Question

What was one of the key differences between Wordsworth and Coleridge’s poetic philosophies?

• A. Wordsworth emphasized imagination, while Coleridge focused on realism.
• B. Wordsworth supported poetic diction, while Coleridge rejected it.
• C. Wordsworth promoted simplicity, while Coleridge emphasized the transformative power of language.
• D. Wordsworth preferred supernatural themes, while Coleridge focused on common life.

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Wordsworth promoted simplicity, while Coleridge emphasized the transformative power of language.

a key difference between Wordsworth and Coleridge’s poetic philosophies was that Wordsworth promoted simplicity, while Coleridge emphasized the transformative power of language.

Key Differences:

1. Wordsworth: Simplicity and Natural Language

   • Believed poetry should use the everyday language of common people, especially rural folk.

   • Focused on ordinary experiences and emotions, presented in a simple and direct style.

   • Saw poetry as the “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”, recollected in tranquility.

2. Coleridge: The Transformative Power of Language

   • Argued that poetry should not just imitate common speech but elevate it through imagination, rhythm, and figurative language.

   • Emphasized the role of the poet’s imagination in transforming ordinary experiences into something extraordinary.

   • Believed that meter, structure, and artistic expression distinguished poetry from prose.