Title
Wordsworth and the Enlightenment: Nature, Man, and Society in the Experimental Poetry,Used
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This book provides a new context for understanding Wordsworth's major poetry by examining the poet's response to Enlightenment attitudes toward nature and society. Alan Bewell argues that at the core of Wordsworth's poetry is an anthropological vision, a concern with how human beings first made the transition from nature to society. In substantially new interpretations of the early Prelude and many of the shorter poems, Bewell suggest that Wordsworth's major objective as a poet was to write a history of the imagination, which would show the role it has played in human progress and the genesis of social institutions. The various fields comprised in Enlightenment anthropology provided Wordsworth with a model for how such a history might proceed. In eighteenthcentury ethnography, geology, environmental theory, and biblical studies, in philosophical inquiries into the genesis of myths, the supernatural, and the idea of death, he found discursive models for talking about human origins. Moral philosophy also constituted a powerful discourse on marginal individuals, which underlies Wordsworth's interest in writing about outcasts and beggars, idiots and savages, the blind, the deaf, and the mute. Bewell argues that Wordsworth identified with and fashioned his selfunderstanding out of his observation of these individuals; the shift to autobiography in his later works was thus toward a complementary mode of anthropological inquiry.
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- Q: What is the main theme of 'Wordsworth and the Enlightenment'? A: The main theme of the book is an exploration of Wordsworth's poetry in relation to Enlightenment attitudes towards nature and society, emphasizing his anthropological vision and the transition from nature to society.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The author of 'Wordsworth and the Enlightenment: Nature, Man, and Society in the Experimental Poetry' is Alan Bewell.
- Q: How many pages does the book have? A: The book contains 352 pages.
- Q: What type of binding does this book have? A: This book is available in hardcover binding.
- Q: When was this book published? A: The book was published on September 10, 1989.
- Q: What condition is the book in? A: The book is in new condition.
- Q: What insights does Bewell provide about Wordsworth's poetry? A: Bewell provides new interpretations of Wordsworth's early works, suggesting that his poetry reflects a history of the imagination and the role it plays in human progress.
- Q: Does the book discuss any specific Enlightenment fields? A: Yes, the book discusses various fields such as ethnography, geology, environmental theory, and moral philosophy as they relate to Wordsworth's work.
- Q: Is there any focus on marginalized individuals in the book? A: Yes, Bewell explores Wordsworth's interest in marginalized individuals like outcasts and the disabled, highlighting how this influenced his self-understanding.
- Q: What is the significance of the title 'Wordsworth and the Enlightenment'? A: The title signifies the connection between Wordsworth's poetry and Enlightenment thought, illustrating how these ideas influenced his artistic vision and themes.