1. PREFACE TO LYRICAL BALLADS
William Wordsworth
1802

2. The Manifesto of Romanticism
The “Preface to Lyrical ballads” is considered the manifesto of English and European Romanticism
It expounds the poet’s intentions and aims
He explaines the features of the new style of poetry – the poetry of nature
William Wordsworth

3. Poetry Poetry is born out of “Emotions recollected in tranquillity”
Poetry is the “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”
Poetry’s ultimate goal is “pleasure”

4. Aims
Poetry should:
Take events, incidents and situations from common and rustic life
Explain ordinary things in an unusual way
Convey feelings and notions in simple and unelaborated expressions
Present everyday things in an unusual aspect

5. The Language of Poetry The poet should:
use a selection of language really used by men
deprive everyday language of vulgarities and artificialities of any kind
be familiar, plain and simple, like everyday speech

6. The poet He is a man speaking to men
He is endued with a more lively sensibility, enthusiasm and tenderness than common men
He has a greater knowledge of human nature
He has a more comprehensive soul than other men
He is driven to create passions where he does not find them