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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 2001
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)
(first published 1798)
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Jan 30, 2011
Mary Ronan Drew
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Mary Ronan by:
Laurel
Shelves:
library-book
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."
The 21st century r...more
The 21st century r...more
If I continued with my theme of replacing books of the bible with works of poetry instead, I would use mostly Wadsworth to replace Proverbs. Many of these poems are cautionary tales encouraging kindness and empathy, and the rest are extolling the virtues of nature. No, going out into nature isn’t one of the commandments, but it should have been, I think we would all be better for it. Wadsworth encourages “nature baths,” a spiritual bathing in nature to cleanse the soul of the stresses of urban l...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 o...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 poetry, this is a mus...more
Overall, if you enjoy poetry, this is a mus...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!
The first time I have read a book back to back that contains only poems. I believe I will like it more and more, the more I think and reflect about it.
But I have liked romantic poetry since the first time we read about it in "gymnasiet" (High school)but haven't really after that time read more. This sparked my interest again. I liked it!
But I have liked romantic poetry since the first time we read about it in "gymnasiet" (High school)but haven't really after that time read more. This sparked my interest again. I liked it!
This one is embarrassing for me. I read this in college and smugly thought Wordsworth to be a lightweight. What a joke. He's up there with the best. The calm and honest tone of many of the poems wasn't suited to my overwrought (and dishonest) 20 year old soul.
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 had to read some of the poems for uni and I decided to read them all. The poems included in this collection were all beautifully done :) Some of my favourites include "We Are Seven" and "Lines left upon a Seat in a Yew-tree."
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.
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've finally read some Wordsworth! Some of these poems were absolutely lovely, but I still much prefer Keats and Tennyson.
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 well, especially without the m...more
absolutely a classic. The story of European and, of course, English literature. The real romantic movement
Of course these are wonderful. If only he'd died a little younger, like a good lyric poet . . .
Aug 26, 2009
Jimmi
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
the-poets,
romance-and-all-that-jazz
The insecure, oft-forgot poetical wanderings of Coleridge still trumping the turncoat Wordsworth.
Always fun to see how century old perspectives still apply to today.
groundbreaking and still fresh.
My favorite Romantic poet
its a very good fiction book
The Lucy poems are sublime
Jan 30, 2011
Sashi Bankova
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2011,
poetry
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 :)
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.
Some high notes (Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Nightingale, a few others). A very nice read for when you can sit outside with nothing to do for a while.
Romantics just ain't really my dig.
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.
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![Lyrical Ballads, With Other Poems [ By: William Wordsworth ] (ebook)](http://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nocover/60x80.png)
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 titled and publ...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 titled and publ...more
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“The best portion of a good man's life: his little, nameless unremembered acts of kindness and love.”
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“Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.”
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Mar 15, 2013 08:17am