Chapter 3: Patterns of Creativity

In the essay A Defence of Poetry, Shelley made the given statement. Shelley expressed his view on the poets and their poetry. The beauty of poetry and its power. Poetry arrests the enhancing beauty which makes everything immortal. It not only reflects; it has the power to bring changes and ignite the minds. Humanity is inspired by poetry. LikeShelley said, ‘Poets are the hierophants of an unapprehended inspiration; the mirrors or the gigantic shadows which futurity casts upon the present; the words which express what they understand not; the trumpets which sing to battle, and feel not what they inspire; the influence which is moved not, but moves.’ This means that it is poetry which bears the future and inspires minds. It mirrors the present and beholds the past as well. The poets are the subtle revolutionaries of our society. Not only the poets but all the authors also. They are the force that drives society to freshness and are moral critics. They not only participate as viewers in society but also notice and express their appreciation or criticism through their work.

Every issue has two perspectives. While the poets such as Keats and Wordsworth criticise man for exploitation of nature and move towards Science, Shelley loved the poetry of Science and depicted it in his work. It symbolises peace, joy and illumination. Being a prominent scientist, Darwin immensely enjoyed literature until he reached 30. Faraday, another scientist, was engaged in his scientific experiments on electricity and made new inventions. It is hard to conclude whether scientists or poets are compatible or not. There will be numerous such scientists and poets who are fond of poetry and science. On the other hand, there will be a few more who are concerned only about their concerned subject.

One who is passionate about their subject will praise it profoundly. The medium of expression is the only difference. While the scientist makes use of an invention to show his passion, the poet uses words to praise his subject, which is natural. So, Shelley created poetry on Science, and Faraday discovered the laws of electromagnetic induction. This led to the formulation of new concepts like ‘fields of force’ and ‘lines of force’. It is not true that scientists do not defend their subject. By answering Gladstone, Faraday defended his discoveries that there was a probability of taxing electricity by the government. So, only the medium ones choose to defend their subject.