Research Article

William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold

Number: 18 December 28, 2024
TR EN

William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold

Abstract

William Wordsworth, in his Preface to Lyrical Ballads (1798), redefined poetry by advocating for the representation of ordinary experiences in extraordinary ways, evoking sublime emotions in readers. While his ideas draw from predecessors such as Plato, Aristotle, Longinus, and Horace, as well as his contemporary Coleridge, Wordsworth’s emphasis on imagination often overlooks critical engagement with earlier literary traditions. Matthew Arnold is included in this analysis as a comparative figure to highlight Wordsworth’s shortcomings in balancing creative and critical faculties. Arnold’s focus on synthesizing these elements offers a valuable contrast to Wordsworth’s prioritization of imaginative powers. It is thus essential to examine the distinctions in Wordsworth’s style compared to the thinkers above. The analysis provides valuable insights into diverse perspectives on the poet’s role and the nature of poetry. Indeed, it becomes essential to unfold and unravel Wordsworth’s understanding of poetry to draw parallels and to compare and contrast his ideas to gain knowledge on how poetry ought to be perceived. Present study examines Wordsworth’s contributions through Arnold’s critical lens, offering insights into the evolving role of the poet and the nature of poetry while addressing where Wordsworth may be critiqued for his limited critical scope.

Keywords

References

  1. Aristotle. Poetics. Translated by Joe Sachs. Bemidji: Focus Publishing, 2006.
  2. Aristotle. "Poetics." in The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, Edited by Vincent B. Leitch, 86-117. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2001.
  3. Arnold, Matthew. “The Function of Criticism at the Present Time.” in The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, Edited by Vincent B. Leitch, 802-825. New York: W. W. Norton & Company Inc., 2001.
  4. Boal, Augusto. The Theatre of the Oppressed. London: Pluto Press, 2008.
  5. Ciplak, Selin M. "The Idea of ‘Delight and Instruct’ in Aristotle's Poetics, Horace's Ars Poetica and William Wordsworth's Preface to Lyrical Ballads." ZKÜ Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 2, no. 4, (2006): 211-19.
  6. Coleridge, Samuel T. “From The Stateman’s Manual.” in The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, Edited by Vincent B. Leitch, 668-682. New York: W. W. Norton & Company Inc., 2001.
  7. Faflak, Joel, and Julia M. Wright, editors. A Handbook of Romanticism Studies. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2012.
  8. Horace. “Ars Poetica”, in The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, Edited by Vincent B. Leitch, 121-135. New York: W. W. Norton & Company Inc., 2001.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

European Language, Literature and Culture, Literary Theory, Comparative and Transnational Literature, Multicultural, Intercultural and Cross-Cultural Studies, Philosophy of Language

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

December 28, 2024

Publication Date

December 28, 2024

Submission Date

November 19, 2023

Acceptance Date

December 26, 2024

Published in Issue

Year 2024 Number: 18

APA
Öztürk, S. (2024). William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold. KARE Uluslararası Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Dergisi, 18, 58-70. https://doi.org/10.38060/kare.1393053
AMA
1.Öztürk S. William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold. KARE Uluslararası Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Dergisi. 2024;(18):58-70. doi:10.38060/kare.1393053
Chicago
Öztürk, Sümeyye. 2024. “William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold”. KARE Uluslararası Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Dergisi, nos. 18: 58-70. https://doi.org/10.38060/kare.1393053.
EndNote
Öztürk S (December 1, 2024) William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold. KARE Uluslararası Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Dergisi 18 58–70.
IEEE
[1]S. Öztürk, “William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold”, KARE Uluslararası Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Dergisi, no. 18, pp. 58–70, Dec. 2024, doi: 10.38060/kare.1393053.
ISNAD
Öztürk, Sümeyye. “William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold”. KARE Uluslararası Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Dergisi. 18 (December 1, 2024): 58-70. https://doi.org/10.38060/kare.1393053.
JAMA
1.Öztürk S. William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold. KARE Uluslararası Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Dergisi. 2024;:58–70.
MLA
Öztürk, Sümeyye. “William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold”. KARE Uluslararası Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Dergisi, no. 18, Dec. 2024, pp. 58-70, doi:10.38060/kare.1393053.
Vancouver
1.Sümeyye Öztürk. William Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads: A Comparative Analysis of Classical Ideas and Matthew Arnold. KARE Uluslararası Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Dergisi. 2024 Dec. 1;(18):58-70. doi:10.38060/kare.1393053

 

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