Wordsworths Conception of Poetry: Passion and Reflection Wordsworth propounded his views on poetry, its nature and functions

and the qualification of a true poet in his Preface. So far as the nature of poetry is concerned, Wordsworth is of the opinion that poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. Poetry has its origin in the internal feelings of the poet. It is a matter of passion, mood and temperament. Poetry cannot be produced by strictly adhering to the rules laid down by the Classicists. It must flow out naturally and smoothly from the soul of the poet. But it must be noted that good poetry, according to Wordsworth, is never an immediate expression of such powerful emotions. A good poet must ponder over them long and deeply. In the words of Wordsworth, poetry has its origin in emotions recollected in tranquility.

Process of Poetic Composition There are four stages which play a very crucial role in converting an experience into a pleasing composition.

Stage One: Observation First comesobservation or perception of some object, character or incident which sets up powerful emotions in the mind of the poet.

Stage Two: Recollection Next comes the contemplation or recollection of that emotion in tranquility. It must be noted that at this stage memory comes into play and brings out what had been lying in the unconscious for days, months or years. A similar kind of incident triggers the poet to visit the past experiences stored in the unexplored regions of his mind.

Stage Three: Filtering The third stage is that of filtering wherein the poet is purged of non-essential elements and thus makes his experience communicable to all men.

Stage Four: Composition The fourth stage is when the actual composition begins. The poet seeks to convey his emotions through print and turns into a communicator. In the words of Wordsworth he becomes a man speaking to men. What is important to him is not just expressing his joy but sharing it with his readers.