Final answer:
Wordsworth and Coleridge defined poetry in the preface to 'Lyrical Ballads' as 'the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings; it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity,' highlighting the importance of both emotional intensity and reflective revision in the creation of poetry.
Step-by-step explanation:
The preface of Wordsworth and Coleridge's Lyrical Ballads had a significant impact on the definition of poetry by expressing that poetry is "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings." Wordsworth exquisitely nuanced this definition by adding that poetry takes its origin from "emotion recollected in tranquillity." This implies that while poetry may begin as a raw, emotional response, it requires reflection and careful consideration before it takes its final form.
Historically, poetry was seen as a composition in metrical lines, and was less about its technical aspects and more a normative category of fictive or rhetorical art. However, the Romantic era, as spearheaded by figures like Wordsworth and Coleridge, brought forth the notion that poetry should be a personal and emotional expression. This was a significant shift from the previous notion that poetry was simply about rhythm and verse.