Was Wordsworth the Greatest Poet of the 19th Century?

[Quark]

Was William Wordsworth the greatest poet of the nineteenth century? Coleridge called him this preemptively at the beginning of the century. Do you think he was right? Why, or why not?

[cuppajoe_9]

I actually vastly prefer Coleridge himself. Wordsworth was certainly innovative, but The Rime of the Ancient Mariner showed, in my opinion, much more imagination, narrative flair and word-sense than Wordsworth ever did.

And, of course, they both take the stuffing of Alfred Lord "I Think I'll Take 'Kublah Kahn' and Remove All the Fun" Tennyson.

[Quark]

I actually vastly prefer Coleridge himself. Wordsworth was certainly innovative, but The Rime of the Ancient Mariner showed, in my opinion, much more imagination, narrative flair and word-sense than Wordsworth ever did.

And, of course, they both take the stuffing of Alfred Lord "I Think I'll Take 'Kublah Kahn' and Remove All the Fun" Tennyson.

I think you may be right that Coleridge had more narrative flair and imagination than Wordsworth. Coleridge's poems are often more fantastical and use plot, but Wordsworth showed an insight, depth of feeling, and subtlety of language that Coleridge never possessed. You may be right that Coleridge's poem can be more entertaining, but I think that Wordsworth's poetry is transformative. Wordsworth not only aimed to please his readers, but also to demonstrates man's relation to society, nature, and himself. He explored ideas like age, duty, and inspiration in way that had never been done before. I think in this way he transcends Coleridge.

As for Tennyson, yeah, he's not my favorite either. His constant rhyming and repeating of sounds makes his poetry kind of sing-songy, but "In Memoriam" is one of the greatest poems ever. It talks about language, science, and religion with great depth. And, if you don't like "Ulysses", I don't think you have a soul.

"Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough
Gleams that untraveled world whose margin fades
Forever and forever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnished, not to shine in use" (19-23)