Wordsworth and Coleridge

 In our classroom, Megha Ma'am gave us a task on William Wordsworth and Coleridge .click here

This blog is my attempt to share my understanding in simple words.

Q:1) What are the characteristics of Romantic poetry? Illustrate with examples from Wordsworth and Coleridge.

Introduction:

The Romantic Movement (late 18th-early 19th century)was a reaction against the rationalism of the Enlightenment and the artificiality of Neoclassical poetry. It emphasized emotion ,imagination, nature, individuality, and the supernatural.

Here illustrations from Wordsworth and Coleridge.

Power of Imagination

• Imagination was seen as a creative power that could go beyond reality.

• Coleridge: In “Kubla Khan”, imagination builds a magical world with pleasure-domes and caves of ice.

Fantasy

• Romantic poets often used the supernatural and mysterious.

• Coleridge: “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” has ghosts, spirits, and curses that create a sense of wonder and fear.

Worship of Nature

• Nature was treated as a living spirit, a healer, and a moral guide.

• Wordsworth: In “Tintern Abbey”, nature brings comfort, teaches morality, and connects man with the divine.

Creativity

• Romantics broke away from old classical rules, giving poetry freshness and originality.

• Wordsworth: In “Lyrical Ballads”, he chose simple subjects and ordinary language, showing creativity in style and thought.

Worship of Beauty

• Beauty was seen as a source of truth, joy, and inspiration.

• Wordsworth: In “Lucy Poems”, beauty of a simple country girl is celebrated tenderly.

• Coleridge: In “Kubla Khan”, beauty appears in exotic, dream-like landscapes.

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 William Wordsworth (1770–1850) is often called the "high priest of Nature" and the father of English Romanticism because his poetry embodies the essence of the Romantic spirit. 

Q:2) What are the salient features of Wordsworth as a Romantic poet?

1. Worship of Nature:

Wordsworth believed that nature is a living spirit and a moral guide for humanity.

He found joy, comfort, and spiritual healing in the natural world.

Example: In Tintern Abbey, he describes nature as “the anchor of my purest thoughts, the nurse, the guide, the guardian of my heart, and soul of all my moral being.”

2. Simplicity of Language:

He rejected the artificial diction of the 18th century poets.

His poetry uses the “language of common men”, making it accessible and natural.

Example: The Preface to Lyrical Ballads states that poetry should use “a selection of language really used by men.”

3. Emphasis on Emotion and Imagination:

Wordsworth defined poetry as the “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings, recollected in tranquility.”
His poems express deep emotions—love for nature, childhood innocence, grief, joy, and spiritual calm.
Example: Ode: Intimations of Immortality expresses both joy and loss connected with childhood memories.

4. Celebration of Childhood and Innocence

He believed children are closer to nature and divinity because of their purity and imagination.
Childhood experiences leave a permanent impression on the human soul.
Example: In Ode: Intimations of Immortality, he says: “Heaven lies about us in our infancy.”

5. Love for Rural Life and Common Man

Wordsworth glorified the lives of humble, rustic people because they are closer to nature and live simply.
His subjects were ordinary farmers, shepherds, and laborers.
Example: Poems like Michael and The Solitary Reaper celebrate the dignity of common life.

6. Pantheism / Mysticism

For Wordsworth, nature was not just scenery but a manifestation of the divine spirit.
He saw God’s presence in mountains, rivers, and valleys.
Example: In Lines Written in Early Spring, he finds in nature “a motion and a spirit, that impels all thinking things.”

7 Use of Imagination:

Though less fantastical than Coleridge, Wordsworth’s imagination transformed simple experiences into profound truths.
Example: A simple daffodil field in I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud becomes a symbol of eternal joy.

 In summary: Wordsworth’s Romanticism lies in his love for nature, simplicity of expression, emphasis on emotion, faith in childhood innocence, glorification of common life, and spiritual view of the natural world.

References: 

 

1. YouTube
   "Romantic Poetry: Wordsworth and Coleridge Explained." YouTube, uploaded by Literature Academy, 12 May 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxx.

2. ChatGPT
   "What are the characteristics of Romantic poetry? Illustrate with examples from Wordsworth and Coleridge." ChatGPT, OpenAI, 23 Aug. 2025, https://chat.openai.com.

3. Napkin AI
   "Flowchart on Romantic Poetry Characteristics." Napkin AI, 23 Aug. 2025, https://napkin.ai.

4. SlideShare
   "Romanticism in English Literature." SlideShare, uploaded by Prof. Ananya Sharma, 14 Mar. 2022, https://www.slideshare.net/xxxx.

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