William Wordsworth’s The Prelude

British literature has undergone tremendous transformations to acquire the status it holds presently. The most notable transformation occurred in the era of romanticism. The era broke away from the standard literary practices of the eighteenth century. The romanticism period moved in channels that were not entirely new, however, they were in strong contrast to the standard literary practice of the early eighteenth century. The poets who used the romanticism scorned and rejected the past models of presenting their work; they prided themselves on their freedom from eighteenth-century poetic codes (Watson, 34). Although certain poets such as Wordsworth, Keats, and Shelley did not recognize themselves as romantic, they accepted that their work differed from that of the eighteenth century. The romantic era ran through the late eighteenth century to the first third of the nineteenth century.

Whereas the key trend of poetics in the eighteenth century was to praise the general, viewing the poet as the society spokesperson speaking to cultivated and homogenous listeners and having as his end the delivery of truth, romantics found the source of poetry in the particular, unique experience. The new role of personal feeling and individual thought became the most outstanding characteristic of the poetry of the time. Among other characteristics of poetry in romanticism age are; a new view of the poet as a supremely individual creator whose creative spirit is more important than strict adherence to traditional procedures and formal rules (Watson, 78). This fact enabled poets to truly express their concerns and feeling without draining formalities. Also, these poets were characterized by a deepened appreciation of the beauties of nature allowing the artist to freely express their love for nature.

During the era of romanticism, the objective subject matter was replaced by individualism whereby the poets used themselves as the subject of their literary work. This technique allowed the poets to express their true feelings on a certain issue. Poets tended to regard themselves as the most interesting subject matter for literary creation whereby an interest in nature replaced the interest in urban life, especially the untamed nature and in solitude. The emphasis on feeling was a continuation of the earlier cult of sensibility in which Wordsworth termed poetry as the spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling (Curran, 24). Lastly, during romanticism era, poets were regarded as individuals distinguished from their fellows by the intensity of their perceptions, taking as their basic subject matter the workings of their own mind. Particularization was seen as the distinction of merit.

Romanticism occurred at the time when people glorified urban life. The poets of this age sought to change this mentality through daring to arouse the beauty of nature among the people. To achieve this, the poets emphasized benefits of the untamed nature so as to make people realize that there are other beautiful things other than the life in cities. Poets like William Blake had been dissatisfied with the then current state of poetry and what he considered as the irreligious drabness of contemporary thinking (Curran, 59). The French revolution provided an opportunity for him to tackle his cause. Through his works such as Songs of Experience and The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, he confronted the impersonal cruelties and hypocrisies of the age resultant from the domination of analytic reason.

Prelude

The poem titled, The Prelude, or Growth of a Poet’s Mind by William Wordsworth, forms the most substantial English expression of romanticism period. The poem was published in 1850 upon completion in 1805. Wordsworth outlines his experiences of growing as a poet and as a man with intimacy, fullness and laborious unease that is unique in English literature. The author perceived the notion of writing a history of the development of his own mind marking the era of romanticism in which the poet became the subject matter of his work. Wordsworth strived towards the modern psychological comprehension of his own nature and more broadly of human nature. The prelude treats Wordsworth growth as a poet as its central subject, the forces that shaped his imaginative powers, and his spiritual crisis and recovery (Wordsworth, 31).

Through The Prelude, the author aspired to show the worth, goodness and natural dignity of the common man through the spiritual and moral values of physical nature. This was informed by the humanitarianism that was developing during the eighteenth century and romantic writers took it enthusiastically. Also, French revolution brought about a promise of liberty, equality, and fraternity to create favorable conditions for humankind (Onorato, 62). Romantic writers which included Wordsworth acknowledged that man and nature are inseparable; as such, its appreciation would not only enhance the well-being of humankind but also safeguard the universe. Appreciation of nature is a key element of romanticism period, thus The Prelude serves as a perfect representation of the romantic era.

Romantic writing saw the shift from imitative or mimetic to an emphasis on the imagination. In poetry, imagination is the utmost poetic element, a quasi-divine creative force that made the poet a godlike being (Onorato, 47). The Prelude shows Wordsworth putting a lot of stress on the working of the unconscious mind, on dreams and reveries. Imagination allows the poet to view the world in its primitive perspective enhancing its clarity and intensity as opposed to an imitative technique that is overlaid by the restrictions of civilized reasoning. Imagination enabled a poet’s piece of work to maintain its originality status over its existence without losing its intended ideas. The Prelude shaped Wordsworth imaginative powers, hence the poem represents the era of romanticism.

Through The Prelude in the era of romantic, Wordsworth was able to freely express his true feelings about many issues that occurred in his life from childhood to manhood and as a poet. This expression would not have been possible in era preceding romanticism because an artist of that time had to generalize their work; the poet could not be the subject matter of their work (Wordsworth, 44). As such, romantic period enabled writers to address their audience about their own life, thereby enabling them to insert their feelings in their work. Thus, The Prelude is a classical representation of romanticism.

Works Cited

Curran, Stuart. Poetic form and British romanticism. Oxford University Press, 1990. p11-85

Onorato, Richard J. The Character of the Poet: Wordsworth in“The Prelude”. Princeton University Press, 2015. p31-121

Watson, John Richard. English Poetry of the Romantic Period 1789-1830. Routledge, 2014. p32-90

Wordsworth, William. Poetical Works of William Wordsworth. B&R Samizdat Express, 2015. p22-68