How is Wordsworth different from Coleridge as a Romantic poet?
How is Wordsworth different from Coleridge as a Romantic poet William Wordsworth - and Samuel Taylor Coleridge - are the two central figures of the Romantic Movement in English poetry They lived in England at the end of the eighteenth century They were close friends and worked together In they jointly published Lyrical Ballads which marked the beginning of Romantic poetry Though they shared Romantic ideals they were very different in thought theme and style Their differences clearly show two sides of Romanticism Difference in the Treatment of Nature Wordsworth sees nature as a living guide and moral teacher For him nature gives peace to the human heart It comforts the mind and heals sorrow He loves rivers hills fields and rural places In Tintern Abbey Wordsworth says that nature gives tranquil restoration Nature shapes his thoughts and character It teaches kindness sympathy and patience Coleridge presents nature differently In
his poetry nature is mysterious and sometimes fearful In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner the sea the ice and the sun appear strange and powerful Nature punishes sin and creates terror Thus Wordsworth s nature is calm and healing while Coleridge s nature is supernatural and frightening Difference in Subject Matter Wordsworth writes about common people and ordinary life He chooses shepherds farmers children and poor villagers In poems like Tintern Abbey and She dwelt among the untrodden ways he shows simple rural life with deep emotion He believes poetry should grow from real human experience He famously says in Preface to Lyrical Ballads that poetry is nbsp The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings nbsp Coleridge chooses rare and unusual subjects He writes about magic ghosts dreams and curses The Ancient Mariner spirits of the sea and pleasure dome in Kubla Khan belong to his poetic world Therefore Wordsworth deals with real life while Coleridge deals with strange and imaginative life Difference in Imagination Wordsworth uses imagination in a natural way His imagination is connected with memory emotion and reflection It helps him understand life and nature deeply His imagination remains close to reality Coleridge s imagination is creative and inventive He believes imagination has the power to create new worlds In Biographia Literaria Coleridge explains imagination as a force that nbsp Dissolves diffuses dissipates in order to re-create nbsp His imagination turns the unreal into something believable Thus Wordsworth s imagination explains life while Coleridge s imagination creates wonder Difference in Language and Style Wordsworth uses very simple language He rejects artificial poetic diction He prefers the speech of common people He clearly states that poetry should use nbsp The real language of men nbsp His style is plain clear and direct Coleridge s language is richer and more musical He uses symbols images and sound effects His verse has a magical rhythm and deep mystery Wordsworth s language is easy and natural while Coleridge s language is complex and musical Difference in the Aim of Poetry Wordsworth believes poetry should teach moral truth It should bring peace to the mind and goodness to the heart Poetry should make people more humane Coleridge believes poetry should awaken wonder and imagination He wants readers to feel mystery and wonder He does not preach moral lessons directly Wordsworth heals the human soul Coleridge enchants the human mind Wordsworth and Coleridge are both great Romantic poets but they are different in spirit and method Wordsworth represents nature common life and moral peace Coleridge represents imagination mystery and the supernatural Together they completed the Romantic vision Their contrast enriched English poetry and made Romanticism powerful and lasting