Discuss Coleridge's View on Wordsworth Theory of Poetry. Elaborate the points where does he disagree with him.

Coleridge’s Criticism of Wordsworth’s Theory of Poetry

Samuel Taylor Coleridge was an English poet, literary critic and philosopher who lived from 1772 to 1834. He was one of the founders of the Romantic Movement, along with William Wordsworth. He wrote many poems, such as The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan and Frost at Midnight. He also wrote a literary autobiography, Biographia Literaria, in which he discussed his education, his literary adventures and his philosophical views.

In Biographia Literaria, Coleridge also gave an extended criticism of Wordsworth’s theory of poetry, which was expressed in the preface to Lyrical Ballads, a collection of poems that they published together in 1798 and 1800. Coleridge agreed with some points of Wordsworth’s theory, but disagreed with others. He also offered his own theories and definitions of poetry.

Define Poem, Poetry, and Poet

In chapter 14 of Biographia Literaria, Coleridge defined the terms poem, poetry and poet as follows:

• Poem: A poem is a product of the poet’s imagination that has no reality. It gives only joy and pleasure to the reader. It is always created with the help of meter and rhyme or rhythm. A legitimate poem is one that has an organic connection between its form and its content. The reader should not be driven by curiosity or the desire to reach the final solution, but by the pleasant activity of the mind excited by the attractions of the journey.
• Poetry: Poetry is the activity of the poet’s or artist’s mind. It is different from the poem, which is just a form of verbal expression. Poetry can activate the human soul by using the secondary imagination, which is a creative power that modifies and shapes reality.
• Poet: A poet is a person who activates the whole human soul by using his imagination. He balances and combines different and contradictory features in his work. He creates unity out of diversity.

Coleridge’s View on Wordsworth’s Theory of Poetry

In Biographia Literaria, Coleridge discussed Wordsworth’s theory of poetry and elaborated the points where he agrees and disagrees with him. Some of these points are:

• The reform of poetic diction: Wordsworth argued that poetic diction needs to be reformed because it was too artificial and unnatural. He criticized the classical writers who used metaphors and other poetic devices that were not related to real life. He proposed that poets should use a simple and plain language that reflects the way people speak in everyday situations. Coleridge agreed with this point because he also disliked the classical style that was too elaborate and obscure. He preferred a plain English style that was not polluted by crude and careless usages.
• The language of rustic life: Wordsworth claimed that poetry should be written in the language of rustic life because it is more natural and original than the language of civilized life. He believed that rural people have a closer connection with nature and their language is derived from it. He also thought that they have a pearl of exceptional wisdom that can be expressed in simple and unelaborated language. Coleridge disagreed with this point because he thought that wisdom can be found in any person regardless of where they live. He also argued that rustic life is not necessarily more natural or poetic than other forms of life. He said that in order to have wisdom, a person needs to have some independence from slavery and some knowledge of important texts, such as the Bible or other religious books. He also said that there is no magic standard of country or nature that gives wisdom. In order to acquire intellect, one must either be educated or be born with special sensitivity to nature. Without an appreciation of nature, the country will be boring.
• The representation of characters: Wordsworth said that characters in a poem should represent rustic people who have simple manners and feelings. He also said that these characters should be relatable to the reader and speak in their own language. Coleridge disagreed with this point because he thought that characters in a poem should represent a class or a group of people who have qualities and circumstances related to their class. He also said that these characters should not speak in their own language, but in a language that is suitable for poetry. He gave some examples of Wordsworth’s poems, such as Michael, Ruth, and The Brothers, where he thought that Wordsworth did not use a rustic style, but a poetic style.
• The selection of real language: Wordsworth said that for writing a poem, a selection of real language should be used. By real language, he meant the language that people use in real-life situations to communicate their feelings and thoughts. Coleridge objected to this statement because he thought that there is no such thing as real language. He said that every person’s language varies and has individuality and properties of their class. He also said that there are words or phrases that are of universal use and are not specific to any class or situation. He suggested that the word “real” should be replaced by “ordinary” or “lingua communis”, which means the common language.

In conclusion, we have seen how Coleridge criticized Wordsworth’s theory of poetry in Biographia Literaria. He agreed with some points, such as the reform of poetic diction, but disagreed with others, such as the language of rustic life, the representation of characters, and the selection of a real language. He also offered his own theories and definitions of poetry, such as the distinction between poem and poetry, the role of imagination, and the activation of the human soul. Coleridge’s criticism was a landmark in English literature and has been enormously influential in the development of modern thought. He was a great poet and a great critic who contributed to the Romantic Movement and to the English language.