Point out the differences between metre and poetic diction as propounded by Wordsworth.

 

Ans. Wordsworth rejects poetic diction but justifies the use of metre in poetry. He does not consider metre to be essential to poetry but allows its use because he thinks that metre is a great source of pleasure in poetry. Wordsworth differentiates metre from poetic diction in the following manners:

 (1) Metre is regular and uniform while poetic diction is capricious.

 

(2)Both the poet and the readers can submit to the established rules of metre but the use of poetic diction leaves the readers at the mercy of the whims of the poet.

 

(3) Poetic diction interferes with the passions but metre does not interfere with the passions.

 

(4)The rules of metre are fixed while there are not such fixed rules about poetic diction.