Lecture Literary criticism - Lecture 17: Function of poetry

Lecture Literary criticism - Lecture 17: Function of poetry. Wordsworth found some meaning in human life,if human beings lived in close proximity to nature and allowed it would begin its influence to sink into their soul.he thought that oral elevation and spiritual edification of man was not possible in the humdrum life of towns and cities.

FUNCTION OF POETRY • • • Wordsworth found some meaning in human life,if human beings lived in close proximity to nature and allowed it would begin its influence to sink into their soul.he thought that oral elevation and spiritual edification of man was not possible in the humdrum life of towns and cities Rustic people lead a life of primal simplicity in constant communication with nature He decided to deal with the lives of cadgers and rustic instead of politicians and statesmen stupefied with victory and in toxified with glory and power.He refuses to glorify lives of kings and princes and men belonging to higher strata of society,because in their lives he found an artificiality that he despised • • • He chose rustic life for poetic treatment in that condition of life”essential passion of the heart finds a better soil” He showed much independence of mind as reflecting the traditional subjects derived by his predecessors fro the fashionable social life By his own temperament he was prone to be attracted by things of elemental simplicity and necessary Corollary to the choice of subjects from the low rural life,he decided to use the language of common people as the vehicle of poetic expression rejecting the artificial diction of the 18th century • • • • Wordsworth rejected the “guardian and insane phraseology of many modern writers”.He insists that his poems contain little poetic diction and are written in a “selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation”, Wordsworth defined the employment of meter in poetry as a protest against the use of poetic diction”whereas in the matter of poetic diction,Wordsworth breaks with the orthodox convention of his days and return to the natural diction of normal men In te matter of meter he appeals to the tradition The concurring testimony of the ages he says has established the laws of meter and all reasonable people submit to them and acknowledge them as superadded charm • Wordsworth says that in his poems he has dealt with great and universal passion of men,the most general and interesting of their occupations,as the entire world of nature before him • He could have written in prose as well but he decided to write in meter for the sake of charm • Pleasure is clear from the fact that poems written on humbler subjects and in more naked and simpler language have continued to give pleasure from generation to generation • • • • While defining the meter the end of poetry is to produce excitement to coexistence with an overbalance of pleasure This excitement is an unusual state of mind.In that state of excitement,ideas and feelings not follow each other in the usual regular order;the expressions of ideas and feelings appear to be incoherent Again if the words by which this excitement is produced are powerful,then there is some danger that excitement maybe carried beyond its proper bounds Therefore in order to restrain and temper the ideas and feelings in the state of excitement meter is essential it restrains the unusual state of mind • There are four stages of process of poetic creation (i)observation (ii)recollection (iii)contemplation (iv)imaginative excitement • The poet observes certain character,situation or phenomenon of nature.This observation excites in his certain emotions.He does not give poetic expression to their immediately but carry them in heart for sometime • After the years he recollects these emotions in tranquility,contemplates upon them and revive his original emotional excitement • The emotions thus revived are purged of all that was accidental,temporary and super flows • Finally this emotional excitement is given poetic expression.This is the process of poetic creation which gives joy both to the poet and the reader THE NATURE OF POETIC TRUTH • Aristotle has rightly said that poetry is most philosophical of all writings.Poetic truth is higher than the truth of history or philosophy.It’s object is truth not individual and local but general and operative • History deals with the particular and philosophy with the universal,but poetry deals with both particular and universal • Poetry aims at universal truths and also aim at them through particular examples POETRY AN IMAGE OF MAN & NATURE • Wordsworth has stated that poetry is the image of man and nature.It aims at truth to nature at the faithful reproduction of reality • There are many obstacles in the way of historian and the philosopher,whereas the poet has to encounter only one obstacle and that is the necessity of giving immediate pleasure to a human being.The historian’s task is difficult because he has to collect facts from history before interpreting them correctly THE END OF POETRY • • • • Wordsworth has stated that the end of poetry is to impact immediate pleasure,This should not be considered as the degradation of the poet’s art.It should be rather considered as an acknowledgment of the beauty of the universe and as a homage paid to the dignity of man It should be considered as an act of poet who looks at the world in the spirit of love Pleasure is the ground elementary principle which makes man feel,live,move and gain knowledge We carry sympathy in our heart because through sympathy we get pleasure.When we sympathize with those who are in pain and suffering,we get inner pleasure.We endeavor to acquire knowledge because knowledge gives pleasure • The poet studies man in his ordinary life;he studies elemental nature,instincts and impulses of man • He studies man and the external objects that surround as acting and reacting upon each other and which produce are infinite complexity of pain and pleasure • He studies man with his complex ideas and sensations,convictions,institutions and deductions • Through his sympathy with the objects of nature i-e gains the knowledge,which ultimately result in an “overbalance of enjoyment” POETRY & SCIENCE • • • • • Wordsworth states that the poet prompted by the feelings of pleasure converses with affections and with general nature The scientists who work hard in the search for truth also finds pleasure in truth.The knowledge of both the pot and the man of science is pleasure But the knowledge or truth that the scientist realize is particular and personal.This truth comes to him slowly and cannot be shared by mankind in general The pleasure which this truth provides is limited to the individual scientist only.He cherishes and loves it in solitude The poet on the other hand sings a song in which all human being join him.His poetic truth is universal THE EFFECT OF THE POETIC TRUTH • Wordsworth believed in the poetic truth.He does not wish to separate poetry and science entirely • He opposes poetry to what he regarded as the scientific mode of apprehension • Scientific knowledge he thought was “remote” from human interests and feelings • By contrast the impact of poetic truth was immediate”not standing upon external testimony but carried alive into the heart by passion”and conveyed in an “atmosphere of sensation” WORDSWORTH ON SCIENCE • Wordsworth praised science”that raised the mind to contemplation of God”,but he despised”all science which was a bare collection of facts for their own sake.” • In Wordsworth’s judgment,such science”waged was with and wished to extinguish imagination in the mind of man.” • His chief aim was therefore,to preserve the independence of imaginative power,to keep it free from the tyranny of naked fact SUPERIORITY OF POETRY • Wordsworth believed that the knowledge provided by science is superficial and intellectual.The scientist study only the appearance of things.He murders to dissect • The poet on the other hand,studies the inner reality of man-the soul of man • The inner reality of man that he discovers is charged with feelings and emotions.Wordsworth sees organic unity between man and nature.Both man and nature are part and parcel of God.The realization of this universal truth gives pleasure to heart and mind SUBJECT MATTER OF POETRY • Wordsworth considered that man is the most suitable and fit subject for poetic composition and he felt that if a poet did not leave behind a proud record of creative work dealing with the human life he was not worthy to be ranked among the first rate poets • So far his poetic inspiration he turned to man.Few modern poets have embodied in their work,whether by statement or by implication,so firm a sense of the dignity or worth of the common individual man • Wordsworth realized that essential passion of human heart exist in a greater state of simplicity in the humble and rustic condition as compared to the sophisticated city life • The elementary human feelings are more accurately contemplated and more forcefully • Communicated in humble and rustic conditions of life • In the scenario the essential passions and elementary feelings of man existed in a condition of free association • Wordsworth argues that the manners f the rustic life which originate from the elementary feelings are more durable and can be easily comprehended • In rustic condition the human passions are associated with beautiful and permanent form of nature and as such are nobler and lasting as compared to the passions of men belonging to the sophisticated societies • Without this inexhaustible source of objective beauty in the conditions of life,no beauty of language or thought can develop • Wordsworth has used language and situations from low and rustic life because in low and rustic life man is more simple,more direct,nearer to his elemental passions and less affected and artificial in the way he expresses his passion • Poetry does not require specifically poetic subjects.It does not deal with the grand and the dignified or the sensational,but with permanent enduring interests of the human heart • Nature exists in the pure and elemental state in the midst of nature.Man is at his best when he lives a life of primal simplicity in constant communion with nature.The farther travels from nature,the more miserable he becomes  ... “selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation”, Wordsworth defined the employment of meter in poetry as a protest against the use of poetic diction”whereas in the matter of poetic... convention of his days and return to the natural diction of normal men In te matter of meter he appeals to the tradition The concurring testimony of the ages he says has established the laws of meter... defining the meter the end of poetry is to produce excitement to coexistence with an overbalance of pleasure This excitement is an unusual state of mind.In that state of excitement,ideas and feelings