William Wordsworth wife, Mary, published his autobiographical 'poem to Coleridge" as the Prelude several months after his death. At the time this book was published it failed to arouse interest at the time, but it has since come to be known as his masterpiece.
English poet, literary critic, and philosopher, William Wordsworth helped launch the Romantic age in English literature towards the end of the 18th century in Europe with their joint publication Lyrical Ballads. Both Samuel Taylor and William Wordsworth conceived a new style of poetry in which nature and diction of the common man outplayed formal, stylized writing. This movement was a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, the aristocratic and political norms of the age of enlightenment, and the scientific rationalization of nature. This Romantic period known as the Romantic Era or as other may know it as the Romantic period was at its peak in the period from 1800 to 1850. During this romantic era many writers sought to unite the tranquility of nature and the inner emotional world of men. His purpose for this came about for the reason that William Wordsworth believed that the world was "too fast paced, too noisy, to full of mindless entertainment". His vision was to create poetry that reunited readers with true emotions and feelings. An example of this vision can be observed when he wrote about a field of daffodils, he just didn't want you to think about what is being described-he wanted you to feel the texture of that flower, to feel that breeze that came with along with the setting. Along with the setting he wanted you to feel this breeze rub against your skin which creates a sense of peace and tranquility that this sight brought to your inner soul .Several contributing factors that inspired William Wordsworth to write poetry throughout his life were brilliant poetry writers such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Milton, English poets, Robert Burns, a Scottish poet, Walter Scott, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Edwund Spenser, George Herbert and David Hartley.