romanticism essay

Romanticism

Whenwethinkofromanceorromanticweoftenassociatetheterm withlove.Peopletalkabouthowtheywanttheirsignificantotherstobe more'romantic'.Butwhatdoestheterm'romantic'reallymean.Doesit meangivingflowers,spendinganeveningalonebycandlelight,bringing homeextravagantgifts,orrecitingbeautifulpoetryWithintoday's societyitcanmeananyoneofthosethingsandmanymore.Butinthe lateeighteenth,earlynineteenthcentury(1780–1830)Romancewas consideredsomethingdifferentaltogether.TotheRomanticsofthisera romancewasawayoflife.Itwastheirwholelife.Romancewastheir wayofexpressingthemselvestothefullestastheyshowmorecontent TheImaginationwasnolongerjustafacultyforcreatingfictions.For theRomanticsitwasameansbywhichtheycouldcommunicatetruth, andasdifferentasthepoetsofthiseraweretheyallsharedthebeliefin theimportanceofImagination.Whattheydidnotsharewasthereligious beliefsandsocialtruthsoftheirsociety.ForthefirsttimeinEnglish LiteraturethepoetsfailedtofindChristianitysatisfying.Through Imagination,romanticpoetswereabletoseekouttheirownconceptof spiritualtruth.InactualityImaginationwasthekeytotheirexistence. Theybelievedthatwithoutittheywerenothing,andwithittheycould

glimpsetheinnermostsecretsoftheUniverse.ItwasJohnKeatsthat oncewrote"IamcertainofnothingbuttheholinessoftheHeart's affections,andtheImagination".TheRomanticsfascinationwith Imaginationalsoaccountsforanotheroftheirconcerns–childhood.They believedthatchildrensawthingsmoreclearlythanadultsdid.Children didnothavereason,habit,andcustomstocloudtheirinnocentminds Theyvaluedthefreshnessandimmediacyofchildlikeintuitionover adultreasoningandexperience.AnotherfavoritesubjectoftheRomantic poetswasthepoethimself.ExamplesofthiswouldbeWordsworth'sThe Prelude,orByron'sDonJuanInthesepoemsthepoetexpressedthe worldashe

Throughouthistorytherehavebeenmanycriticsthatbelieveliterarymovementsariseoutof rebellionsagainsttheliteratureofthepresentera.Whiletheyarenotentirelywrong,itismore reasonabletobelievethatrealism,aswellasNaturalismwasarebelliousreactiontothetraitsofthe RomanticMovements.Theserebelsbegantowritemorestoriesthathadtraitsthatincluded,but werenotlimitedto:greed,lust,andconfusionRealistwriterswererebellingagainstthestoriesthat wouldoftenincludethemesofhonor,chivalry,andserviceduetothefactthattheydidn'tbelieve theydepictedwhatreallifewaslikefortheaverageworkingman.Whenunderstandingtheorigins ofRomanticism,thetwomajorschoolsofRomanticism,andtheoriginsofRealism,itismore believablethatRealismwasarebelliousreactionoftheRomanticMovement.Romanticismwasan intellectualmovementthatinvolvedspecifictypesofmusical,artistic,andliteraryelementsineach project.RomanticismhadfirstbeenrecognizedinEuropetowardsmoreoftheendofthe18th centuryandwasatit'speakfrom1800'sto1850's.Romanticismwasmostknownforits characteristicsthathadputalargeemphasisonindividualismandandemotionOnequotefromthe Romanticismpacketofstoriesthatsupportsthisideaofindividualismcanbefoundinthepassage titled,TheDevilandTomWalker,towardsthebeginningofthepiece.Thepassagestates,"They livedinaforlorn–lookinghouse

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RomanticismandRationalismRomanticismbeganinthemid–18thcenturyandreacheditsheightin the19thcentury.TheRomanticliteratureofthenineteenthcenturyholdsinitstopicstheidealsof thetimeperiod,concentratingonemotion,nature,andtheexpressionof"nothing."The Romanticerawasonethatfocusedonthecommonalityofhumankindand,whileusingemotionand nature;thepoetsandtheirworksshedlightonpeople'suniversalnaturesRomanticismasa movementdeclinedinthelate19thcenturyandearly20thcenturywiththegrowingdominanceof Realismintheliteratureandtherapidadvancementofscienceandtechnology.However, Romanticismwasveryimpressionativeonmostindividualsduringitstimeshowmorecontent Thoreaufeltbydoingthissocietywouldhaveahardertimetomoldhimintowhatitwantedhimto think.Thoreauleftalifeofluxuryfor"voluntarypoverty".Eventhoughhewas "poorerinhisoutwardriches"hewaswealthyinhis"inwardriches".A goodnumberofromanticviewsofNaturesuggestedusingNatureasonestooltolearn.Thisis evidentinWilliamWordsworth'spoem"TheTablesTurnedInthepoem"TheTables Turned"Wordsworthstatesto"quityourbooks[foritis]adullandendlessstrife[;] enoughofScience;closeupthosebarrenleaves."Wordsworthbelievedpiecethatbookswere uselesstolearnfrom.Hebelievedthatweshould"LetNaturebe[our]Teacher[forit]...may teachyoumoreofman[and]moralgoodandevil[,more]thanallthesagescan."Wordsworth agreedwiththepreviousnotionthattounderstandthedivineandoneself,theymustfirststartwith understandingNature.ThisViewofstudyingNatureistakenonestepfurtherbyCharlesDarwin. PerhapsthemostappealingqualityofDarwin'sworkwasthatitaccountedforphenomenonina purelynaturalisticmannerItwasthemostscientificexplanationyet,completelyremovingthe supernaturalexplanation,andsettinghimapartfromthetheoristsbeforehim.Themajorunsettled scientificquestionofDarwin'sTheorywasbeinregardstonaturalselectionasthemechanismfor change,whichbecame

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Romanticismrepresentstheradicalchangeswitnessedinliterature,art,philosophy,andreligion duringthe18thand19thcenturies.Duringtheperiod,therewerenotableshiftsfromthewidely recognizedorthodoxyandneoclassicismofthepriortimesthathadbeeninfluencingthecritical standingsintheworld.Romanticismconsistsofthreefocalobjects,emotions,freedom,and imaginationWhileanalyzingtheliteraryworksofdifferentauthorsoverthecourseoftime,these itemshavefurtherbeenaccessorizedintotypicalcharacteristics.Theseincludeintegrity, authenticity,subjectivity,focusonpersonalliferatherthanthesocietyasawhole,spontaneous thoughts,thesuperiorityofimaginationincomparisonwithreason,beauty,lovefornatureand individualism.Romanticismalsoembedstheconceptofintellectualismtodrawtheelementof positivity.Theideasofself–consciousnessevokedifferentopinionsamongauthorswithcritics arguingthatromanticsarepoetswhotendtointernaleverything

RomanticismandSelf–Consciousness

TheconceptofRomanticismgainedgroundfollowingthe18th–centurypoliticalrevolutionsthat shookthetraditionallivesofsocietiesacrosstheglobe.Inparticular,theFrenchrevolutionthattook placein1789ledtotheintroductionofmultiplechangesinthewaypeoplelived.Alterationsinthe waysofthinkingbecameanecessaryadditiontoensureefficientblendingintothenewsequences. Forthesereasons,theterm

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Introduction

BecausewedidnotdothepresentationforTheCulturalDimensionofEurope,wenowmadea make–upassignment.Inthismake–upassignmentwemadeadiscussionpaperoverromanticismas awayoflookingattheworld.Firstwehaveanintroductionaboutromanticismandthenwehave fourdebatingpointstodiscussFirstlydoeshistoryrepeatitself,focusingatthereactionof romanticismoneventsinthe18thcenturytothereactionofromanticismoneventsnowadays?

Secondlyisagreenworldagoodworld?Thirdlyifyouarereligious,areyouaromanticist?And fourthlyarepoliticsandtheeconomycreatedbyrationalization?

Body

Firstanintroductionabout,romanticism.Romanticismstartedabout200yearsago.Thiswas the...showmorecontent...

Butwhywasnaturesoimportantforromanticists?Romanticismandnatureareconnectedbecause theartistsandphilosophersoftheromanticperiodemphasizedthegloryandbeautyofnature,and thepowerofthenaturalworld.Somescholarsofromanticismbelievethattheromanticiststreated natureinanalmostreligiousway.Reasonsforthedevelopmentofthisstrongconnectionbetween natureandromanticismincludetheIndustrialRevolution,whichledmanypeopletoleaverural areasandliveincities,separatedfromthenaturalworldInaddition,duringthe18thand19th centurieswhenromanticismwaspopular,largeareasofEuropeanandNorthAmericanwilderness hadbeentamed,sothatithadbecomegenerallymuchsaferforpeopletotravelintotheseareasand observetheirnaturalwondersTheconnectionbetweenromanticismandnaturemayhavealsorisen inpartasabacklashagainstthescientificemphasisofenlightenmentphilosophy,andagainstthe culturalnormsofthatperiod.

Manyromanticistartists,writers,andphilosophersbelieveinthenaturalworldasasourceof healthyemotionsandideas.Bycontrast,theemergingurban,industrializedworldwasoften portrayedasasourceofunhealthyemotions,morals,andthoughtsRomanticistssuchasHenry DavidThoreaubelievedthathumansweremeanttoliveintheworldofnature,ratherthantheurban world.TheconnectionbetweenRomanticismandnaturewaslargelyformedwiththiscoreconcept thatman'strueselfcanbefoundinthewilderness,ratherthaninthe

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Romanticism

"Inspiteofitsrepresentationofpotentiallydiabolicalandsatanicpowers,itshistoricaland geographiclocationanditssatireonextremeCalvinism,JamesHogg'sPrivateMemoirsand Confessionsofa JustifiedSinnerprovestobeanovelthatadramatisesacrisisofidentity,athemewhichisvery muchaRomanticconcern."Discuss.

ExaminationofRomantictextsprovidesuswithonlyalimitedandmuchdebateddegreeof commonality.Howeverdespitethedisparityof Romanticism(orRomanticisms)asamovementitwouldbetruetosaythataprevalentaspectof Romanticliteraturethatunitesmanydifferentformsofthemovement,isaconcernwiththedivided self

AstheempiricalRationalismoftheeighteenthcenturywas...showmorecontent... Griffithsagreesthatthe"centraldistinctivefeatureofRomanticismisthesearchforareconciliation betweentheinnervisionandtheouterexperience."DuncanWuassertsthatRomantictextsareoften concernedwith"divisionandreunionbetweenthebodyandthespirit"(Wu,xvii)DavidOakleaf specificallyappliesthisthemeto ConfessionsidentifyingitasRobertWringhim's"refusaltoaccepthimselfasbothaspiritualand corporealcreature"(Oakleaf,27)

ItisworthnotingthatHogghimselffeltsomewhattornbetweenhistraditional"spiritual"sideand hisintellectual"corporeal"side.WeshallseethatthisisabiographicaldetailofHogg'slifethat spillsoverconsiderablyinhisdepictionofacrisisofidentityin

Confessions

Itisalsoworthrememberingthatwhatisconvenientlytermedthe "Romanticperiod"wasoneofgreatsocialandpoliticaldivision Britainitselfwasundergoingasocietal"crisisofidentity"catalysedbytheindustrialrevolution, increasedliteracyandthenoblebeginningsoftheFrenchRevolutionAsaresulttheliteratureofthe agereflectedthisonanumberoflevelsbothovertandcovert;tangibleandspiritual.

IntheScotlandofConfessionsalmosteverythingisatoddswitheverythingelseItisfraughtwith historical,religiousandfamilialdivisionsand,moresubstantially,divisionsofidentity.Although Scottishreligiousandpoliticalhistoryprovidesaneffective

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RomanticismEssays

Romanticism

Romanticismbeganinthemid–18thcenturyandreacheditsheightinthe19thcentury.Itwas limitedtoEuropeandAmericaalthoughdifferentcompatriotsdonatedtoitsbirthandpopularity. Romanticismasamovementdeclinedinthelate19thcenturyandearly20thcenturywiththe growingdominanceofRealismintheartsandtherapidadvancementofscienceandtechnology. However,Romanticismwasveryimpressionativeonmostindividualsduringitstime.Thiswas becauseitwasexpressedinthreemainaspectsoflife:literature,art,andmusicInliterature, RomanticismwastosomeextentareactionagainstthestrictrulesformulatedbytheNeoclassicists. ThefirstfullyRomanticpoetrywasLyricalBallads(1798)byshowmorecontent Wordsworth,Coleridge,andKeatsdescribednatureinanexclusivewaybecauselandscapewasthe mainprincipalintheirworks."MindofMan,"asWordsworthobserved,wasapoets'responsetothe naturalscenesthatinspiredtheirthinkingDespiteallofthis,naturecommonlywasthefocusof Romanticpainters.Romanticpaintersrebelledagainsttheobjectivityandcomposureofthe prevailingNeoclassicstyle.Theartiscolorful,expressive,andfullofmovement.JohnConstable's WivenhoePark,Essex(1816),isapristineexampleofhisscientificapproachtocapturingthe qualitiesofatmosphere,light,andsky.ConstableusedGodinnature,creativity,andthepeaceful aspectsofnatureinthisworkHeisfamedforhis"Constablesky,"whichisthemainelementofhis portrayalofthesceneatWivenhoePark.JosephMallardWilliamTurnerwasanotherEnglishman whoisfamedforhisRomanticworks.Hisemphasisonlightpossiblyarrivesfromhissensitivityto itHewasaheadofhistimewithhisuseoflight,extremitiesofstorms,fire,andsunsetsHis KeelmenHeavingCoalsbyMoonlight(ca.1835)isanillustriousexampleofmostofhisfamous effects:moonlight,fires,andcolorinatmosphericeffects.Romanticisminmusicranparallelwith themovementinliteratureandart.TheRomanticcomposerswerehighlyindividual.Theyexpressed intenseemotion,projectedtheirownfeelings,andsuggested

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Romanticismisatermwhichisdifficulttodefine.AccordingtoMarilynButler"English Romanticismisimpossibletodefinewithhistoricalprecisionbecausethetermitselfishistorically unsound.ItisnowappliedtoEnglishwritersofthefirstquarterofthenineteenthcentury,whodid notthinkofthemselvesasRomantics.Insteadtheydividedthemselvesbyliterarypreceptandby ideologyintoseveraldistinctgroups,dubbedbytheiropponents"Lakeists,""Cockneys,"Satanists," Scotsmen"(qtd.inKroeber,Ruoff,7).Shuretehclaimsthattherearethreeverycrucialessayson Romanticism:

1OntheDiscriminationofRomanticismsbyArthurLovejoy(1924)

2.TheConceptofRomanticisminLiteraryHistorybyReneWellek(1949)

3.TowardaTheoryofRomanticismbyMorsePeckham(1952)showmorecontent

Themostimportantaimofthisvolumewastoshowtheproperwayofperceptionofthesurrounding worldbyapoet.Theimportanceofexpressionwasemphasised,thusthepieceofwritingshouldbe anexampleofexpressiveratherthanmimeticartThenatureofpoetrywasdescribedas"the spontaneousoverflowofpowerfulfeelings".Everyhumanbeingwhowantstobeauthenticshould trytofindnewformsofexpression.OnecannoticetheseattemptsinLyricalBallads(Zbierski, 451).Theromanticaestheticprogrammeincludedfourmainpointswhichcoveredthemesand languageofworks,aimsofromanticliteratureandthestructureofromanticpoetrywhichisstill influential

ThefirstpointofWordsworthianaestheticprogrammeisconnectedwiththemesofworks,i.e. descriptionsofday–to–daylifeofuneducatedpeople,ruralorphans,handicapped,(e.g.TheIdiot Boy)peoplewhosufferedorrejoicedWordsworthachievedperfectionthankstointerweaving simplicityofthecharactersandtheirexpressivenessatthesametime(Mroczkowski,311,Zbierski

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RomanticismInLiterature

Romanticisminliterature,beganaround1750andlasteduntil1870.Differentfromtheclassical waysofNeoclassical Age(1660–1798),itreliedonimagination,idealizationofnatureandfreedomofthoughtand expression.

Twomenwhoinfluencedtheerawiththeirwritingswere

WilliamWordsworthandSamuelTaylorColeridge,bothEnglishpoetsofthetime.Theireditionof "LyricalBallads';,stressedtheimportanceoffeelingandimagination.Thusinromantic Literaturethecodewasimaginationoverreason,emotionoverlogic,andfinallyintuitionover science.Allofthesenewwaysdiscouragedanddidn'ttoleratethemoreclassicwayofliterature.

Othersignificantwritersoftheshowmorecontent

Referencestothiscanbefoundin

"OdetoEvening';byWilliamCollins,and"ElegyWrittenina CountryChurchyard';byThomasGray.

WiththefreedomthatRomanticismbroughtcamethebroadeningofthewritershorizonsThe MiddleAgesbecametopicofmanystoriesandsettings.ThenostalgiaofmoreGothictimesput moreexoticideasintotheauthor'sminds.Thesupernaturalbecameasubstantialpartofthe literature

Outcomesofthisnewideawere"LinesWrittenaFewMilesAbove TinternAbbey';,byWordsworth,and"TheCastleofOtranto';,writtenbyHoraceWalpole.

Theworldofthesupernaturalandexoticnesswasreinforcedbytwomainthings.Onewaspure rebellionagainstthestandardsoftheeighteenth–centuryrationalism,suchasthestructureof neoclassicalsociety.Thesecondwastherediscoveryoffolktalesandballads,particularlytheones collectedbyFacobandWilhelmKarlGrimm,alsoknowastheBrothersGrimm.

Thesegaveaninspirationtowritemanyofthepiecesofasupernaturalnatureforthewritersofthe RomanticAge.

TheRomanticAgestartedtoloseit'sglitterbythemiddleofthenineteenth–century.Literature startedtogetseriousagainfocusingonissuessuchasproblemsofreligionandfaithandpoliticsof theEnglishdemocracyNowinsteadofjourneyingtomythicalplacesthroughthereadingpeople ...Getmorecontent...

ROMANTICISM

AsaresultoftheAmericanrevolutiontheliteratureduringtheninghteencenturychangedtofiction. TheRomanticismwasaperiodinwhichauthorsleftclassicism,ageofreason,intheoldworldand startedtoofferedimagination,emotionsandanewliteraturethattowardnature,humanityand societytoespousefreedomandindividualism.ThemaincharacteristicsorRomanticismmovements are:anemphasisonimaginationasakeytorevealingtheinnermostdepthsofthehumanspirit,the celebrationofthebeautyandmysteryofnature,andafascinationwiththesupernaturalandgothic

WashingtonIrvingwasaveryimportantauthorshowmorecontent

Thisisabeautifulpoembecausewiththecharacteristicofcelebrationofbeautyandmysteryof natureitshowshowbeautifulnatureisandifsomedaysomeonefeelsadandthatpersongoesto naturethattwillhelpittofeelbetterInfactthere'salsoamomentinlifewhenweareallgoingto dieandwewillbecomepartofearth.Ontheotherhandsomepeopleareafraidtodeath,butittries toexplaintothosewhohavethosethoughtsthatwhenyoudie,youreborn,andallthebeautiesof natureofnaturelikerivers,flowers,mountainswillbethedecorationsofourtomb."Oldoceans grayandmelancholywastearebutgreattombofman..."(Bryant,130)

Similarlytotheothertwoauthorsjustmentioned,EdgarAllanPoewasknownas"Themost Americangenius"andalsoasamere"jingleman".Hebelievedthatbeautywastheessenceofthe poemandhisworkwasalwaysbeencharacterizedforhavinghunting,musicalqualityanda melancholytone.Averyimportantworkhedidwas"TheHouseofthefallofUsher"which characterizesthefascinationwiththesupernaturalandthegothic.Equallyimportanttherewere threesymbolsthatplayedaveryimportantroleinthisplay;thecandle,thefissureandthe vegetation.Thecandlesymbolizestheirlifebecausewhenoneofthelightofthecandlesturnoff wasbecauseoneofthewasgoingtodie;thefissuresymbolizestheweaknessoftheUshersfamily; andatthesametimethevegetation

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TIMELINE:ROMANTICISM1800–1850

1749(–1832):JohannWolfgangvonGoethewasborn(writer).

1762:"Manwasbornfree,andheiseverywhereinchains."Jean–JacquesRousseau.

1770(–1840):Neo–Classicism

1770(–1850):WilliamWordsworth(writer)wasborn

1770:IndustrialRevolutionhadaninfluenceontheRomanticperiod.

1785:GrimBrothers.

1789:FrenchRevolution

1800StartofRomanticism

1802(–1885):VictorHugo(writer)wasborn.

1802(–1870):AlexandreDuman,sr.(writer)wasborn.

1803:RomanticismwelcomesChristianity.

1813:TheWaltzacceptedintroducinganewerasocializingandnewmusic

1813:JaneAustenpublishesPrideandPrejudice.

1814:FallofNapoleon,Monarchyrestoredby...showmorecontent... RomanticismwasaEuropeanmovement,between1800throughto1850.Itwasandartistic, intellectual,andliterarymovement(rationalwiki.com).

TheemphasisofRomanticismisontheimaginationandemotionanditstartedasreactionagainst theIndustrialRevolution,whichemphasizedcommercialproductionaswellasaresponsetothe disillusionmentwiththeEnlightenmentvaluesofreasonandordercausedbytheendingofthe FrenchRevolution(1789).

TheRomanticismwasaperiodinwhichcertainideasandattitudesarose;intellectbecamethe dominantmodeofexpression.ExpressionwaseverythingtotheRomantics;art,music,poetry, drama,literatureandphilosophy(TheHistoryguide)TheRomanticsoptedforalifeoftheheart andappreciateddiversityinmanandnature.

Change–TheRomanticswereliberalsandconservatives,revolutionariesandreactionaries.Some werepreoccupiedwithGod,otherswereatheistictothecoreTheRomanticssawdiversityand uniqueness–thosetraitscreateddiversitybetweenmanandnations.TheRomanticsexclaimed, "Daretobe!"(TheHistoryguide)

Theoldorder––politicsandtheeconomy––seemedtobefallingapartandraisedthethreatof moraldisaster.Thereneedtobuildandreshapenewsystemsofdisciplineandordergrew.Theera wasfullofinnovativeideasandnewartforms

Zeitgeist–"Hegel'sideaofthezeitgeist,the"spiritoftheage,"theghostly ...Getmorecontent...

Nature,imagery,andthefreedomofthoughtandexpressionarekeyelementsofRomanticismas characterizedinJaneAusten'sSenseandSensibility,WilliamWordsworth"WeareSeven,"and PercyShelley's"Mutability."TheseliteraryworksofJaneAusten,PercyShelley,andWilliam Wordsworthfocusonemphasizingtheirfeelingsandemotionsbyusingtheirimaginationandtheir loveofnatureaskeytoolsforhelpingreaderstocomprehendtheirpersonalexperiencesEachof theirworksreflectssituationsthatoccurindailylifeandservesasanapproachtohelpreadersgain anunderstandingofthehumanmind.

JaneAusten'suseofnature,imagery,andemotioninSenseandSensibilityreflectthemoralsand principlesofhertime.She...showmorecontent...

Austen'suseofnatureconveysthemessagethatsenseandsensibilityneedsbalance.She communicatestoherreadersthattheemotionaldiscretionsofRomanticismareunnecessaryfor emotionalfulfillment.

JaneAustenassociatesimagerywithcharactersthatindicatethequalitiesandvaluestheysymbolize TheimagerymoststronglyassociatedwithMariannesuchastheRomanticpoetsandmusicand illness,strengthensherconnectionwithRomanticism.TheimageryassociatedwithMarianneis portrayedthroughherunrealisticexpectationsoftheoppositesexwhenshegivesherviewof EdwardFerrarsbysaying,"WhatapityitisElinor,thatEdwardshouldhavenotastefordrawing" (Austen15)AustenalsousesimagerytoportraythecharacterofElinorElinor'sscreenpaintings suggestherabilitytokeepsecretsandtoguardorrestrainheremotions.AustenillustratesElinor's protectedemotionswhenElinorsays,"IdonotattempttodenythatIthinkveryhighlyofhim–that Igreatlyesteemhim,thatIlikehim"(Austen16)Shealsousesimagerytoconnectwithother characterssuchasWilloughby'shorses,Fanny'sassociationswithmoneyandmaterialpossessions, Mrs.Jennings'sassociationwithfood,andotherconstantentertainmentsatBartonPark.Jane Austen'scombinationofnatureandimageryisusedtoconveythefeelingsandemotionsofthe characters.Sheusesemotionstoconvey

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