Wordworth's Preface to Lyrical Ballads

The Preface to Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth explains to the reader what, why and how he is writing the poems. He asks the reader in a sense not to judge his work with an already predisposed bias. He says that

                “Who should be please with them would read them with more than common pleasure: and , on the other hand, I was well aware, that by those who should dislike them, they would be read with more than common dislike.”

                He understands that not everyone is going to like his poems, some might like a few, some might like all of them. I felt that in this preface Wordsworth is trying to defend in a sense his poetry which in my option I feel that he does not need too. Or I could be reading the tone wrong and that the purpose of the preface is to make sure that the readers have a better understanding so that those who do enjoy his works will enjoy it more and those who do not might dislike it less.

                In his preface he made some really good points that popped out at me such as the idea that his poems are written to expand the nature of thought, to evoke deep feelings in the reader, he explains how poets are different from other professionals, how raw poetry can be and how all of that can transform someone.

                From all those different discussion within his preface what really resonated with me is how much knowledge poetry can really instill upon the reader. That is if the reader gives the poems the time of day. I agree with what he is saying and with a personal anecdote poetry has really forced me to open up my mind and think differently. Poetry is not at all black and white and there are limitless possibilities. Wordsworth describes what poets are very well here:

                “What then does the Poet? He considers man and the objects that surround him as acting and re-acting upon each other, so as to produce an infinite complexity of pain and pleasure; he considers man in his own nature and in his ordinary life as contemplating this with a certain quantity of immediate knowledge, with certain convictions, intuitions, and deductions, which from habit acquire the quality of intuitions; he considers him as looking upon this complex scene of ideas and sensations, and finding everywhere objects that immediately excite in him sympathies which, from the necessities of his nature, are accompanied by an overbalance of enjoyment.”

                Poets are knowledgeable of science, art, religion, emotion, nature, and anything else they allude to in their poetry. It strikes me with amazement every time there is an allusion, symbolism or an analogy that is made in poetry. First it makes me feel a little dumb especially when I do not know what they are hinting at and second this shows that poets are open and aware of their surroundings especially the romantics. Like Wordsworth said earlier everything is interconnected that we act and re-act with each other which creates pain and pleasure which is exactly what the romantics were about! But Wordsworth explains it in a metaphysical/ science way.  Poetry helps bring out what humans already has. Humanity’s inquisitive ways and the passion from within and this cause humans to be able to reach levels of enjoyment.  This is something that I agree with. 

                Wordsworth also talks about truth which usually go hand in hand with knowledge

                “The Man of science seeks truth as a remote and unknown benefactor; he cherishes and loves it in his solitude: the Poet, singing a song in which all human beings join with him, rejoices in the presence of truth as our visible friend and hourly companion.”

                Poets are different from other professionals, in this case a scientist, in that Poets are able to seek truth that will bring people to him. Poetry is something that can be enjoyed alone or with a group of people like poetry jams! Poetry is timeless and very similar to art which he also mentions in the Preface. Poetry and art are alike in that there are many different levels of interpretations, there is never a right interpretation and both forms of art are timeless, priceless and limitless. The two both hold truths that will bring people together like the Mona Lisa. Both are very powerful and evoke the imagination and like Wordsworth says both are “as immortal as the heart of man.” I guess these poets and artist back in the day had it a little bit easier because people were not distracted by technology but that’s another topic all together.