Wordsworth prime concern was to denounce such superficial and over-embellished language. Wordsworth’s aim was to write poetry that symbolizes life in its simple and rustic state. The term diction refers to the kind of words, phrases, sentences, and sometimes figurative language that constitute any work of literature. When it comes to poetry writing, the question related to diction always arises. The question of diction is considered primary because the feelings of the poet must be easily conceived by the readers. Poets of all ages have used distinctive poetic diction.

The Neo-classical poetic diction was mainly derived from classical poets such as Virgil, Spenser, and Milton. These poets used to write poetry by using embellished language and particular decorum. Other prominent features of that period were the extensive use of difficult words, allusions, the personification of abstracts, and avoidance of things considered as low or base. The poetry of that time was treated as something sacred. It was only subjected to the people with high intellect and of high status in society.

WORDSWORTH

Wordsworth prime concern was to denounce such superficial and over-embellished language. Wordsworth’s aim was to write poetry that symbolizes life in its simple and rustic state. The poetry, for Wordsworth, must be like a part of daily life speech. It should be written in such language that anyone who wants to read it could comprehend it easily. Wordsworth believes that all such ornamented poetry clocks the genuine and passionate feelings of the poets. He only justifies the use of an embellished language of poetry when it is naturally suggested by the feelings or the subject matter of the poetry. Poetry, for Wordsworth, is the expression of natural feelings and these feelings cannot be communicated with the help of a fake version of upper-class speech but with the actual speech of “humble and rustic life”.

He defines poetic diction as a language of common men. It is not the language of the poet as a class but the language of mankind. It is the simple expression of pure passion by men living close to nature. Poetic language is the natural language; therefore, it must be spontaneous and instinctive. The real poetic diction, in the view of Wordsworth, is the natural overflow of feelings, therefore, it is immune to the deliberate decoration of the language.

Wordsworth also attributes the quality of giving pleasure to the natural poetic diction. It must not contain any vulgarity or disgusting elements. The poet must, through his language, elevate nature and human feelings. This is a sample essay written for our client to get a customized essay or research paper contact us at Essay Mills.