willing suspension of disbelief

reesetee commented on the word willing suspension of disbelief

Coined by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his Biographia Literaria, 1817, in reference to the creation and reading of poetry:

"During the first year that Mr. Wordsworth and I were neighbours, our conversations turned frequently on the two cardinal points of poetry, the power of exciting the sympathy of the reader by a faithful adherence to the truth of nature, and the power of giving the interest of novelty by the modifying colours of imagination. . . . In this idea originated the plan of the 'Lyrical Ballads'; in which it was agreed, that my endeavours should be directed to persons and characters supernatural, or at least romantic, yet so as to transfer from our inward nature a human interest and a semblance of truth sufficient to procure for these shadows of imagination that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment, which constitutes poetic faith. Mr. Wordsworth on the other hand was to propose to himself as his object, to give the charm of novelty to things of every day, and to excite a feeling analogous to the supernatural, by awakening the mind's attention from the lethargy of custom, and directing it to the loveliness and the wonders of the world before us; an inexhaustible treasure, but for which in consequence of the film of familiarity and selfish solicitude we have eyes, yet see not, ears that hear not, and hearts that neither feel nor understand."

October 23, 2007

npydyuan commented on the word willing suspension of disbelief

Thanks for posting this, reesetee. I've heard and used the phrase for years, but was ignorant of its beautifully-worded origins!

October 24, 2007

reesetee commented on the word willing suspension of disbelief

No problem. I needed a reminder myself. :-)

October 24, 2007