Who said “Poetry must have something in it that is barbaric, vast and wild.”?

Verified

Denis Diderot. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceOn Dramatic Poetry (1758)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: On Dramatic Poetry (1758).

APA

Diderot, D. (n.d.). Poetry must have something in it that is barbaric, vast and wild. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/32768-poetry-must-have-something-in-it-that-is/

MLA

Diderot, Denis. “Poetry must have something in it that is barbaric, vast and wild.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/32768-poetry-must-have-something-in-it-that-is/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Diderot, Denis. “Poetry must have something in it that is barbaric, vast and wild.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/32768-poetry-must-have-something-in-it-that-is/.