Imagination in Romantic Poetry Essay

A large part of those extracts on Romantic imagination which are contained in the fascicule on pages D64 and D65 are strictly related to an ancient opening about Art and Realitys imitation, the Theory of Forms concieved by a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician Plato in Greek , Pltn, broad from 424/423 BC to 348/347 BC. The Theory of Forms in Greek typically refers to the belief expressed by Socrates in some of Platos dialogues, that the material conception as it seems to us is not the real world, but only an image or replica of the real world. Socrates spoke of forms in formulating a solution to the problem of universals. The forms, agree to Socrates, are roughly speaking archetypes or abstract representations of the many types of things, and properties we olfaction and see around us, that can only be perceived by reason in Greek that is, they are universals.In opposite words, Socrates sometimes seems to recognise two worlds the Apparent world, which constantly changes, and an unchanging and unseen world of forms, which may be a cause of what is apparent. This theory is proposed in diametrical ways in Blakes, Coleridges Shelleys extracts. The former says that This world of visual modality is the world of Eternity (A Vision of the Last Judgement, 1810) a place which resembles to a sort of otherworldly realm where Exist the Permanent Realities of Every involvement (the Form) which we see reflected in this Vegetable Glass of Nature (the Apparent world). A similar thing is exposed by Samuel Coleridge an english romantic poet who divides conception in Primary and Secondary. The former is the living Power and prime instrument of all human Perception, and as a repetition in the delimited mind of the eternal act of creation in the infinite, the last mentioned is an echo of the former who dissolves, diffuses, dissipates, in order to re-create (Biographia Literaria, 1817) a thing which is totally different from Fancy.Even in Shelley the me ter is presented as something of churchman not like reasoning (A Defence of Poetry, 1821) which beholds as the poet, the present, the past, and the future. In Keats and Wordsworth the poetry became the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings originating from emotion recollected in tranquillity (Preface to lyric Ballads) and the poet the most unpoetical of any thing in existence because he has no Identity (A Letter to Richard Woodhouse, October 27th 1818). So Art is imitation, a romp of both of Platos theories. In the Republic, Plato says that art imitates the objects and events of ordinary life. In other words, a work of art is a likeness of a copy of a Form. It is even more of an illusion than is ordinary experience. On this theory, kit and boodle of art are at best entertainment, and at worst a delusion. This theory actually appears in Platos short early dialogue,the Ion. Socrates is doubting a poet named Ion, who recites Homers poetry brilliantly but is no good at recitin g anything else. Socrates is puzzled by this it seems to him that if Ion has an art, or skill, of reciting poetry he should be able to apply his skilled knowledge to other poets as well. He concludes that Ion doesnt really possess skilled knowledge. Rather, when he recites Homer, he must be inspired by a god. The Ion drips with sarcasm. Plato didnt retreat the art by divine inspiration theory very seriously. solely many ancient, medieval, and modern artists and aestheticians have found it irresistible.