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Romantic Essay

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Submitted By tranh27
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Although romantic poets have established several ideas concerning what they believe a poem should be, Wordsworth’s definition of poetry in The Preface to Lyrical Ballads is the most famous one: “All good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of human feelings…modified and directed by our thoughts." or "...the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility”. He sees poetry as acting like Nature, which touches all living things and inspires and delights them. Therefore, poem is an instrument that draws attention to the hidden, unnoticed beauties of nature. In addition, Wordsworth also emphasizes the relationship between the mind and poetry. The “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” leaves an individual incapable of articulating the beauty of nature, thus these feelings should be “recollected in tranquility” and deep thought.
“My heart leaps up when I behold” is one of the best poems that convey Wordsworth’s definition The poem encompasses all of the themes central to Romantic movement such as the importance of the emotion, the important of nature, the transience of joy, and the sanctity of childhood. Nature and its connection to humanity makes an appearance in the vast majority of Wordsworth’s poetry, often holding a poem’s focus, thus the important of nature is introduced in the first two lines: “My heart leaps up when I behold/ A Rainbow in the sky.” (Line 1, 2) He is moved emotionally by the beauty of nature and his experience out of doors as he gazes at the sky, as “the spontaneous overflow of human feeling”. Therefore, the connection between him and the nature will be constant until he becomes an old man, or else he would rather die: “So be it when I shall grow old; / Or let me die.”(Line 5,6) Wordsworth always wants to have a natural affinity for nature, as does a child, and always wants to find creative

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