Question

Coleridge critiques Wordsworth’s emphasis on:

• A. Urban themes
• B. The use of rustic and ordinary language
• C. Supernatural elements in poetry
• D. Classical poetic forms

Answer 1

Answer:

B. The use of rustic and ordinary language

Coleridge primarily critiques Wordsworth's emphasis on using the "language of ordinary life" and the "language of the rustic" as the primary source for poetic expression, arguing that such language is too limited and lacks the necessary depth and complexity for true poetry; he believed that a poet should utilize a richer vocabulary and imagination to convey deeper meaning. 

Key points about Coleridge's critique of Wordsworth:

• Poetic diction:

  Coleridge disagreed with Wordsworth's idea that the best language for poetry comes directly from the speech of uneducated rural people. 

• Limited perspective:

  He argued that the experiences of a rustic person are too narrow to provide the full range of human emotion and thought needed for poetry. 

• Role of imagination:

  Coleridge believed that the poet's imagination should actively shape language, not simply reproduce everyday speech. 

Where this critique is expressed: Coleridge most notably criticizes Wordsworth's poetic theory in his work "Biographia Literaria".