3.0 Objectives
3.1. Introduction
3.1.1. The Romantic Revival
3.1.2. Impact of French Revolution
Self Check Questions for 3.1.1. and 3.1.2.
3.2.1 The Genesis of Preface
3.2.2 Aims of the Preface
3.2.3 Definition of Poetry
Self Check Questions for 3.2.1., 3.2.2., 3.2.3.
3.2.4 Concept of Imagination
3.2.5 Themes and Subject Matter of Poetry
3.2.6 Function of Poetry
3.2.7 Diction of Poetry
Self Check Questions for 3.2.4., 3.2.5., 3.2.6., 3.2.7.
3.3 Summing up
3.4 Reading List
Wordsworth aim in writing the ‘Preface’ was not to give an elaborate account of his theory of poetry or to make a systematic defense of his point-of-view. He wanted to introduce his poems with a prefatorial argument He added the ‘Preface’ because he felt that his poems were different in theme and style, and therefore, he should not present them without an introduction. It is a well observed phenomenon that every new poet struggles to carve a niche. That is what Wordsworth tried to do with the help of the ‘Preface’.