Why did Johann Gottfried von Herder emphasize feeling in poetry and art?

Johann Gottfried von Herder emphasized feeling (Gefühl) in poetry and art because he viewed it as the primary medium through which individuals experience reality and connect with the world. Unlike sight, which perceives objects at a distance, Herder believed feeling provides an immediate, vital experience that allows a person to recognize their own power and existence.1

For Herder, poetry was not a product of deliberate learning or mere amusement, but an involuntary reaction to the natural and historical environment. He argued that this "voice of feeling" is the organ of a dynamic relationship between humanity and the world, expressed most effectively through the sounds, stresses, and rhythms of speech. By prioritizing feeling, Herder sought to capture the Volksseele (or "ethnic soul"), believing that authentic human nature and national identity are best revealed through the expressive, naive discourse of folk literature. Ultimately, he saw feeling and reflection as interpenetrating forces; when a person recognizes the limits of their environment through feeling, they achieve a balance that allows for the creation of art and the realization of their own humanity.231