Poetical Works

by William Wordsworth

Published 18 September 1969
Wordsworth's visionary intensity and simplicity of style made him one of the most popular Romantic poets. Wordsworth's major theme was the influence of nature on man, and this was explored and expounded to great acclaim through the Lyrical Ballads . These remain a landmark in the history of English romanticism for their innovative, elementary style and their treatment of familiar objects and ordinary people. As a young man Wordsworth was inspired by revolutionary ideals and heartfelt passions which influenced his poetry. With great lucidity he wrote a range of celebrated sonnets, evocative odes, and majestic blank verse. He was a great innovator and his poetical works have permanently enlarged the range of English poetry, both in subject matter and in execution. This book contains every piece of verse known to have been published by the poet himself, including the 1850 text of The Prelude . This book is intended for general readers of Wordsworth or the romantic poets; GCSE and A-level students and undergraduates studying nineteenth-century literature, the romantic poets, poetry. Second edition prepared by: de Selincourt, Ernest;

Prelude

by William Wordsworth

Published December 1928
The Prelude, Wordsworth's great autobiographical poem, is crucial to our understanding of his life and poetry.

This epic work covers the experiences of Wordsworth's boyhood and his poetic development; his debt to literature; the awakening of his passionate interest in man; his hopes and despair for the French Revolution; his life in London and in the country, the highs and lows of his career; his relationship with his sister Dorothy and his friendship with Coleridge. Through The Prelude Wordsworth was at last free to devote his life to its true vocation and to record his gratitude for the
gift which brought him that freedom.

Written between 1798 and 1805, it was first published posthumously in 1850 after intensive revision in Wordsworth's later years. This volume contains the original 1805 text edited from manuscripts with a comprehensive introduction and notes.