Read the excerpt from "A Defence of Poetry."

And this springs from the nature itself of language, which is a more direct representation of the actions and passions of our internal being, and is susceptible of more various and delicate combinations, than colour, form, or motion, and is more plastic and obedient to the control of that faculty of which it is the creation. For language is arbitrarily produced by the imagination and has relation to thoughts alone; but all other materials, instruments and conditions of art, have relations among each other, which limit and interpose between conception and expression.

In this excerpt, Shelley expresses the idea that language comes from

imagination.

education.

expressions.

passions.

Question

English

Ben Sellers

2 February, 09:26

Read the excerpt from "A Defence of Poetry."

And this springs from the nature itself of language, which is a more direct representation of the actions and passions of our internal being, and is susceptible of more various and delicate combinations, than colour, form, or motion, and is more plastic and obedient to the control of that faculty of which it is the creation. For language is arbitrarily produced by the imagination and has relation to thoughts alone; but all other materials, instruments and conditions of art, have relations among each other, which limit and interpose between conception and expression.

In this excerpt, Shelley expresses the idea that language comes from

imagination.

education.

expressions.

passions.

+1

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Schultz · Answer 1

Imagination. Shelley indicates that language reflects passions, and uses expression, but that it comes from the imagination. Shelley does not seem to believe that this is a credible source of language, as it relies upon other factors, but it ultimately is the source nonetheless.