Wordsworth context Flashcards
What quote from Wordsworth shows his views on poetry?
‘poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings…’
What is the sublime?
A quality if greatness beyond all possibility of calculation.
This evokes feelings of awe and wonder.
What were Wordsworth’s views on birth and immortality?
Upon being born, human beings move from a perfect, idealized realm into the imperfect, un-ideal earth.
What were Wordsworth’s views on childhood innocence?
As children, some memory of the former purity and glory in which they lived remains.
But as children grow older, the memory fades, and the magic of nature dies.
Still, the memory of childhood can offer an important solace.
What is the significance of Wordsworth’s utilization of language?
He aimed to write in simple language so that ‘common’ people could understand and relate to his poetry.
Was Wordsworth a first generation Romantic poet?
Yes, he wrote during the late 1700s to the early 1800s.
Who did Wordsworth write Lyrical Ballads with?
Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
What were Wordsworth’s views on religion?
While Wordsworth’s poetry contains religious imagery and allusions, he generally favored a more mystical, personal approach to spirituality.
More focus on spirituality than religious doctrine.
What is a poet laureate and when did Wordsworth become one?
A poet appointed by the government to write poems for them.
Wordsworth was one from 1843 until his death.
What were Wordsworth’s views regarding the French Revolution?
At first he supported it and promoted liberty and equality.
He was later disillusioned by the extreme radicalism and bloodshed.
He later focused on individual reflection rather than violent rebellion.
