DSC 301: Biographia Literaria. Theory of Imagination (4)

BL was written in 1817 by S.T. Coleridge. Along with WW's Lyrical Ballads, it became very important mouthpiece of literary criticism begotten from the romantic age. It is autobiographical and philosophical work. The book gives some new conception on poetry and poem in English literature. It is also a statement of Coleridge's principles in politics, philosophy, religion and literary theory. BL is a voluminous book of 24 chapters. In chapters 13,14 & 18, the presence of WW is perceived. Critics found these 3 chapters as very complex ones. Arthur Simons and George Saintsbury praised it whereas T.S. Eliot found it lethargic.

To STC, imagination is divided into two parts. They are pl and si.

1. Primary Imagination is the living power and prime agent of all human perception. In PI, the eyes captures the image and the mind is able to identify one image or object from one another. "It is the repetition in finite mind of eternal act of creation in infinite I AM". I AM is the god. God is the creator and we share a huge number of characteresitics with God. Finite mind is human being's mind. The infinite links the primary Imagination with God. It is repetitive. It is involuntary or automated. It is basic cognitive perception and every human being has it in possession. It is a common faculty. It resides in the subconscious part of our mind. And anything we see and understand is through primary Imagination. Anything new cannot be created from it. The rhetoric used is difficult in this chapter. 

2. After the perception of image in PI, the mind captures and processes it and secondary imagination is created. In the processing, the mind dissolves, diffuses, dissipated and then recreates. Here, the poet's creative power is witnessed and found it very transformative. It is the echo of primary Imagination. It transforms the ordinary into extraordinary. John Milton and William Shakespeare are examples of secondary imagination. Their works are too creative and filled with diverse elements. All their emotions get dissolved very well. It diffuses the object and subject that we saw. SI is not inborn. Everybody doesn't have the SI. It is different with PI not in kind but degree. It means, there are some people have primary Imagination and another have higher or heightened part of PI and this becomes the SI. It is not a different kind but just enhanced in degree. SI coexists in conscious mind. So its task is also active in nature and creates. They act and create. Daffodils is a SI in the poem following the PI of the image of daffodils. The pi returns back as si. Esemplastic (unified form) is a characteristic or property of SI.

3. Fancy

It is distinguished from imagination. It's task is not to create. It is the mode of memory, and a store house receiving all its materias readymade from various associations. It is mechanical not organic. It rearranges but does not create. It just reminds us. It differs in kind but not in degree. Its task is different. It is not poetic. Abraham Cowley is associated with fancy. "My luv is like a red, red, rose" is one of his fancied poem. It just collects and puts together.

4. Willing suspension of disbelief is found in chapter 14. S.t.coleridge's use of supernatural in kubla khan the reader believes in the art despite knowing at the back of the mind that it is not real. So we willingly suspend our belief system so that we enjoy the creation. Modern example is Harry Potter series, apart from the superman, Spider-Man like comics. Here, the secondary imagination is used. Norman Holland a reader response critic, says that human beings deliberately transfers to disbelief for the sake of entertainment.

6. Chapter 14 is about poetry and poet. Ch 18 deals with meter and diction. Poem vs Poetry.

Poetry is a part of poem. Poetry is for learning. Poem is for pleasure. The conflict gets resolved by S.T. Coleridge. In an ideal poem, truth is learning. Learning and pleasure become one. It is like this movement of a serpent. A great poem is not a collection of separate, beautiful lines but living whole where every part reacts and connects to every other part.