The Politics of William Wordsworth

 
 
 
 
In William Wordsworth's Preface to Lyrical Ballads, we see a definite democratic flavor to Wordsworth's ideas of what constitutes good poetry. Democracy is based on the notion that in the state of nature human beings have certain inalienable rights. When states are constructed, the goal of the state is to secure these rights (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) by the people who put them in power to do so. The contention that in nature all human beings have certain inalienable rights implies commonality and universality. If all human beings have these rights, then all human being share a basic level of commonality, that is, all humans regardless of background, culture, or experience, merit such rights.

In Wordsworth's Preface to Lyrical Ballads, we see that Wordsworth's ideas on poetry are shaped by this commonality or universality among human beings, one that is connected to and mirrors nature.

Wordsworth opens his preface by stating his purpo


     
 
 
 
    

 

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