Preface to Lyrical Ballads

Essay | William Wordsworth

Why Did Wordsworth Write Preface to Lyrical Ballads?

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Why did Wordsworth write Preface to Lyrical Ballads William Wordsworth - wrote the Preface to Lyrical Ballads to explain the principles behind his poetry collection Lyrical Ballads which he co-authored with Samuel Taylor Coleridge - The preface serves as a manifesto for the Romantic poetry movement Wordsworth wanted to clarify his poetic goals and address the criticisms his new style of poetry received Purpose of Poetry Wordsworth believed poetry should express common human emotions and experiences He argued that poetry should focus on everyday life and use simple language He says The principal object in these Poems was to choose incidents and situations from common life in a selection of language really used by men Wordsworth wanted to move away from the formal and artificial style of poetry popular in the th century He felt that poetry should be accessible to everyone not just the educated elite The Role of

the Poet Wordsworth saw poets as special individuals with a deeper understanding of life and nature He believed that poets can see and feel more intensely than ordinary people Through their words poets can help others understand and appreciate the beauty and significance of the world around them Wordsworth says But Poets do not write for Poets alone but for men Wordsworth emphasized that a poet's role is to evoke emotion and inspire the reader Emphasis on Nature A key theme in Wordsworth's work is the relationship between humans and nature Wordsworth felt that modern society was becoming disconnected from the natural world and he wanted his poetry to remind people of nature's importance He believed that nature could teach valuable lessons and provide solace in difficult times In termination Wordsworth wrote the Preface to Lyrical Ballads to explain his innovative approach to poetry He emphasized the importance of emotion simplicity and nature in poetry

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