Modes of Imagination.

This research characterizes and conceptualizes a series of modes of imagination in contemporary poetry and literature: Prosaic imagination, Pictorial imagination, Fancy imagination, Fancy-realistic imagination, and Poetic imagination. These modes have been drawn from the existing notions and concepts of poetic imagination. The definitions of these modes signify that some of them embrace more poetical and imaginative imagination. These modes of imagination are, however, not distinctively separate from each other as some characteristics and features are shared albeit with fine and subtle variations. These modes are described below

Prosaic imagination is characterized with non-pictorial images that cause a sense of matter-of-factness that reduces imaginative aspects of the poem. There are too many abstractions in image making process which makes the poem look like a good prose composition that has been cut off into line lengths. The idea of this mode of imagination is based on Imagism’s notion of using too many abstractions in image making process which they believe makes the poem looks like a good prose except for “chopping … composition into line lengths”. This reduces poeticality and creativity of images in poetry (Pound, 1916). Abstractions are mostly rendered through images that do not evoke pictures. The poet’s excessive use of non-pictorial imagery causes a sense of matter-of-factness and reduces imaginative aspects of the poem. This is what Bly says makes the poem “dry” (Bly 1982). Distinguishing characteristic of this mode of imagination is an explicit lack of pictorial quality. Immediate imagery, such as concrete images and sensory images are usually characterized with pictorial quality. Idea images, on the other hand, which render thoughts and intellect, do not evoke real pictures in the mind. In prosaic mode of imagination idea images are connected to each other by concrete images and sensory images or any other type of images. The crux of the matter is the poet’s extensive use of idea imagery in the poem that overshadows pictorial dimensions of other types of images in the poem. This also results from explicit lack of features of poetic imagination (referring to the second category of the framework). Dominant use of idea imagery in prosaic mode of imagination enhances didactic and informative dimensions of the poem. Narrative is also wrought in the overtly intended aspects of the image making process in prosaic mode of imagination.

Pictorial Imagination is to see the thing imagined when it is absent but exists in reality. It allows the poet to treat images that deal with reality but does not extend to the occasions when imagination is creatively engaged in a project in which the real object is not known. This is particularly true when the imagined object is known beforehand. Imagism’s stress on exactness, clarity, concreteness and use of visual images echoes the main idea in pictorial imagination that emphasizes pictorial dimensions of images. Pictorial imagination is characterized with a high pictorial quality of images in the poem especially when they evoke strong visualizing pictures in the mind. However, pictorial imagination does not refer to mere copying of things. In pictorial imagination the poet does not merely record what he sees: he envisions it under the stimulus of the objects actually seen. In this way, perceiving with emotion, he may disclose the immanent beauty of things which escapes ordinary seeing. This mode of imagination works with the effect of things as presented themselves to the poet’s mind. There is a strong sense of objective reality in this mode of imagination that is achieved through the immediacy of pictures images invoke. Most of sensory and concrete images are connected with this kind of imagining. It is characterized with a high pictorial quality of images in the poem, especially when they evoke strong visualizing pictures in the mind. 

Fancy Imagination gathers images from memories or sensory perceptions and mixes them together to create new imaginary ideas. It works according to a mechanic association of ideas, and imposes a prefabricated or predetermined pattern upon the work of art. This is the factor, indeed, that diminishes the creativity of this mode. The close association between fancy and imagination in the conceptual history of imagination in poetry shows that fancy has been discussed as a mode of imagination. The original idea of fancy imagination is based on what Wordsworth wrote about fancy in the Preface to Poems (1815: 9): “Where there is more imagination than fancy in a poem, it is placed under the head of imagination, and vice versa”. By using the term “fancy imagination” I mean to stress the Romantic notion of fancy as a mode of creative imagination that is involved with fanciful creativity. The faculty of fancy was associated with mechanical poetry by Coleridge. The kind of poetry that fancy produces is the work of “talent” like the writings of Fletcher, Ben Jonson and Pope (Abrams, 1953: 176). In addition, fancy was also used with reference to the process of producing a light-hearted, simple, or fanciful poetry and reserve the term imagination for more serious, passionate, or intense poetry. However, for the original Romantic critics and poets, the distinction in terminology marked two different types of creativity. They valued imaginative creativity more than fanciful creativity regardless of whether the poetry was serious or light-hearted.  Fancy imagination in this framework takes both issues of the Romantic notion of fancy into account; however, fancy imagination does not necessarily produce less serious poetry (bad poetry) than what poetic imagination produces. The point is not what kind of poetry fancy produced but the level of creativity and poeticality that is lesser in fancy. Because fancy imagination is less creative – fanciful creativity – than poetic imagination – imaginative creativity, therefore the kind of poetry produces is different. Both Wordsworth and Coleridge concurred that the materials, the processes, and the rhetorical or psychological effects of fancy differ from those of the imagination in that they are merely capricious, transient, only temporarily surprising. Fancy imagination gathers images from memories or sensory perceptions and mixes them together to create new chimerical ideas. This process is similar but inferior to the higher mental faculty of imagination, which in its highest form – poetic imagination – would create completely new ideas and entirely novel images rather than merely reassemble memories and sensory impressions in a different combination. Fancy imagination (fancy) receives “all its materials ready made from the law of association” (Coleridge 1817). It works according to “a mechanic association of ideas”, and imposes a prefabricated or predetermined pattern upon work of art. This is the factor, indeed, that diminishes the creativity of this mode. This is similar to the kind of writing that was called “fairy way of writing” by Dryden. This means that the poet “has no pattern to follow in it, and must work altogether out of his own invention” (Addison 1712).

The absence of pattern for the poet to follow in fancy imagination is connected to the role that “will” plays in this mode of imagination. Kant’s unwilled productive capacity of fancy and Coleridge’s notion of fancy’s independency from will explain the role of will in fancy imagination. Fancy imagination (fancy) is a lower cognitive mode of imagination related to and influenced by the will, but not dependent upon the will for its operation.

Fancy-Realistic Imagination refers to the poet’s imagining process when he mingles realistic portrayals of ordinary events and characters with fancy images, surrealist elements, fantasy and myth. Fancy-realistic imagination is based on magical realists’ notion of fantasy in a natural context. It refers to the use of the elements of fantasy in a natural context – magical realism – and also to the use of natural objective reality-principles in a fantastic context. Fantasy is used in two senses as making the elements (magical realism) or preparing the context. In addition, fantasy is used in a broader sense than in magical realism. Fancy-realistic imagination refers to the poet’s imagining process when he mingles realistic portrayals of ordinary events and characters with fancy images, surrealist elements, fantasy and myth. This is to portray real world as having marvelous aspects in it. Treating fantastic as normal and normal as fantastic, or the ordinary as miraculous and the miraculous as ordinary through imagination and poetic/creative imagery is the trademark of Fancy-Realistic mode of imagination. In magical realism that elements of fantasy as part of the unreal are combined with the elements of the real through imagination. This means that the unreal is brought into the real and makes the unreal appear as part of reality. In magical realism, the focus is on reality rather than on magic and fantasy. In the fancy-realistic mode of imagination, the focus is both on reality and fancy. Fancy is used in the term “fancy-realistic imagination” because it carries levels of creativity and not merely elements of supernatural and fantasy. In other words, in the fancyrealistic mode of imagination the unreal is brought to the real or the real is brought into the unreal. An example of fancy-realistic imagination can be found in Lord of the Rings. This is why the product sometimes seems real and sometimes unreal. This means that the creative imagination transforms the domain of the real to the magically real and the domain of the unreal to realistically magic. The difference between fancy imagination and fancy-realistic imagination lies in the use of reality-principles in the latter mode and absence of these principles in the former. Some creative amendments in the course of the story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Garcia Marquez as an example of magical realism, helps to clarify notions of magical realism and fancy-realistic mode of imagination, and also to explain the difference between the modes of fancyrealistic imagination and fancy imagination. In this magical realist story, an angel falls to Earth among ordinary people and is treated as a natural bird. This is magical realism in which the writer’s imagination transforms the unreal (angel) to the real (a natural creature like a bird). Now imagine if a man lands in heaven among angels and is treated not more unusual than a heavenly creature. Such context is fanciful which also has the elements of reality (man and all his earthly natural traits). In both cases of angel falling into earth (magical realism) and man transcending to heaven mentioned above, the dominant mode of imagination is fancy-realistic. Now let’s consider angels among angels or in fairy tales with no conspicuous or emphasis on elements of reality. The dominant mode of imagination is fancy imagination. 

Poetic Imagination is closely attached to the idea of ‘creation’. The creative core of poetic imagination encompasses and defines its other dimensions. This mode of imagination is characterized with the highest level of creativity and poeticality. The idea of this mode of imagination is mainly from the Romantic notions of poetic imagination, the phenomenological concept of poetic image and notion of imagination as a tool to understand reality. The distinguishing characteristic of this mode of imagination refers to the consistent presence and working of features of poetic imagination. The features of poetic imagination include “poetic Image as an act of the poet’s soul”, “communicability of poetic image”, the presence of “reality-principles in imagining”, “Intuitive Knowledge of Poetic Imagination”, and “the dynamic freshness of poetic image”.* This mode of imagination embodies poetic image which is the act of the poet’s soul; when images in the poem communicate and acquire new meanings through their interaction; when the poet using the reality-principles creates the unreal out of what is real; when imagination is capable of providing “intuitive knowledge”; when poetic image epitomizes the dynamism and freshness by which it can create noble meanings and aspects in the poem. 

These features permit a certain actualization of new meanings or the emergent of possible meanings by re-vivifying moribund discourse of thought in this mode of imagination . Fundamentally, the creative essence of poetic imagination sets to free itself from the domination of the senses. Poetic imagination embraces the moment that imagination does not have to confront an image with the objective reality. Poetic imagination is when imagination deviates more and more from that which is called reality in ordinary language and vision, and approaches the heart of the reality which is no longer the world of manipulable objects. This does not mean poetic imagination is the world of the supernatural and fantasy. Rather poetic imagination is a power within the poet which is nourished by reality, and moves towards a renewed reality. 

By imagination we abandon the ordinary course of things. It is the world of reality which has been created poetically in the poem/text, where mind produces images of events or objects that are either insecurely related or unrelated to past and present reality. Additionally, poetic imagination can combine the contradictory things together in a new synthesis and “generates and produces forms of its own” (Coleridge’s notion). This mode of imagination “reveals itself in the balance or reconciliation of opposite or discordant qualities of the idea with the image; the individual with the representative; the sense of novelty and freshness with old and familiar objects; a more than usual state of emotion with more than usual order. The mode of poetic imagination is thus the most poetic and the densest as it reflects the competence to inextricably intertwine all types and forms of images with the philosophical, phenomenological, psychological and artistic threads of the imagination