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Lyrical Ballads and Related Writings
In addition to the complete 1798 London edition of Lyrical Ballads, this volume contains a generous sampling of ballads, rustic and humanitarian poetry, and nature poems by the poets' contemporaries; literary, philosophical, and political backgrounds by essayists such as Rousseau, Adam Smith, and Wollstonecraft; and reactions to Lyrical Ballads.
Paperback, 458 pages
Published
September 26th 2002
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)
(first published 1798)
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The copy of this that I have, and have just finished reading, is a reprint of the first edition of 1798. It has no notes, other than those presented by the authors themselves, and the book probably suffers for this. I probably should have gotten hold of a version that had a good introduction – but too late now.
There are two poems in this collection that I have read before – The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere and Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey. There is a reason why th...more
There are two poems in this collection that I have read before – The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere and Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey. There is a reason why th...more
Published in 1798, this collection of short poems is more notable for the "advertisement" - a sort of short introduction - and for the preface to the 1802 edition than for the poetry itself. In the introduction, Wordsworth wrote: "The majority of the following poems are to be considered as experiments. They were written chiefly with a view to ascertain how far the language of conversation in the middle and lower classes of society is adapted to the purposes of poetic pleasure."...more
Oh Wordsworth,
How you and I have battled through these years. Ever since that fateful trip to a Daffodil farm in seventh grade have I stuggled to understand your Romanticism. Even now, as I review your first book Lyrical Ballads, I must admit I entered with hesitation. I found some of your poems to be bemusing; I especially enjoyed "Lines Written at a Small Distance From My House." I know the importance of viewing nature, in (how did you describe it?) idleness.
Your writings...more
How you and I have battled through these years. Ever since that fateful trip to a Daffodil farm in seventh grade have I stuggled to understand your Romanticism. Even now, as I review your first book Lyrical Ballads, I must admit I entered with hesitation. I found some of your poems to be bemusing; I especially enjoyed "Lines Written at a Small Distance From My House." I know the importance of viewing nature, in (how did you describe it?) idleness.
Your writings...more
I've always shied away from reading poetry anthologies. Since this was a required text for my master's exam, I had no choice. I saved it for last, because I honestly wasn't sure if I would have the mental durability to get through it. Much to my surprise, I found most of the poems to be easily accessible, albeit, I took many notes to help me keep track of the narrative structure. All the poems have a rustic, backwoods, working class quality to them. Moreover, they celebrate the joys and power...more
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I've read the original 1798 Lyrical Ballads in the past and this time I wanted to read the 1802 version with the additional poems. At the time their publishing, these poems were revolutionary in the language and subject matter. Two-hundred-plus-years later, they seem a bit quaint -- melodramatic and a bit maudlin. I'm not even sure if I like Wordsworth's poetry. There's nothing in the 1802 version to match Tintern Abbey except perhaps the "Lucy" poems.
Overall, if you enjoy ...more
Overall, if you enjoy ...more
In north of England along with A. S. Byatt's Unruly Times Wordsworth and Coleridge in their Time, I also read Wordsworth and Coleridge’s collaboration, Lyrical Ballads. I never cared much for ballads unless they were sung (in my time preferably by Sandy Denny and/or Richard Thompson of Fairport Convention). But rereading Wordsworth in my fifties is sweet. I never much got it at twenty when it was part of a curriculum. The last poem, “Lines Written Above Tintern Abbey” is my favorite, so profound...more
I know this is a bit of a poncey-English-student choice but I have grown to love this collection. When I first started studying it for my A-levels, I hated it, but once I started to understand the innovation behind it, the poems began to take on new meaning and are not only beautiful but also surprisingly relevant. If you think Wordsworth is all about Daffodils (I hate that poem), then think again!
I LOVE S.T.C.!!!! Lyrical Ballads is an experiment in style and in the progress of poetry to a new and expansive exegesis! GREAT READ, and should be taken, not with the confining notion of poetry, but with all its original intent in mind and all its diversity of purpose!
I kind of got into it after one of my classmates (who is also named John but who is sexier than me) told me what Wordsworth was trying to do with time and space and death. But it is still totally not my style.
As a reader who also happens to be engaged with modernist writers, I would say that romantic poetry appears elementary. That said, the works are exquisite and I am glad to have gotten this perspective.
I'm sorry, don't hate me, but I really don't like 90% of Wordsworth's poetry. Respect it, sure. Study it, fine. Like it...not in the pure sence of reading it and feeling like I enjoyed it, no. I'll give this one three stars because of Coleridge, whom I like ever so slightly more than Wordsworth.
There were some very good pieces here and some I didn't enjoy quite as much. Certainly a few of these feel a bit dated, but there is also some truly grand material. Well worth the read.
I think these guys have gotten their asses kissed for a long time, but I also think it's deserved. Love this one.
Really Great Poems and lyrics
To read for Coleridge and Wentworth is to enjoy the nature depicted with their own poems
To read for Coleridge and Wentworth is to enjoy the nature depicted with their own poems
A very strange collection. I don't really see the links between the poems, or why they form a collection at all.
I was a little bit disappointed with "The Female Vagrant" which was a little long, and to my mind, not great. The rest of the poems range from good to amazing, however, and Wordsworth absolutely knocks it out of the park with "Lines Written... Above Tintern Abbey." I love this poem more and more every single time I read it. I was getting a little watery-eyed in public this past time. Oh, just so so good. Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner" is always worth another look as ...more
Wordsworth is cliche on occasion, but enjoyable nonetheless. But you GOTTA love Coleridge.
Of course these are wonderful. If only he'd died a little younger, like a good lyric poet . . .
The insecure, oft-forgot poetical wanderings of Coleridge still trumping the turncoat Wordsworth.
A couple of real jewels here. Most of the others are, so to speak, rough drafts.
groundbreaking and still fresh.
its a very good fiction book
The Lucy poems are sublime
There's not a bad poem in here, but it's just a little tedious reading that much ballad meter in a row. Regardless, I really enjoyed this.
While we studied Wordsworth and Coleridge at the University I deeply hated their works. Every time I had to analyze some piece of writing I was at a loss, but after we were through with the Romaticism classes I found a copy of the Lyrical Ballads translated in Bulgarian by a student in my University who has recently graduated (or I think so) and edited by my professor. Therefore, I thought it would give me another perspective of the Lyrical Ballads. Needless to say, I loved it :)
Read for:
EN1004: Explorers and Revolutionaries - Literature 1680-1830
I can't say I'm a big fan of poetry and I didn't exactly look forward to this semester's reading. So I was pleasantly surprised when I ended up really enjoying Wordsworth and Coleridge. Some of the poems in this book were really beautiful and the footnotes and appendixes in this edition were particularly useful. Although the Penguin version may be cheaper, I'd recommend this edition if you're a student. 7/10
EN1004: Explorers and Revolutionaries - Literature 1680-1830
I can't say I'm a big fan of poetry and I didn't exactly look forward to this semester's reading. So I was pleasantly surprised when I ended up really enjoying Wordsworth and Coleridge. Some of the poems in this book were really beautiful and the footnotes and appendixes in this edition were particularly useful. Although the Penguin version may be cheaper, I'd recommend this edition if you're a student. 7/10
An excellent edition of a wonderful poetry collection. This is rather like the Norton edition, only it's all contemporary contexts and not modern criticism (except for the introductions to each section by the editors). The editors have very definite opinions on how Lyrical Ballads fit into the history of literature, and they present materials to bolster their case. Very interesting selections, and, except for a few unnecessary jabs at M.H. Abrams, an excellent book.
"Rime of the Ancient Mariner," "Tintern Abbey," what's not to like?
The Rime of the Ancient Maryner is one of the best poems I've ever read. The rest of the book is pretty awesome, but still I prefer Coleridge to Wordsworth.
The poems in this collection were revolutionary when originally published in 1798, the closest thing the Georgian era had to punk. Most of the work is Wordsworth's, but the collection also contains Coleridge's brilliant mini-epic "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", one of my favourite poems. For this edition both the standard revision done for the 1800 edition and its original 1798 version are included.
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William Wordsworth was a major English romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their 1798 joint publication, Lyrical Ballads.
Wordsworth's masterpiece is generally considered to be The Prelude, an autobiographical poem of his early years which the poet revised and expanded a number of times. The work was posthumously tit...more
More about William Wordsworth...
Wordsworth's masterpiece is generally considered to be The Prelude, an autobiographical poem of his early years which the poet revised and expanded a number of times. The work was posthumously tit...more
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“The eye - it cannot choose but see;
We cannot bid the ear be still;
Our bodies feel, where'er they be,
Against or with our will.”
—
11 people liked it
We cannot bid the ear be still;
Our bodies feel, where'er they be,
Against or with our will.”
“poetry is the breath and finer spirit of knowledge”
—
6 people liked it
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