Views of Coleridge on Wordsworth's theory of Poetry

 Through Wordsworth and Coleridge  had been joint author of “The lyrical Ballads” , Coleridge was different from  Wordsworth on some fundamental points. He wanted to clarify his own position 17 year after the publication of Preface  he took up Wordsworth  theory and analysis it part by part in his “biographia literaria”.

                          S.T Coleridge rejects Wordsworth  proposition that there is no difference between the language of prose and metrical composition. Coleridge wanted to correct Wordsworth  views about the language of poetry being "the real language of Men in a state of Vivid sensation and also about the suitability of incident of common life".

                            Coleridge was in complete agreement with Wordsworth but he would not accept Wordsworth theory that the ideal language of poetry is the natural conversation of men and the influence of natural feeling. He is of the opinion that only the ground of the differing from the language of real life a poem cannot be condemned. Nor could he accept Wordsworth contention that there neither can be any essential difference between the language of prose and metrical composition. He says that this rule may be applicable only to certain class of poetry and it can be never be practiced As a rule.

                          Wordsworth said he to the rustic life because in that condition the essential Passion of the heart find a better soil, in which they can attend their maturity, are less under restraint and speak a plain and more emphatic language. To disappear this belief of Wordsworth ,Coleridge remarks there is nothing extraordinary fascinating in the characters  introduced by Wordsworth in his own poems. These character appeal to us not because they are rustics but because they are idealised beings.Coleridge remarks that a rustic language purified from all provincialism and grossness and reconstructed to be made consistent with the rule of grammar will not different from the language of any other men of common sense . Thus, Coleridge  denied Wordsworth main assertion that a special virtue lies in the language of those who are in close touch with nature.

         Coleridge also challenged and important assertion of Wordsworth that prose itself differs and ought to differ from the language of conversation just like reading ought to differ from talking. there exist a still greater difference between the order of Wordsworth used in a poetic composition and that used in prose, unless Wordsworth had only meant Wordsworth and not the style of using them.