Sandhya Bhut : Characteristics of Romantic Poetry

This blog was given to the part of class activity. This blog task is assigned by Megha Trivedi Ma'am (Department of English, MKBU).

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

Romantic poetry, which flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, marked a shift from the rationalism and order of the Enlightenment to an emphasis on emotion, nature, imagination, and the individual spirit. William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, key figures of English Romanticism, exemplified these characteristics in their work.

Characteristics of Romantic Poetry:

Prof.S.P.Dhanavel video Lecture 'Characteristics of Romantic Poetry ' Click here

Romantic poetry, which flourished from the late 18th century to the mid-19th century, marked a significant shift from the Enlightenment ideals of reason and order. Instead, it celebrated emotion, imagination, individualism, nature, and the supernatural. This movement was both a literary and a philosophical response to the rapid industrialization, urbanization, and scientific rationalism of the age.

● 1. Deep Appreciation of Nature:

Nature was central to Romantic poetry. It was seen as a source of inspiration, spiritual renewal, moral teaching, and emotional comfort.

Wordsworth is often called the "poet of nature." In "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey", he presents nature not just as scenery, but as a spiritual guide and moral teacher:

“Nature never did betray / The heart that loved her.”

Here, Wordsworth conveys the idea that a close connection with nature leads to emotional healing and moral development.

Coleridge, while also valuing nature, often portrayed it with mystical or supernatural elements. In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," nature is powerful, mysterious, and even vengeful. When the Mariner kills the albatross, nature turns hostile:

"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"

"Water, water, everywhere, / Nor any drop to drink."

This suggests that nature demands reverence and punishes those who violate its sanctity.

● 2. Emphasis on Emotion and Subjectivity:

Romantic poets emphasized feeling over reason. Poetry was a medium for expressing deep personal emotions, often tied to experiences of love, loss, awe, fear, or beauty. Wordsworth believed poetry should originate from genuine emotion. In the Preface to Lyrical Ballads, he famously defines poetry as:

“The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.”

In "Ode: Intimations of Immortality", he reflects on the loss of childhood wonder but also the emotional richness that comes with maturity.

Coleridge, in "Dejection: An Ode", lays bare his inner turmoil and emotional numbness, showing how personal feeling becomes poetic subject:

“I see them all so excellently fair, / I see, not feel, how beautiful they are!”

This sense of emotional isolation and yearning is a hallmark of Romantic poetry.

● 3. Celebration of the Individual and the Common Man:

Romanticism celebrated the individual’s unique experience and valued the lives and language of ordinary people.

Wordsworth chose humble subjects – shepherds, farmers, children – and wrote about their experiences with dignity. In "Michael," he tells the story of a shepherd whose life is shaped by personal tragedy, showing that even common lives are worthy of poetic treatment.

Coleridge, while more philosophical and imaginative, still centers his poems on individual experiences – such as the Ancient Mariner’s personal guilt and redemption journey.

● 4. Use of Imagination and the Supernatural:

Romantic poetry embraced imagination as a path to truth and beauty, often incorporating dreamlike, fantastical, or supernatural elements.

Coleridge especially emphasized the supernatural. In "Kubla Khan," he constructs a visionary world born out of a dream:

“A damsel with a dulcimer / In a vision once I saw.”

His poetry transports the reader to mysterious, often mystical realms.

While Wordsworth was more grounded, he also valued imagination. In "The Prelude," he describes the shaping power of the imagination, especially in childhood:

“There is a dark / Invisible workmanship that reconciles / Discordant elements.”

● 5. Simplicity of Language:

Romantic poets often rejected the ornate, artificial style of 18th-century poetry. They sought to write in the language of ordinary people.

In the Preface to Lyrical Ballads, Wordsworth states that poetry should use:

“Language really used by men.”

Poems like "We Are Seven" are written in clear, simple diction, yet convey deep emotional and philosophical meaning.

Coleridge, though more elaborate in style, agreed with the idea of making poetry accessible. His ballad form in "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is drawn from folk tradition, making it engaging and memorable.

● 6. Fascination with the Past and Medievalism:

Romantic poets often looked back to the Middle Ages for inspiration. They admired its mystery, heroism, and spiritual richness.

Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Christabel" are steeped in medieval themes and Gothic atmosphere, combining chivalry, superstition, and supernatural horror.

Wordsworth, though less concerned with medievalism, still admired the rustic past and sought to preserve the wisdom and traditions of country life in poems like "Michael" and "The Solitary Reaper ".

● 7. Quest for the Sublime and the Infinite:

Romantic poets often sought experiences that transcended the material world – moments of awe, terror, or transcendence.

In "Tintern Abbey," Wordsworth describes moments of sublime connection with the divine through nature.

In "Kubla Khan," Coleridge creates a landscape that is both beautiful and terrifying, touching on the infinite power of the imagination and the unconscious mind.

Conclusion:

Wordsworth and Coleridge, through their collaboration on Lyrical Ballads and their individual works, established the core themes of Romantic poetry: nature, emotion, imagination, individual experience, and the supernatural.Wordsworth brought a philosophical, reflective, and earthly dimension to Romanticism, focusing on real people, nature, and the moral power of memory and reflection.

Coleridge brought a more mystical, imaginative, and supernatural tone, emphasizing the dreamlike, symbolic, and psychological dimensions of human experience.Together, they set the stage for other great Romantic poets like Shelley, Keats, and Byron, shaping an era that valued the inner world of the mind and heart as much as the external world of nature and society.

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

“Poetry is the first and last of all knowledge it is as immortal as the heart of man.

—from the preface to Lyrical Ballads (1800)

William Wordsworth is considered one of the founding figures of English Romanticism. His poetry and ideas especially as expressed in Lyrical Ballads (1798, co-authored with Coleridge) defined many of the core principles of the Romantic movement. William Wordsworth is one of the most prominent figures of the Romantic movement in English literature. His poetry marks a significant shift from the classical traditions of the 18th century to the deeply emotional and nature-centered focus of Romanticism.Below are the salient features of Wordsworth as a Romantic poet, with examples:

Salient Features of Wordsworth as a Romantic Poet:

William Wordsworth is one of the most prominent figures of the Romantic movement in English literature. His poetry marks a significant shift from the classical traditions of the 18th century to the deeply emotional and nature-centered focus of Romanticism.

● 1. Celebration of Nature:

Nature is the most dominant theme in Wordsworth’s poetry. He saw nature not just as a backdrop for human activity, but as a living entity with a spiritual and moral influence. To Wordsworth, nature was a teacher, a guide, and a source of inspiration.

Example:

In "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey", he expresses how nature consoles and elevates the human spirit.

“Nature never did betray / The heart that loved her.”

● 2. Emphasis on Emotion and Imagination:

Wordsworth believed that poetry should arise from spontaneous emotions. He focused on expressing feelings rather than intellectual reasoning, and considered imagination more important than logic.

“Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings; it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.”

His poems often depict joy, sorrow, awe, and serenity, especially in relation to nature.

● 3. Focus on the Common Man and Rural Life:

Unlike neoclassical poets who often focused on aristocracy or mythology, Wordsworth found beauty and worth in the lives of ordinary people. He believed that rural folk were more in tune with nature and thus more genuine and virtuous.

Example:

In "Michael", he portrays the simple yet emotionally rich life of a shepherd.

His Lyrical Ballads, co-written with Coleridge, emphasize this theme by using simple language and subjects drawn from everyday life.

● 4. Use of Simple Language:

Wordsworth rejected the ornate and artificial diction of earlier poetry. He argued for the use of the "language of men" — simple, direct, and reflective of everyday speech.This made his poetry more accessible and heartfelt.

Quote from the Preface to Lyrical Ballads:

“There will also be found in these volumes little of what is usually called poetic diction.”

● 5. Interest in Childhood and the Human Mind:

Wordsworth had a deep interest in childhood as a time of innocence and closeness to nature. He believed that children had a purer vision of the world.

Example:

In "Ode: Intimations of Immortality", he explores how children are closer to divine truths, and how this vision fades with age.

He also delved into how memory and past experiences shape one’s consciousness.

● 6. Pantheism and Spiritual View of Nature:

Wordsworth often expressed a pantheistic view, seeing God or a divine spirit present in nature. He believed that a spiritual connection exists between humans and the natural world.

“A motion and a spirit, that impels / All thinking things, all objects of all thought.”

● 7. Rejection of Industrialization and Urban Life:

Wordsworth was critical of the industrial revolution and its effects on society and the environment. He associated urban life with corruption and moral decay, while rural life was seen as pure and virtuous. This perspective aligns with the Romantic ideal of returning to a simpler, more natural way of life.

Conclusion:

Wordsworth’s poetry epitomizes the Romantic ideals of emotional depth, reverence for nature, and simplicity in expression. His emphasis on the individual spirit, the moral power of nature, and the beauty of ordinary life marked a radical departure from the poetic traditions that preceded him. As a pioneer of English Romanticism, Wordsworth not only redefined poetry but also reshaped how people viewed their relationship with nature and each other.