William Wordsworth
English Romantic poet who co-launched the Romantic Age with *Lyrical Ballads*.
William Wordsworth · Public domain
William Wordsworth (1770–1850) was an English poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, published *Lyrical Ballads* in 1798, which scholars regard as probably the beginning of the Romantic movement in England. He is often described as a "nature poet," though his poems are frequently meditations on emotional problems or personal crises. Wordsworth's famous definition of poetry appears in the Preface to *Lyrical Ballads*, where he calls it "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" that "takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility." He was one of the Lake Poets, a small group of friends that also included Coleridge, Robert Southey, and Thomas De Quincey.
- born
- 7 April 1770
- died
- 23 April 1850
- field
- Poetry
- nationality
- English
- known_for
- Co-launching the Romantic Age with Lyrical Ballads; magnum opus The Prelude
Lore & Background
William Wordsworth was born on 7 April 1770 and died on 23 April 1850. He was one of the earliest Romantics, part of the Lake Poets group alongside Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, and Thomas De Quincey. The emergence of the early Romantic poets is marked by the first romantic manifesto in English literature, the Preface to *Lyrical Ballads* (1798). In it, Wordsworth discusses what he sees as the elements of a new type of poetry, one based on the "real language of men," avoiding the poetic diction of much 18th-century poetry. He gave his famous definition of poetry as "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" which "takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility." The poems in *Lyrical Ballads* were mostly by Wordsworth, though Coleridge contributed *The Rime of the Ancient Mariner*. Among Wordsworth's most important poems are *Michael*, *Lines Written a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey*, *Resolution and Independence*, *Ode: Intimations of Immortality*, and the long, autobiographical epic *The Prelude*. *The Prelude* was begun in 1799 but published posthumously in 1850. Wordsworth's poetry is noteworthy for how he "inverted the traditional hierarchy of poetic genres, subjects, and style by elevating humble and rustic life and the plain [...] into the main subject and medium of poetry in general," and how, in Coleridge's words, he awakens in the reader a "freshness of sensation" in his depiction of familiar, commonplace objects.
Reader's Guide
To understand Wordsworth's place in literary history, start with *Lyrical Ballads* (1798), the joint publication with Samuel Taylor Coleridge that scholars mark as probably the beginning of the Romantic movement in England. The Preface to that volume is the first romantic manifesto in English literature, where Wordsworth defines poetry as "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" originating "from emotion recollected in tranquility." His work elevated humble and rustic life into the main subject of poetry, using the "real language of men" instead of the poetic diction of the 18th century. Key poems include *Michael*, *Lines Written a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey*, *Resolution and Independence*, *Ode: Intimations of Immortality*, and the autobiographical epic *The Prelude*, begun in 1799 but published posthumously in 1850. Wordsworth was one of the Lake Poets, a group that also included Coleridge, Robert Southey, and Thomas De Quincey. His poetry is noted for awakening in the reader a "freshness of sensation" in the depiction of familiar, commonplace objects.
Did You Know?
- Wordsworth's famous definition of poetry is 'the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings' that 'takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.'
- The autobiographical epic *The Prelude* was begun in 1799 but not published until after Wordsworth's death in 1850.
- Wordsworth was one of the Lake Poets, a small group that included Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, and Thomas De Quincey.
- In Coleridge's words, Wordsworth's poetry awakens in the reader a 'freshness of sensation' in his depiction of familiar, commonplace objects.
- Wordsworth inverted the traditional hierarchy of poetic genres by elevating humble and rustic life into the main subject and medium of poetry.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is William Wordsworth?
He was an English poet born in 1770 who became one of the central voices of the Romantic movement. He lived until 1850 and spent much of his creative life drawing on the natural landscapes of the Lake District.
What is William Wordsworth's most famous work?
His magnum opus is The Prelude, an autobiographical poem he never published during his lifetime. It traces his intellectual and emotional development through encounters with the natural world.
What did Wordsworth and Coleridge do together?
In 1798 they jointly published Lyrical Ballads, a collection widely credited with kicking off the Romantic Age in English letters. Their collaboration brought a new emphasis on common speech and personal feeling into the poetic tradition.
Did Wordsworth hold any official literary title?
Yes, he was appointed Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1843, a post he held until his death in 1850. The recognition came decades after his most celebrated work had already shaped the literary landscape.
Why does William Wordsworth still matter to readers today?
He fundamentally shifted English poetry toward personal experience, emotion, and the everyday beauty of the natural world. His influence on how poets approach memory, landscape, and language remains deeply felt.
More in Literary Giants 25-30
Related in Literary Giants
Links follow this subject's own source article.
Elsewhere in the Literary Giants universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record