LYRICAL BALLADS Meaning and
Definition
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Lyrical Ballads is a term commonly used to refer to a groundbreaking collection of poems written by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, published in 1798. The term itself represents the innovative blend of lyrical poetry and ballad form that characterizes the collection's poems.
Lyrical, in this context, signifies a deeply personal and emotive mode of expression, often containing significant introspection and subjective experience. Wordsworth and Coleridge utilized this style to explore the themes of nature, imagination, and individualism in their poems and challenged the conventional poetic diction of the time. Their intention was to evoke powerful emotions within the readers and engage them in a deep contemplation of natural beauty and the human experience, rather than merely offering ornamental descriptions or moral teachings.
The term "ballads" refers to poetic narratives that were traditionally sung or recited in a musical manner. The inclusion of ballad form in Lyrical Ballads aimed to connect with a wider readership, including the common people, as opposed to solely the educated elite. By presenting their poetry in a more accessible and colloquial language, Wordsworth and Coleridge sought to capture the authentic voices and experiences of everyday individuals.
Overall, Lyrical Ballads can be defined as a seminal collection of poetry that bridged the gap between the traditional lyrical and ballad forms. It revolutionized the 18th-century poetic landscape, paving the way for the Romantic era and influencing subsequent generations of poets by emphasizing the power of personal experience, the beauty of nature, and the importance of emotional resonance in poetry.
Etymology of LYRICAL BALLADS
The word "lyrical ballads" has a straightforward etymology. The term is a combination of two words, "lyrical" and "ballads".
- "Lyrical" is derived from the Latin word "lyricus", which comes from the Greek word "lyrikos". It refers to a type of poetry meant to be sung with musical accompaniment. In poetry, it typically expresses the poet's personal emotions or thoughts.
- "Ballads" originated from the Old French word "balade", which then came from the late Latin word "ballare", meaning "to dance". Ballads are narrative poems or songs that were traditionally passed down orally and often accompanied by music.
Together, "lyrical ballads" refers to a collection of poems that blend the personal and emotional qualities of lyric poetry with the narrative structure of ballads.
