal education people create songs and tales Sidney argues that poetry pleases the mind while teaching lessons He writes Poesy therefore is an art of imitation to teach and delight Because of this natural pleasure poetry spreads easily and lasts long Its universal presence proves its importance and power Hence in An Apology for Poetry Sidney clearly proves that poetry is both ancient and universal It existed before philosophy and history It taught early people moral and social values Poetry is found in all nations and loved by all kinds of people Show how Sidney argues that the function of a poet is to teach and delight Sir Philip Sidney s - essay An Apology for Poetry strongly defends poetry against its critics Many people in his time thought poetry was useless or even harmful Sidney disagrees with this idea He clearly says that the main function of poetry is to teach moral truth and to delight the reader at the same time According to him poetry is the best form of learning because it gives knowledge in a pleasant and attractive way It teaches people how to live well by giving delight along with instruction Poetry as an Art of Imitation Sidney first explains what poetry really is He says poetry is an art of imitation It represents life in a beautiful form so that people can understand it easily He writes Poesy therefore is an art of imitation a speaking picture to teach and delight This quote clearly shows Sidney s main argument Poetry is like a picture that speaks It does not only show ideas but makes them lively Through stories and characters poetry teaches moral lessons At the same time it delights the reader with beauty imagination and pleasure Poetry Teaches Better Than Philosophy Sidney compares poetry with philosophy Philosophy teaches moral rules but it does so in a dry and difficult way Many people cannot understand or enjoy it Poetry on the other hand teaches the same lessons through examples and stories Sidney says Whatsoever the philosopher saith should be done the poet giveth a perfect picture of it This means the poet shows moral truth in action When readers see good characters rewarded and bad characters punished they learn easily Thus poetry teaches moral values more effectively than philosophy because it uses delight to teach So Sidney calls the poet The right popular philosopher Poetry Is Better Than History Sidney also compares poetry with history History tells facts but it cannot choose only good examples Poetry is free to show ideal characters and perfect actions The poet teaches ordinary people in an easy way Poetry teaches how people should live not just what happened in the past Because poetry delights the reader its teaching stays longer in the mind Delight Is Necessary for Teaching Sidney strongly believes that teaching without pleasure is useless People do not want to learn unless they enjoy learning He clearly says Who will be taught if he be not moved with desire to be taught Poetry creates this desire Through beautiful language rhythm and imagination poetry delights the heart This delight prepares the mind to accept moral lessons So the true function of a poet is to teach and delight Poetry Leads Humans Toward Perfection Sidney says the final aim of all learning is to make human beings better Poetry helps people move toward moral perfection Poetry teaches virtue and goodness while delighting the reader Because it works on both the mind and emotions poetry becomes the most powerful teacher In conclusion Sidney strongly proves that the true function of poetry is to teach and delight together Poetry teaches moral truth like philosophy but in a more attractive way It gives examples like history but in a more ideal form By delighting the reader poetry makes teaching effective and lasting According to Sidney no other art can teach so well or please so deeply Therefore poetry is not useless or dangerous it is the noblest and most useful form of learning Evaluate Dryden s contribution to English literary criticism Or evaluate Dryden as a literary critic John Dryden - is the first great English literary critic Before him criticism in England was scattered and unclear In An Essay of Dramatic Poesy written in Dryden gives clear logical and balanced ideas about drama poetry and criticism He does not blindly follow rules nor does he reject them completely His criticism is based on reason experience and practical examples from literature Because of this Dryden holds a very important place in English literary criticism Dryden Introduces a New Critical Method One of Dryden s greatest contributions is his new method of criticism He writes criticism in the form of a dialogue Four friends take a boat ride on the Thames River Each character represents a different viewpoint Eugenius Supports modern English drama and says it is better than ancient Greek and Roman plays Crites Defends classical Greek and Roman drama and criticizes modern plays Lisideius Favors French drama and says it is superior to both English and classical plays Neander Dryden himself Defends English drama especially Shakespeare and Jonson and argues that plays should entertain audiences rather than strictly follow rules This structure makes criticism lively and interesting not dry or boring Dryden does not force his opinion He allows different views then carefully judges them Through this method he teaches readers how to think This is a new and mature form of criticism in English literature He clearly states that the purpose of drama is For the delight and benefit of mankind This simple idea becomes the base of his criticism Balance Between Rules and Freedom Dryden s criticism is marked by balance and moderation He respects classical rules especially Aristotle s ideas But he does not accept them blindly He believes rules are helpful but they must not destroy life and passion Dryden supports English drama even though it breaks the three unities He believes drama should please the audience first He says drama is A just and lively image of human nature in its actions passions and fortunes This balanced attitude makes Dryden a practical critic not a rigid theorist Defense of English Drama and Shakespeare Another major contribution is Dryden s defense of English drama He compares English drama with French drama He proves English drama is superior in passion character and variety Dryden suggests that French plays feel like statues while English plays feel like living people Dryden writes about French plays They are indeed the Beauties of a Statue but not of a Man He strongly defends Shakespeare Though Shakespeare breaks rules Dryden praises his deep understanding of human nature Dryden believes natural genius is more important than strict correctness He admits Shakespeare s faults but still respects his greatness This honest and fair judgment shows Dryden s critical maturity Clear Ideas on Verse and Rhyme Dryden also contributes greatly by discussing rhyme and blank verse in drama He explains both sides carefully Through Neander he defends rhyme in serious plays Through Crites he presents objections Dryden believes verse can be natural if written carefully He says drama is Nature wrought up to a higher pitch This idea is very important in literary criticism It shows that drama is not everyday speech but an elevated form of life Simple and Clear Critical Language Dryden s critical language is simple clear and direct He avoids difficult theory His examples come from actual plays and poets This makes his criticism useful and understandable He also accepts that criticism is not fixed He is ready to change his views later This flexibility makes him a modern critic In conclusion Dryden s contribution to English literary criticism is great and lasting He introduces a logical method balances rules and freedom and defends English drama His criticism is practical fair and human He teaches us that literature should delight instruct and reflect life For these reasons John Dryden stands as the father of English literary criticism How does Dryden establish the superiority of the English plays over the French ones Or comment on Dryden s comparative study of French and English plays In An Essay of Dramatic Poesy written in John Dryden - compares English plays with French plays to show which is better This comparison is made mainly through the speaker Neander who speaks for Dryden himself Dryden does not say that French drama is useless but he clearly proves that English plays are superior He judges both dramas on plot characters passion language and freedom English Plays Show Stronger Passion and Life Dryden says that the greatest strength of English drama is passion English plays show real human emotions such as love anger jealousy fear and sorrow These emotions feel natural and strong French plays on the other hand are too controlled and cold Dryden believes drama should move the heart not only please the mind English playwrights like Shakespeare show deep and living emotions while French writers focus too much on rules Dryden suggests that French plays feel like statues while English plays feel like living people Dryden writes about French plays They are indeed the Beauties of a Statue but not of a Man English Drama Has Greater Freedom and Variety Another important point is freedom English drama does not strictly follow the three unities of time place and action Because of this freedom English plays can show many events places and characters This makes English plays richer and more exciting French plays strictly follow these rules which makes them limited and repetitive Dryden admits that rules bring order But he believes that too much order kills imagination English drama by breaking rules becomes more natural and powerful Dryden supports English liberty when he says drama should please the audience more than follow rigid laws He clearly states that the purpose of drama is For the delight and benefit of mankind English Characters Are More Natural and Human Dryden strongly praises English characterization English dramatists present mixed characters who have both good and bad qualities These characters behave like real human beings French characters are too perfect and too polite They speak carefully and act nobly all the time Because of this they feel artificial Dryden believes drama should reflect real life not ideal behavior He says drama should give us A just and lively Image of human nature English Language and Dialogue Are More Powerful Dryden also compares the language of both dramas He says English dialogue is bold energetic and expressive while French dialogue is smooth but weak English dramatists use strong words and powerful expressions that stay in the audience s mind French plays focus more on elegance than force Dryden believes drama needs strength of expression to match strong emotions English Drama Pleases the Audience More Dryden believes the final judge of drama is the audience English plays are popular because they entertain move and excite people French plays may be correct but they often fail to fully please He clearly supports English drama when he says that the end of drama is delight and instruction and English drama achieves this better In conclusion Dryden establishes the superiority of English plays by comparing them with French plays in a fair and logical way He proves that English drama is richer in passion freer in structure more natural in character and stronger in language French drama is neat and rule-bound but English drama is alive and powerful Through this comparative study Dryden shows that English plays better represent human life and emotions which is the true goal of drama What are the salient features of Dryden s Essay of Dramatic Poesy John Dryden s - An Essay of Dramatic Poesy is one of the most important works of English literary criticism It was written in during the time when England was at war with the Dutch and theaters had been closed due to the plague Dryden wrote this essay in the form of a dialogue between four characters Eugenius Crites Lisideius and Neander Each of them represents a different point of view about drama Dryden presents different arguments about English and French plays classical and modern drama and the use of rhyme Here are the salient features of this essay Written as a Dialogue Instead of writing a direct essay Dryden presents his ideas through a conversation among four friends They take a boat ride on the Thames River Each character represents a different viewpoint Eugenius Supports modern English drama and says it is better than ancient Greek and Roman plays Crites Defends classical Greek and Roman drama and criticizes modern plays Lisideius Favors French drama and says it is superior to both English and classical plays Neander Dryden himself Defends English drama especially Shakespeare and Jonson and argues that plays should entertain audiences rather than strictly follow rules This dialogue format makes the essay more engaging and easier to follow Debate Between Ancient and Modern Drama Dryden discusses whether ancient Greek and Roman drama is better than modern drama Crites argues that ancient drama is superior because it follows strict rules maintains unity and is based on high moral values Eugenius replies that modern drama is more creative more natural and more entertaining He believes that ancient drama was too rigid and outdated Dryden does not completely reject classical drama but supports the idea that modern plays have their own strengths nbsp Comparison Between English and French Drama One of the key discussions in the essay is whether English or French plays are better Lisideius praises French drama especially the works of Corneille and Racine He says French plays follow strict rules maintain unity avoid violence on stage and focus on polite and elegant language Neander Dryden defends English drama He argues that Shakespeare and Jonson wrote more powerful and emotional plays even if they did not always follow strict rules English drama has more variety more action and more natural speech Dryden believes that French drama is too cold and artificial while English drama is full of life and passion For strictly following the three unities Dryden says French plays become perfect but lifeless They are indeed the Beauties of a Statue but not of a Man Discussion of the Three Unities The three unities unity of time unity of place and unity of action were rules that French dramatists followed strictly Dryden discusses whether these rules are necessary Dryden accepts unity of action a play should focus on one main story He rejects the unity of time and place because a story should not be limited to a day or to one place Dryden argues that strict rules limit creativity A good play should feel natural rather than be forced into a rigid structure He says drama should give us A just and lively Image of human nature Defense of Rhyme in Drama A major part of the essay is about whether plays should be written in rhyme or blank verse Crites argues that rhyme is unnatural in plays because people do not speak in rhyme in real life Neander Dryden defends rhyme saying that it makes plays more artistic and refined He believes that well-written rhyme can improve the beauty and impact of a play The Purpose of Drama Dryden believes that the main purpose of drama is to entertain and instruct The purpose of drama is For the delight and benefit of mankind He argues that a good play should engage the audience and also teach moral lessons He admires Shakespeare for his natural storytelling and Ben Jonson for his well-planned plots A Balanced Approach Unlike some critics who blindly follow strict rules Dryden takes a balanced and practical approach He does not reject ancient drama or French drama completely but he prefers English drama because it is more emotional varied and entertaining To sum up Dryden s An Essay of Dramatic Poesy is an important work because it analyzes drama from different perspectives It is written in a simple and engaging way as a dialogue making it easy to understand Dryden supports English drama and argues that plays should be creative emotional and entertaining rather than strictly following rules Estimate Johnson as a critic of Shakespeare Or how does Johnson extol Shakespeare s merits and censure demerits in his Preface to Shakespeare Samuel Johnson - was a great th-century English writer He wrote Preface to Shakespeare to both praise and criticize Shakespeare s works Johnson said Shakespeare - was the best English writer He praised his deep knowledge of human nature But he also pointed out some faults Johnson gave a fair and honest opinion He showed both the good and bad sides of Shakespeare s writing His balanced view helps us better understand Shakespeare Understanding Human Nature Johnson says Shakespeare s greatest merit is showing human nature truthfully His characters act and speak like real people They show common feelings like love jealousy and ambition Whether kings or fools all characters feel genuine Even magical characters like ghosts seem real Johnson believes no writer matches Shakespeare in understanding people He says Shakespeare is above all writers at least above all modern writers the poet of nature the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life Violating Dramatic Rules Shakespeare ignored two unities time and place He kept only unity of action Johnson supports this He says drama is not real life so strict rules are unnecessary The audience can imagine time jumps or location changes About the unity of time and place the author says The unities of time and place are not essential to a just drama that though they may sometimes conduce to pleasure they are always to be sacrificed to the nobler beauties of variety and instruction Mixing Comedy and Tragedy Johnson praises Shakespeare for mixing sad and funny scenes He says life has both joy and sorrow so plays should too For example Hamlet has not only deep tragedy but also comic gravediggers Critics called this wrong but Johnson defends it He says nbsp Shakespeare s plays are not in the rigorous and critical sense either tragedies or comedies but compositions of distinct kind Weaknesses in Tragic Scenes While praising Shakespeare Johnson also finds faults He says Shakespeare s tragedies are not as strong as his comedies Sometimes tragic scenes feel forced The emotions do not seem deep enough For example Johnson thinks King Lear s ending is too cruel He believes Shakespeare worked harder on comedies where his talent came more naturally It is evident in the following quote In his tragic scenes there is always something wanting but his comedy often surpasses expectation or desire His comedy pleases by the thoughts and language and his tragedy for the greater part by incident and action Language and Style Johnson points out Shakespeare's writing flaws He uses too many puns even in serious moments Some jokes are vulgar His speeches sometimes sound nice but mean little He also made historical mistakes like putting clocks in ancient Rome Johnson says nbsp A quibble is the golden apple for which he will always turn aside from his career or stoop from his elevation Problems with Morals and Endings Johnson criticizes Shakespeare s moral lessons He says Shakespeare cares more about entertaining than teaching He says nbsp He sacrifices virtue to convenience and is so much more careful to please than to instruct that he seems to write without any moral purpose In his plays good characters often suffer while bad ones escape punishment Also many endings feel rushed or unnatural For example Measure for Measure s ending seems unfair Johnson thinks writers should show poetic justice rewarding good and punishing evil To end Johnson gave a fair judgment of Shakespeare He showed both his great skills and his mistakes He said Shakespeare understood people deeply He showed life in a proper way At the same time he accepted that Shakespeare had some faults But Johnson asked readers to look at the whole picture Shakespeare s good sides are much stronger than his weak ones That is why he is still loved and respected in English literature today Where does the popularity or universality of Shakespeare lie Or what are the reasons for Shakespeare s universality William Shakespeare - is one of the most popular writers in the world His plays are read watched and enjoyed in every country People of all ages and cultures still understand his works Dr Samuel Johnson - in his Preface to Shakespeare explains why Shakespeare is so universal According to Johnson Shakespeare shows real human life His characters themes and emotions belong to all people and all ages That is why Shakespeare remains popular everywhere True Representation of Human Nature The main reason for Shakespeare s universality is his deep understanding of human nature His characters behave like real human beings They feel love jealousy anger ambition fear and sorrow These feelings are common to all people Shakespeare does not create strange or artificial characters Johnson says Shakespeare is the poet of nature the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life This means Shakespeare shows life as it truly is Kings queens servants and fools all act like real people Because human nature never changes Shakespeare s characters remain meaningful in every age Characters Are Types Not Individuals nbsp Shakespeare s characters are not limited to one time or place They represent human types Johnson clearly explains this idea He says In the writings of other poets a character is too often an individual in those of Shakespeare it is commonly a species This means Shakespeare s characters stand for a whole class of people Hamlet represents the thinking man Macbeth represents ambition Othello represents jealousy Such characters can be found in every society That is why people from different cultures feel connected to Shakespeare Mixture of Joy and Sorrow Another reason for Shakespeare s universality is his mixture of comedy and tragedy Real life has both happiness and sadness Shakespeare shows this truth clearly His plays contain laughter and tears together This creates a whole new genre tragicomedy For example Shakespeare s famous play The Merchant of Venice is a tragicomedy Johnson supports this and says Shakespeare has united the powers of exciting laughter and sorrow not only in one mind but in one composition This mixture makes Shakespeare s plays closer to real life Different people enjoy different emotions Some enjoy humor others feel touched by sorrow Shakespeare gives both So all kinds of audiences find pleasure in his plays Freedom from Strict Dramatic Rules Shakespeare did not strictly follow classical rules like unity of time and place Johnson says this is not a weakness Life itself does not follow strict rules Shakespeare focuses more on truth and variety than on rules Johnson explains that the aim of poetry is not rules but effect He says The end of writing is to instruct the end of poetry is to instruct by pleasing Shakespeare pleases his audience while also teaching them about life His freedom makes his plays lively and natural not artificial Mirror of Real Life Shakespeare presents the real world with all its good and evil His plays show how life actually works Johnson beautifully says This therefore is the praise of Shakespeare that his drama is the mirror of life In Shakespeare good people may suffer and bad people may succeed This happens in real life too In conclusion Shakespeare s universality lies in his truthful presentation of human nature his timeless characters his mixture of joy and sorrow and his realistic view of life As Dr Johnson shows Shakespeare does not belong to one age or one nation He belongs to all humanity That is why he is still read performed and loved all over the world today How does Dr Johnson defend Shakespeare from the charges of mixing comic and tragic elements in one play Some critics said that Shakespeare - was wrong to mix comedy and tragedy in one play They thought a play should be only sad or only funny However Dr Samuel Johnson - disagreed In his Preface to Shakespeare he defended Shakespeare He said life is not only happy or only sad It is a mix of both Shakespeare showed this truth That is why his plays feel more natural and real to the audience Real Life is Mixed Johnson says real life is not just sad or just happy People experience both emotions every day Shakespeare s plays show this natural balance For example Hamlet has deep tragedy but also funny scenes with gravediggers Johnson believes this mix makes the play feel more human Strict separation of comedy and tragedy would make drama artificial Shakespeare s way is more accurate in life Johnson praises this mixing followingly Shakespeare has united the powers of exciting laughter and sorrow not only in one mind but in one composition Balance of Emotion Watching only serious scenes can be tiring Johnson says variety makes plays more enjoyable For example Macbeth has dark moments and the drunken porter s humor This contrast keeps the audience interested Pure tragedy might feel too heavy while pure comedy may lack depth Shakespeare s balance gives both entertainment and emotional depth Comic Relief in Serious Plays Johnson explained that comic scenes help in serious plays They give rest to the mind After a sad or tense scene a funny moment helps the audience relax This makes the next sad scene even more powerful If a play is only serious it becomes too heavy Shakespeare used comedy to give the audience some relief Johnson thought this made the plays more interesting and easier to watch Popular with Audience Johnson also said that Shakespeare knew what the people liked He wanted to entertain them By mixing funny and sad scenes he kept them happy and engaged Even today people enjoy these mixed plays That shows Shakespeare understood human taste well Johnson believed that drama is for the people If they enjoy it more with both comedy and tragedy then it is a good thing It makes drama more successful More Natural Style In Johnson s view mixing styles made Shakespeare s work more natural A play that shows only one kind of feeling is not like real life Shakespeare s way was better because it showed the full picture of human experience Even when something magical happens his characters speak and act in natural ways This mix of serious and funny made the plays true to human nature Johnson praised this as one of Shakespeare s great skills He says nbsp Shakespeare's plays are not in the rigorous and critical sense either tragedies or comedies but compositions of distinct kind To conclude Johnson strongly defended Shakespeare s way of mixing comic and tragic parts He believed that this made the plays more real enjoyable and meaningful Shakespeare showed all sides of life joy sorrow love and pain Johnson said this is better than following hard rules His plays give pleasure and also teach lessons Johnson s support helped people understand that mixed plays are not wrong but more truthful to life What are Wordsworth s views on the use of poetic diction and metreOr what does Wordsworth say about the language of poetry nbsp Or discuss in detail about Wordsworth's views on the choice of language and the subject of poetry In his Preface to Lyrical Ballads William Wordsworth - shares revolutionary ideas about poetry He argues that poetry should use simple and everyday language He also believes the best subjects come from ordinary life It includes farmers nature and village people His views rejected traditional poetry Wordsworth wanted poetry to be natural emotional and accessible to everyone His ideas changed English literature forever Simple Language Wordsworth says poetry must use everyday language Unlike old poets who used fancy words he writes as common people speak This makes poetry easy to understand He believes deep emotions are best expressed in simple words When a shepherd or farmer reads his poems they should feel connected His goal is to remove the gap between poets and ordinary readers The poet says My purpose was to imitate and as far as possible to adopt the very language of men Rural Life and Ordinary People Wordsworth chooses the village people and nature as his main topics He thinks city life is artificial but rural life is pure and honest Farmers beggars and children appear in his poems Their struggles and joys reflect real human emotions Unlike earlier poets who wrote about kings he finds beauty in ordinary lives This makes him a true poet of the poor and working class The poet believes that the language of poetry is the language of ordinary men as he says The poet thinks and feels in the spirit of human passions How then can his language differ in any material degree from that of all other men who feel vividly and see clearly Nature as a Source of Truth Nature was Wordsworth s favorite subject He saw it as pure peaceful and full of truth Unlike crowded cities nature inspires deep feelings and clear thoughts Poems about lakes mountains and forests help readers connect with life s simple beauty Wordsworth believed nature teaches essential lessons about humanity and emotions According to the author He considers man and nature as essentially adapted to each other and the mind of man as naturally the mirror of the fairest and most interesting properties of nature Rejection of Poetic Diction Poetic diction means special words used only in poetry Wordsworth hated this tradition He said these fancy phrases made poetry fake and unnatural For example instead of saying the sun old poets wrote the orb of day Wordsworth called this unnecessary He wanted direct clear language that everyone could understand His rejection of poetic diction was a significant shift in literary style It is evident in the following quotation nbsp There will be found in these volumes little of what is usually called poetic diction Criticism of Wordsworth s Views Some critics argue that Wordsworth s ideas are too idealistic Not all simple language is poetic and rural life isn t always noble Also his own poems sometimes used elevated language despite his theories However his emphasis on natural expression and ordinary subjects still transformed poetry In short Wordsworth's ideas about language and subject changed English poetry forever He made it simple honest and close to life He wanted to talk about real people and real feelings His dislike for hard words and fake topics helped to make poetry more human Though not everyone agreed with him his preface became a strong guide for Romantic poets How does Wordsworth appear as a poet of the common man in his Preface to Lyrical Ballads Or how does Wordsworth appear as a mouthpiece of the plebeian commoner in his Lyrical Ballads William Wordsworth - wrote the Preface to Lyrical Ballads to share his ideas about poetry In this preface he did not speak only for the rich or the educated He spoke for the simple village people He believed poetry should be for everyone It should not be just for high-class people He wanted to show the real life of common men in his poems That is why Wordsworth is called the poet of the common man and the voice of the plebeian Simple Language Wordsworth says poetry must use everyday language Unlike old poets who used fancy words he writes as common people speak This makes poetry easy to understand He believes deep emotions are best expressed in simple words When a shepherd or farmer reads his poems they should feel connected His goal is to remove the gap between poets and ordinary readers The poet says My purpose was to imitate and as far as possible to adopt the very language of men Rural Life and Ordinary People Wordsworth chooses the village people and nature as his main topics He thinks city life is artificial but rural life is pure and honest Farmers beggars and children appear in his poems Their struggles and joys reflect real human emotions Unlike earlier poets who wrote about kings he finds beauty in ordinary lives This makes him a true poet of the poor and working class Close to Nature Wordsworth thought that common people in the countryside were close to nature Their life was simple and pure Nature taught them many lessons They lived with rivers trees and hills That is why their emotions were deep and true Wordsworth loved this life He believed that poetry should reflect this natural way of living His poems showed this connection In this way he gave importance to rural life and became the voice of nature and its people Defending the New Style Wordsworth knows his simple style may seem dull to some Many readers at that time were used to grand decorative poetry But he argues that true poetry must be natural He asks readers to give his poems time Slowly they will see the beauty in simplicity His defense shows his strong belief in common people s tastes He refuses to change his style to please the elite The poet says The poet thinks and feels in the spirit of human passions How then can his language differ in any material degree from that of all other men who feel vividly and see clearly In summary Wordsworth gave a new life to English poetry through his writing He made poetry simple real and full of human emotion He gave the common people a voice in literature He showed that they also have deep thoughts and feelings His poems spoke for the poor the unknown and the village people That is why he is called the poet of the common man These also make him the mouthpiece of the plebeians in English poetry Discuss Wordsworth s Preface to Lyrical Ballads as a manifesto of the Romantic movement William Wordsworth - wrote the Preface to Lyrical Ballads to explain his thoughts on poetry But this preface became more than just an introduction It started a new age in English literature called the Romantic Movement Before this poems were written in high language and followed strict rules But Wordsworth wanted poetry to be simple emotional and close to nature He believed poetry should come from the heart and speak to everyone That is why this preface is called the manifesto of Romanticism Breaking Old Rules Before Wordsworth poets followed strict structures They also used fancy words They wrote about kings gods and grand events Wordsworth changed this He said poetry should be free and natural He ignored old poetic rules and focused on real emotions This break from tradition was a key feature of Romanticism His preface openly criticized old poetry This makes it a bold declaration of new literary values It is evident in the following quotation nbsp There will be found in these volumes little of what is usually called poetic diction Focus on Ordinary People Romantic poets believed in the value of everyday life Wordsworth s preface emphasized this He said poetry should describe farmers shepherds and villagers He believed their lives were more honest and emotional This was a radical idea at the time By giving importance to ordinary people he shaped Romantic poetry s democratic spirit His preface made this idea central to the movement Simple Language Wordsworth says poetry must use everyday language Unlike old poets who used fancy words he writes as common people speak This makes poetry easy to understand He believes deep emotions are best expressed in simple words When a shepherd or farmer reads his poems they should feel connected His goal is to remove the gap between poets and ordinary readers The poet says My purpose was to imitate and as far as possible to adopt the very language of men Nature as a Major Theme Romantic poets loved nature and Wordsworth s preface explained why He said nature inspires deep emotions and truth Unlike city life nature is pure and peaceful His poems celebrated mountains rivers and rural life This love for nature became a core Romantic theme His preface made it an important poetic subject Emotion Over Logic The Romantic Movement valued feelings more than reason Wordsworth s preface highlighted this He defines poetry as follows For all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings He said true poetry comes from the heart not just the mind This focus on emotion became a defining feature of Romanticism His preface explained this idea clearly In conclusion Wordsworth s Preface to Lyrical Ballads changed people's thoughts about poetry He broke old rules of poetry He also made poetry more open and natural He gave value to simple words real people strong emotions and nature All these ideas became the heart of the Romantic Movement That is why this preface is called the manifesto of Romanticism What are Coleridge s major objections to Wordsworth s language of poetry Or comment on Coleridge s criticism of Wordsworth s theory of poetry and poetic diction Or nbsp discuss in detail how Coleridge criticises Wordsworth s concept of poetry Samuel Taylor Coleridge discusses and criticises William Wordsworth s theory of poetry in Biographia Literaria Wordsworth explained his ideas mainly in the Preface to Lyrical Ballads Coleridge respects Wordsworth as a great poet but he does not fully agree with his views on poetry and poetic diction Coleridge carefully examines these ideas and points out their weaknesses Wordsworth s Theory of Poetry Wordsworth believed that poetry should deal with ordinary life and common people He said poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings According to him poetry should use the language of common men The poet should not use artificial or decorative language He wanted poetry to be simple natural and close to everyday speech Coleridge agrees with Wordsworth s aim to make poetry natural However he believes Wordsworth went too far in rejecting poetic art and poetic language Criticism of Language of Common Men Coleridge strongly criticises Wordsworth s idea that poetry should use the real language of common people Coleridge says there is no such fixed language used by all common men Language always changes according to knowledge feeling and imagination He writes Every man s language varies according to the extent of his knowledge Coleridge argues that poetic language should rise above daily speech The language of poetry is not different in kind but different in use and order He explains that poetry needs order and imagination Criticism of Rejecting Poetic Diction Wordsworth strongly rejected traditional poetic diction He thought it was artificial and false He believed poetry should use the simple language of common people Coleridge agrees that empty decoration and forced ornaments should be avoided in poetry Wordsworth also claimed that there is no real difference between the language of poetry and prose Wordsworth says Between the language of prose and that of metrical composition there neither is nor can be any essential difference Coleridge directly opposes this idea According to Coleridge poetry cannot use the same language as ordinary prose Poetry must rise above daily speech It needs imagination emotion and musical beauty He also says Wordsworth himself often uses poetic diction unknowingly Poetry should not be flat or dull It must rise above ordinary talk Poetry Is Not Mere Emotion Wordsworth said poetry is the spontaneous overflow of feelings Coleridge accepts emotion as important but he says poetry is not only emotion It also needs thought imagination and artistic control Coleridge believes that strong feelings alone cannot make poetry The poet must shape emotions through imagination Poetry is a creative act not a simple emotional outburst Role of Imagination Coleridge gives great importance to imagination which he thinks Wordsworth does not explain properly For Coleridge imagination unites thought and feeling It transforms experience into poetry He writes Imagination is the living power and prime agent of all human perception He believes poetry becomes great when imagination works on emotion Without imagination poetry becomes mere description Use of Common Life Wordsworth preferred simple rural life as the best subject for poetry Coleridge disagrees with this limitation He says poetry can take subjects from any area of life if the poet has imagination Poetry should not be restricted to village life only Coleridge s most-celebrated work The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a notable example of this This poem is not restricted to rural life It is about an old sailor s sea adventure Yet it tells a powerful tale about nature sin suffering and salvation In Biographia Literaria Coleridge gives a thoughtful criticism of Wordsworth s theory of poetry He agrees with Wordsworth s aim to make poetry natural but he rejects the idea of using plain common language without poetic shaping He also believes poetry is not just emotion but a union of feeling thought and imagination Coleridge s criticism helps us understand poetry more deeply Analyse Coleridge s views on fancy and imagination In Biographia Literaria Samuel Taylor Coleridge - explains two important ideas fancy and imagination He says that these two powers help us create and understand poetry But they are very different Fancy is simple and mechanical It just copies existing things But imagination is deep and creative It helps a man to create something new Coleridge believed that imagination is the true soul of poetry He also divides imagination into two types Let us study this concept clearly Imagination as a Creative Power Coleridge says that imagination is the most essential part of poetry It is powerful and creative It helps poets mix many thoughts and images into one strong feeling or idea This power helps us feel beauty and truth in poetry Imagination gives order to our thoughts It makes something new and meaningful Coleridge uses a special word for it esemplastic This means shaping different things into one whole So imagination is not just copying It is creating something new In the following writing we will examine its two special variants The importance of imagination in poetry is present in the following quotation Finally a good sense is the body of poetic genius fancy is drapery motion its life and imagination the soul that is everywhere and in each In this line from Chapter the writer shows the role of both fancy and imagination in poetry Primary Imagination Primary imagination is the natural power of all human beings Everyone uses it not only poets It helps us to understand the world around us It is automatic and works without thinking It is an unconscious part of the mind It brings infinite things to finite and order to chaos It also functions as raw materials for the secondary imagination It is compared to a physical change like water into ice The following quote perfectly defines primary imagination The primary Imagination I hold to be the living Power and prime Agent of all human Perception and as a repetition in the finite mind of the eternal act of creation in the infinite I Am Secondary Imagination Secondary imagination is more special It is the creative power of poets and artists This imagination is used with will and purpose It changes the ideas from the primary imagination into something more powerful This power is used when a poet writes a poem or an artist creates a painting Coleridge says this imagination is like a chemical process It does not just copy but creates something new and full of feeling A poet modifies the raw ideas and objects of primary imagination Then he makes a refined and mature one due to the power of secondary imagination The author explains it in the following way It dissolves diffuses dissipates in order to recreate or where this process is rendered impossible yet still at all events it struggles to idealize and to unify Fancy is lower than imagination Coleridge says fancy is different from imagination Fancy only collects and stores old ideas It does not make anything new It is like a machine that cuts and pastes things It may be helpful in writing simple poems or stories Coleridge calls it a lower power Only imagination can touch the heart and make real poetry nbsp In conclusion Coleridge s ideas of fancy and imagination are very important in English literature He showed that imagination is the true spirit of poetry It gives life shape and beauty to simple ideas On the other hand fancy is not strong enough to do that It just arranges things without creating anything new Coleridge has divided imagination to help readers understand how poets think and create His ideas still guide students poets and critics today