Question

Which of the following did Wordsworth criticize in his "Preface"?

• A. The reliance on rhyme
• B. Poetic diction
• C. Free verse
• D. Blank verse

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Poetic diction

In his Preface to Lyrical Ballads, William Wordsworth criticized the artificiality of classical poetry and the sensationalism of contemporary novels and melodramas. He argued for a more accessible poetry that reflected the everyday experiences of people. 

Classical poetry

• Wordsworth rejected the artificiality and grandiose themes of classical poetry. 

• He believed that the language of ancient poets was unusual and different from ordinary language. 

Contemporary novels and melodramas 

• Wordsworth criticized contemporary Gothic novels and German melodramas.

• He believed that such nonimaginative and sensational literature threatened the acuity of the human mind.

Late-Neoclassical poets 

• Wordsworth believed that the language of late-Neoclassical poets was grating and alienated poets from ordinary human sympathies.