How would I answer a question on form in Wordsworth and Coleridge's 'Lyrical Ballads'

Lyrical Ballads is particularly interesting for its use of form in relation to its context. This question is a nice opportunity to bring in the text's context of Romanticism since the text itself is called 'Lyrical Ballads' showing an attempt to create a form which encapsulated the ballad form, a form which was seen as accessible to all readers, not only those educated readers. Wordsworth's Romanticism, as seen from his preface to this text had a lot to do with making poetry accessible to all, in stark contrast to the complex forms of the preceding classical period. Analysing the simple ballad form of poems such as "We Are Seven" would be interesting in this respect. Similarly, poems such as "Expostulation and Reply" or "The Tables Turned" help to explore the other aspect of the text's title, lyricism. Wordsworth also placed huge importance on feeling in his version of Romanticism, since feeling is something that can be accessed by anyone, even without an education. These two poems still maintain simple rhyme and stress schemes but also take on a certain lyricism in answering to each other and in their dismissal of education in the place of nature and all that it can offer.

Answered by Charlotte S. English tutor

1211 Views

See similar English A Level tutors

Related English A Level answers

All answers ▸

How should I structure my paragraphs or intro?


Compare how authors present the idea that men typically dominate relationships. (The Great Gatsby: F. Scott Fitzgerald - A song (Absent from Thee): John Wilmot - La Bella Dame sans Merci (John Keats)


How do I structure an essay well if there is only a limited amount of time to write it?


Compare the ways in which the speaker and writer create a sense of voice to describe their experiences.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2024

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy