Reader’s Giude to Lyrical ballads

‘Lyrical ballads, with a few other Poems’ is honestly a drag to read, in my opinion. The attempt was made, in bringing these poems together, to re-tool the common language and impart on the audience a greater respect for nature using an appeal to the emotions. In most cases, the pathos used is dark and foreboding. Funnily enough, the main criticisms on its initial reception, was that the collection was too easily understood. Keep in mind that this piece was a response to nature being rationalized, and elitism within the literate community.

The best advice I can give when reading these poems is to keep in mind that there is a clear message trying to be conveyed. Upon reflection, the message is very easily transmitted if one can summon the willpower to just get through it all. Many of the poems have interesting concepts and stories if you can separate them from the language being used to convey them. ‘The Ancient Albatross’ for example, is about a pessimistic man at sea who is ostracized by the rest of the crew. Before long he wishes death upon himself, which  he cannot seem to find, all the while learning his lesson in respect to nature. AT its core, the poems are quite interesting, there just seems to be a facade of confusing language. With that in mind, the reading will be MUCH more pleasant.