English Literature / Unit 12 ENL 1119 short lesson, about 20 seconds
"Spontaneous Overflow of Powerful Feelings"
Captions available
The idea
The Preface states that "all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings," and adds that poetry "takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity." The feeling is spontaneous, but the poem comes later, when the remembered emotion is contemplated.
In practice
Overflow, then tranquil recollection.
Where people slip
Do not drop the second half of the definition.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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