Discuss the various and complex differences between the poetry of Wordsworth and Coleridge. Do their poems directly correlate with their ideology? Did Coleridge believe the same philosophy of Wordsworth, and with the same intensity? Do not let my obsession with Wordsworth affect your response :)
These two poets had very different ways of writing. Coleridge for example had a very dark way of writing usually, but Wordsworth was usually more upbeat. This had to be one strange friendship for these two, but i guess it worked because it seems that that the ideology was within both of their poems. They both seemed to have a thing about nature which is both a very bright and beautiful thing, but also a very dark and twisted thing. Also most of the poems seemed to just be about things that happened in everyday life at this time. People were thrown in dungeons, they told stories to their kids, and they enjoyed nature, and also worked hard outside every day. The poems that stood out to me in showing their connection in their writtings are "Lines" written in early spring and "The Nightingale". While being within a beautiful thing of nature they both found sadness which is kind of contradicting, but it makes sense because some people when they're sad run to nature as a "getaway". They go look at the stars or go for a walk down a tree covered trail, whatever they feel ties into what they are feeling at the moment. Because of all of this, I believe Coleridge did have the same ideology within his writing because it symbolized they everyday man just as Wordsworth's poetry did.
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Angela Hatchel
1/13/2013 12:43:46 am
Wordsworth and Coleridge. Best friends and great poetic writers yet so different in their beliefs and writings of poetry.
In the Preface to Lyrical Ballads, we are first introduced to Wordsworth and his opinions of poetry. He goes on to say that "the principal object, then proposed in these Poems was to choose incidents and situations from common life, and to relate or describe them, throughout, as far as was possible in a selection of language really used by men..." (pg. 2 ln 16-18) Wordsworth believes in "adopting the very language of men" (pg. 3 ln 45- 46) and he goes on to believe that "each of these poems has a worthy purpose". (pg. 2 ln 50-51) Wordsworth then goes into detail about his poetry in "Lyrical Ballads" and says that "the reader will find that personifications of abstract ideas rarely occur in these volumes." (pg. 3 ln 48-49) He "utterly rejects them [personifications of abstract ideas] as a mechanical device of style." (pg. 3 ln 53-54) Wordsworth then goes on to believe that "poetry is the most philosophic of all writing" (pg. 6 ln 22) and that it is the "image of man and nature." (pg. 5 ln 26) Lastly Wordsworth believes that "criticism is destructive of all sound unadulterated judgment and let the reader then abide independently, by his own feelings." (pg. 11 ln 6-8) which shows us that Wordsworth does not care about the criticism received from his readers.
Coleridge seems to me as the idea starter you could say. He was the one who wanted to make a preface of the Lyrical Ballads but it was Wordsworth who went through with it and carried it out. Unlike Wordsworth, Coleridge seems to believe in metre as "passion" is found in it. Coleridge unlike Wordsworth also believes that "common language does not apply to all classes; and therefore, should not be practiced." That is in complete disagreement with Wordsworth as he believes common everyday language should be used in pieces of his work.
Similarly, both poets are in common ground with nature. Wordsworth and Coleridge believe that nature is a very reflective place for man to go to. I agree with Wesley as that I found it ironic that Wordsworth and Coleridge found dread and despair while observing nature. In "Lines" by Wordsworth, he is "in that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts bring sad thoughts to the mind." (ln 3-4) Towards the end, even though Wordsworth is enjoying nature he continues to think about the dark thoughts of humanity as he asks, "have i not reason to lament what man has made of man? (ln 23-24) In "Nightingale" by Coleridge, he finds despair in nature as well. The tone in the beginning is very calm and reflective but as the poem progresses, we find that the character told the Nightingale all "of his own sorrows" (ln 21) and now the Nightingale echoes the sorrow.
So with their many differences and similarities, Wordsworth and Coleridge seems like a great match as best friends and writers. They're just like what best friends would be today; many differences and yet, many shared similarities.
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Molly Williams
1/13/2013 01:46:43 am
Coleridge and Wordsworth’s differences and similarities is what made their friendship, each had their own mindset on what they wrote about, and I think that is what counteracted each other to make for such great partners. They both used their imaginations to write their pieces. Coleridge seems more complex and uses weird imagery in his poems, while Wordsworth seems more easily understood and displays different views of nature and its tranquility. He also believes that every day used language is what should be used in poetry. Coleridge on the other hand believes that an everyday language isn’t what makes poetry, and doesn’t think it belongs in it. He thinks a more creative language and diction should belong. I do believe that Coleridge did share the same ideology with Wordsworth, but showed it in a more difficult way. For Wordsworth nature seems to symbolize love and misery of man. He uses his imagination, and expresses emotion in his poems. Coleridge says that poetry is clearly distinguished from nature. Reading the poems of both Wordsworth and Coleridge, you can definitely see a difference in the simplistic views by Wordsworth and the strange creations of Coleridge. But that is what makes both of their views in life and poetry compatible in my mind.
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Molly
1/13/2013 01:52:40 am
Coleridge and Wordsworth’s differences and similarities are what made*
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Laurel Bell
1/13/2013 06:56:00 am
After reading their poems, the Preface, and the Brit Wiki article, I have concluded that however contrasting they may seem, Wordsworth and Coleridge held a pretty uniformal purpoe of writing and ideology. After reading their poems, I couldn't help but feel relieved. They had both achieved the goal of "The Lyrical Ballads" and wrote for the common man. It was quite refreshing for when I had completed each of their poems, my brain was not exhausted! And I love that! Yet, their poetry still had a unique flair about it. When I first read that the poems were for common men, my mind immediately went to that of American writing, but that is not the case. Yes, it was appealing to every day people, but it still had a simplistic elegance not rugged and broken grammar like that of the real American. It still had an underlying meaning, but the writing was so uncomplicated to read that it came easily.
As for Coleridge being darker than Wordsworth, I have to say, I don't agree. They both had poems with these dark references such as in "The Dungean" and "We are Seven." However, each of their tones would drastically change when the subject of nature was mentioned. It is safe to say that both believed nature was the key to understanding and emotional, physical, and healing. For example, the prisoner in "The Dungeon" was healed of his corruption when he was exposed to the "melodies of woods, and winds, and waters." (Coleridge 44) Very Transcendentalist!
Now, I did discover a difference between the two. Wordsworth believed that every aspect of poetry should be for the common man. Therefore, his diction was on a slightly less formal style and wanted to "emphasize and adopt the language of men." (Kummer 1)
Coleridge disagreed; he wanted didn't want to totally annihilate the poetic language. There are some facets of the current poetry that were positive.
Whatever the case, these two poets were similar. They shared the common belief that poetry should extract passion, whether to the common or aristocratic man.
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DaValyee' McGee
1/13/2013 06:42:32 pm
Okay, to start this off, Wordsworth is straight GANGSTER!:)! Firstly, he starts his theory by coming off as if he feels the need to let us (his audience) in on something that needs to be known, that is, the deprivation of man, particularly the deprivation of poets, and their "language of communication and reasoning with man". The fact that Wordsworth took a subject, that was well used, and turned it "inside out", so to speak, took a lot in consideration, deep thinking, and a lot of self-confidence. "..the heart find a better soil in which they can attain their maturity, are less under restraint, and speak a plainer and more emphatic language; because in that condition if life our elementary feelings coexist in a state of greater simplicity, and, consequently, may be more accurately contemplated, and more forcibly communicated; because the manners of rural life germinate from those elementary feelings...(5) Here Wordsworth feels as though the more a poets presents his work, with that of purpose, logic, and reasoning, the further away a man's mind will wander, and then is later affected with judgments, and that will hinder him from that of reality.
Another point that I noticed about Wordsworth beliefs, was that it seem as though he gave the credit to the audience, rather than that of the "Poet". Correspondingly, Wordsworth presented the idea, of the meaning of a Poet, and if this so-called, Poet was this high idea of importance and separation, or was he just like any other man, who just knew a little more about his inner self, and had a better sense into valuing that? Moreover what exactly was "Poet’s “purpose ", what does the word Poet mean? Who exactly is a Poet? And to whom does he address himself? “…He is a man speaking to men: a man, it is true, endowed with more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm and tenderness, who has a greater knowledge of human nature, and a more comprehensive soul, than are supposed to be common among mankind; a man pleased with his own passions and volitions, and who rejoices more than other men in the spirit of life that is in him; delighting to contemplate similar volitions and passions as manifested in the goings-on of the Universe, and habitually impelled to create them where he does not find them. to these qualities he has added a disposition to be affected more than other men by absent things as if they were present; an ability of conjuring up in himself passions, which are indeed far from being the same as those produced by real events"(15)
Even though Coleridge wasn't as strong as Wordsworth was in stating how we should view poets and poetry, you could tell that they both shared a sense of similarity when it came down to their poems. In my opinion, I feel that Coleridge hid his beliefs in his poetry, not to say he was scared, but I feel he wasn't up for the challenged of intertwining with the great works of other poets, as did his friend Wordsworth. Also, that could have been the reason he sort of withdrawn from all of it, being that it was a HUGE step to take, let alone fulfill. “…they are conferring honor upon themselves and their art, in proportion as they separate themselves from the sympathies of men, and indulge in arbitrary and capricious habits of expression, in order to furnish food for fickle tastes, and fickle appetites, of their own creation."(5)
In conclusion Wordsworth and Coleridge's overall point was that, as people we need to view things in life, just as they are. If things are bound to happen, let them happen, don't put more thought into it, in other words, "go with the flow", and then later determine what's next. "...determine how far it has been attained; and, what is a much more important question, whether it be worth attaining: and upon the decision of these two questions will rest my claim to the approbation of the Public."(34)
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Clara Grace
4/6/2013 11:34:13 am
Wordsworth and Coleridge both were sprout from the same seed, yet grew up different stems and produced different but similar flowers. Their outward influences such as parents, schooling, and life experiences forced the poets to bloom while others compelled them to wilt. Both writers felt a calling to make their poetry about the "incidents and situations from common life." Wordsworth said he wanted to use a "selection of language really used by men." Both poets understood the great need to educate an audience who wouldn’t easily comprehend adorned language. Wordsworth and Coleridge took it back to the basics through their love of nature and simplicity.
However, the poets didn’t see eye to eye on every subject. Coleridge is perceived to be the darker of the two. This in part is attributed to his opium addiction. It is thought that without the after effects of his opium, Coleridge wouldn’t have been as great of a poet. Coleridge’s work reminds me of a transcendental Poe for the most part. However, as we see in “Frost At Midnight”, he has the ability to peacefully connect with nature and create a delightful poem like Wordsworth. In each of his poems, Coleridge manages to weave his ideology into each line. He dreamed of equal opportunities of success for people of all religions, wealth, and backgrounds.
Oppositely to Coleridge sat Wordsworth. The poet freely gave his time and energy in the hope that his poetry would reach the world and eventually make it a better place. Wordsworth was vehement about edifying others so that they too could have peace. Unlike Coleridge, Wordsworth didn’t need a drug to produce his genius; it came naturally. It is to say that Wordsworth was the lighter of this ying-yang combination; however it is not to say that he didn’t write about darker subjects.
I view Coleridge and Wordsworth very similar to Batman and Robin. Being Batman, Coleridge is presented as the big superhero. He soaks up all of the fame and takes all of the glory. Likewise, he has a weakness and eventually leads himself to a self inflicted destruction. Wordsworth is Robin. He is the back-up man to Batman and provides support and advice in times of need. However in this situation, Wordsworth takes the lead in initiative. Though they believed in the same ideologies, Wordsworth was much more passionate about the cause.