The preface to Lyrical ballads is an essay, written by William Wordsworth.

It remains the clearest

statement of Romantic principles as it lays out the purpose and practice of writing poetry and its
close relation to prose.
According to Wordsworth: Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings which takes
its origin from emotions recollected in tranquility.
When Wordsworth says that poetry is the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" it is clear
that poetry is a matter of mood and inspiration. Poetry evolves from the feeling of the poet. There
is spontaneity in the expression of the feelings. Powerful feelings and emotions are fundamental,
without them great poetry cannot be written. Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful
feelings but Wordsworth odds a corollary that the origin of poetry is from "Emotion recollected
in tranquility" at first glance the two contentions seem contradictory. But Wordsworth's theory of
poetry involved the reconciliation of the two statements. Powerful feelings and profound
thoughts collapse in Poetry.

It also explains the profession of the “poet” and the role of the poetry is giving a voice to
contemporary and simplified ways of living that stay close to the truths of nature. As a Romantic
poet he told to discover the nature and combined it with emotion then produce poetry with that
experience.

So Wordsworth's definition of the nation of poetry as propounded in the 1802 preface is

important and has to be quoted of length that "Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful
feelings" it takes its origin from "emotion recollected in tranquility"

When Wordsworth says that poetry is the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" it is clear
that poetry is a matter of mood and inspiration. Poetry evolves from the feeling of the poet. There
is spontaneity in the expression of the feelings. Powerful feelings and emotions are fundamental,
without them great poetry cannot be written. The insistence on Spontaneity. however, should not
blind as to the fact that Wordsworth doesn't advocate a chaotic or uncontrolled crazy of
emotional outpouring. Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings but Wordsworth
odds a corollary that the origin of poetry is from "Emotion recollected in tranquility" at first
glance the two contentions seem contradictory. But Wordsworth's theory of poetry involved the
reconciliation of the two statements. Powerful feelings and profound thoughts
collapse in Poetry..
Wordsworth asserts that the function of poetry is to express truth which give his readers pleasure.
Wordsworth rejects elaboration or literary devices as artificial work in his discussion. He argued
that poetry should be written in the real language of common man and hopes to meditate
emotion, moral and true conception of life. Poetry can achieve the finest level of art by being
simple and straightforward.
He also explained four stages of poetic creation. These are-
1.observation
2.recollection
3.contemplation
4.imaginative excitement
Main principle of his poetic diction is it should be filtered and confined.
Main ideas of preface to lyrical ballads
1.poetry as the language of common people
2.prose and poetry
3.role of the poet
Subject matter:
1.actual observation
2.humble and rustic
3.natural truth

"Daffodils" is a poem by William Wordsworth that reflects his ideas and values presented in the
"Preface to Lyrical Ballads." In the Preface, Wordsworth emphasizes the use of ordinary and
common language in poetry, aiming to convey feelings and notions in simple and unelaborated
expressions [4]. "Daffodils" serves as an example of this ideal, using simple language to describe
the beauty and joy of the daffodils the speaker encounters [5].
Wordsworth also believes that the poet's purpose and vocation are to give pleasure [3].
"Daffodils" achieves this by emphasizing the joyous quality of the flowers, personifying them
with dancing heads that bring happiness to the speaker [5].
In summary, the criticism of "Daffodils" is connected to the "Preface to Lyrical Ballads" in that
the poem embodies the poetic ideals and values Wordsworth outlines in the Preface, such as
simplicity, use of common language, and the pursuit of pleasure.

Sources:
[3] https://literariness.org/2021/02/17/analysis-of-wordsworths-i-wandered-lonely-as-a-cloud/
[4] https://edubirdie.com/examples/daffodils-as-the-most-significant-work-of-william-
wordsworth/
[5] https://interestingliterature.com/2021/06/a-short-analysis-of-wordsworths-i-wandered-lonely-
as-a-cloud/