The question of imagination has been very important in poetry since the time of Aristotle. The problem of using appropriate words to convey a particular idea has made critics down the ages. Aristotle, Dante, and many others have called the poet a dignified or great word. In the late 18th century, a campaign for a special language for poetry was launched. The champions of this campaign were Addison, Johnson, and Gray. These writers favored a special language for poetry.
Addison Remarks,
The poet should take special care to protect himself from the idiomatic ways of speaking.
Gray stated that the language of age cannot be the language of poetry.
Doctor Johnson described "poetic diction" as a system of words, which is clear from the abundance of domestic use.
Swift called for "simplicity" against "Poetic Cant".(Cant= Hypocritical or affected style).
Wordsworth not only rejects and eliminates misconduct but also offers his own theory of "Poetic Diction", in which he argues that the language suitable for poetry is that of "a selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation". He also qualifies the 'men' of this phrase by calling them "polite and rural people".
The main points of this theory are:
a) The language of poetry should be the original language of men. There should be no artificiality about it.
b) The language should be cleansed of hollowness or strange things.
c) It should be the language of men in a state of vivid sensation.
d) The language of poetry is not fundamentally different from prose.
e) It should be noted that by language, Wordsworth probably means vocabulary, not syntax and grammar.
Wordsworth says in “The Preface to the Lyrical Ballads”,
The principal object, then made in these poems is to choose events and situations from the life together, and to narrate or explain them as far as possible, as far as the language really is through the men. Used and discarded at the same time. A special color of imagination on them, under which ordinary things should be presented to the mind in an extraordinary aspect ...
Its purpose was to deal with events and situations in rural and ordinary life. Thus, it was natural that he wanted to express himself inappropriate words. So he says that the language of poetry is a "choice of language that men actually use". Poetry does not need any special language or special tools.
There are many reasons for his choice of rustic life;
a) In general, he says, “humble and rural life was chosen because, in this state, the necessary emotions of the heart get a better soil in which they can mature.
b) The rural folk experiences are direct, clear, simple, and inspiring.
c) In this state, men's emotions are involved with the beautiful and permanent forms of nature.
d) Such men communicate with the best things or objects from which the best part of the language is actually derived.
e) They express their feelings and emotions in simple and vague statements.
Therefore, their language is a much more permanent and far more philosophical language which is frequently changed by poets”.
Wordsworth also claims that except for metre, there is no essential difference exists between the language of prose and the language of poetry.
Wordsworth gave five reasons for supporting the metre, which are:
I. The metre is generally considered to give more pleasure than the prose.
II. Feelings of excitement need to be sharpened and this can be done through the metre.
III. The metre enables us to feel happy.
IV. It can sustain a lot of happiness.
V. From actual experience - metre has been found to be more efficient or effective and popular.
Obviously, Wordsworth's arguments are weak. The metre is also an artificial device, and Wordsworth has condemned the poetic diction or imagination because of artificial art.
Herbert Read states that
"The defense of the metre contradicts not only the proper conception of poetry, which Wordsworth had acquired to the fullest degree but also the conception of his own poetic diction or imagination."
The most important point of contention is whether he followed his own theory that "the choice of language by men really represents".
In general, critics have accused Wordsworth of failing to put his perception into practice. Walter Raleigh announced;
"The fact is that he observes his own rules and regulations and the poems he observes are often among his best."
There are many pieces in which Wordsworth adheres to its principles. He introduced simplicity in his poems. "Lucy Gray", "Michael", "The Solitary Reaper", and "The Education of Nature" are practical examples of his theory of language for poetry and these are admittedly good poems. But in some poems, he does not follow his own theory.
Coleridge completely refuted all of his arguments and did not downplay Wordsworth's theory. He says that the best part of language is the production of intellectuals, not of clowns or shepherds from the historical point of view of English poetry, Wordsworth's theory of poetic diction or imagination is very important. Wordsworth certainly did much to bring the language of poetry to its natural beauty and simplicity.
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