Whose famous definition states that “poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful passion.” ?
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Answer: C. Wordsworth
Explanation
William Wordsworth famously defined poetry as the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. This definition emphasizes the emotional origins of romantic verse and personal expression. Wordsworth believed poetry required deep emotional reflection recollected in moments of tranquility. Wordsworth was a central figure of the Romantic literary movement in nineteenth-century England. He co-authored Lyrical Ballads with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, launching a poetic revolution. Romanticism prioritized individual emotion and communion with nature over classical formality.
Literary history courses cite this famous definition to summarize the core philosophy of Romanticism. Poets continue to debate the balance between raw emotion and deliberate craft in writing. Understanding this quote helps readers appreciate the personal and introspective nature of Romantic poetry. Keats focused on aesthetic beauty and melancholy rather than framing this specific definition. Shelley wrote notable essays on poetry but did not author this exact spontaneous overflow quote. Coleridge contributed to Lyrical Ballads but had a more philosophical and supernatural poetic focus.
- Subject
- English
- Category
- English Literature
- Topic
- —
- Difficulty
- medium
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