Wordsworth was the first in many fields, he stimulated interest and controversy, and so brought about fundamental changes both in the romantic theory and practice.
He is the first theorist of the movement, and the credit of having given a particular shape and direction to English romantic criticism must go to him. By his emphasis on simplicity both in theme and treatment he conquered new territories for poetry and so enlarged the domain both of theory and practice of literature.
By his emphasis on emotion and imagination he gave back to English poetry the stuff which properly belongs to it, and in this way revolutionized literary concepts.