MB UNIUD

BIOGRAPHIA LITERARIA

Biographia literaria was written by Coleridge. It tells about the development of how to write poetry. In this paragraph the poet introduces  his idea of imagination. Coleridge distinguishes  between primary and secondary imagination.  Primary imagination is considered a living power and prime agent of all human perception, it is also defined as the repetition in the finite mind  of the power of eternal creation in the infinite I AM. Primary imagination is considered a strong power  that endows men of a power similar to the one of  the infinite I AM, it allows the poet  therefore to create out of a moment of either relaxed and tranquil mood or in pensive mood. The secondary imagination is an echo of the former , it lives together with our conscious will. With the primary imagination it shares the kind of its agency only its degree is different, and in the way it works. It works dissolving , diffusing and dissipated with the intentions to recreate. The finally effect is to unify and idealize. It follows that secondary imagination is a vital force as well. Fancy is totally different from imagination because it is simple a form of memory in time and space , it is connected with something fixed. It goes together with the will that is the human  ability to choose. Coleridge is convinced that there are two main points in poetry:1)Poetry has the power of exciting the sympathy of the reader;2) The power of creating interest for ordinary things (present ordinary things as if they were supernatural or the contrary). How does poetry  reach the two previous effect?1) It adheres to the truth of nature by modifying colours of imagination. The two poets decided  that they could compare to different kinds of poems: A) One were the supernatural topic, and they had to create  the effect of something realistic (Coleridge); B) Poems that would deal ordinary life experiences and characters should be very nears to the ones living in the country. The supernatural  should be dealt as if it could  be perceived as truth, in order to get this result the poet thanks to the use of imagination had to be able to create in the reader a semblance of truth sufficient to procure...that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment which constitutes poetic faith. Wordsworth's task was to deal with things of every day as if they were supernatural experiences. In order to obtain this result the poet was to be able to awake the mind's attention to the lethargy of custom, and direct it to the wonders of the world. Common people are unable to see the supernatural in everyday things because of the film of familiarity and selfish solicitude. The poet can bring the old soul man in activity. He diffuses a tone and spirit of unity and fuses each into each. How can the poet obtain that result? By using imagination, which is a synthetic and magical power.