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How Romantic. The discovery of the British Romantic Hero. What’s Going On???. Characteristics of the Romantic Period Began in 1798 Two movements that have large affects French Revolution: inspired rebellion and turmoil
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How Romantic The discovery of the British Romantic Hero
What’s Going On??? • Characteristics of the Romantic Period • Began in 1798 • Two movements that have large affects • French Revolution: inspired rebellion and turmoil • Scientific movement: Science was making the church look foolish, and people started believing only what they could see.
How about in Literature? • Characteristics of Romantic Literature • Focused more on beauty instead of religion • There was a return to nature • A belief in the goodness of humanity • Rousseau, “The nature of man is naturally good, unless changed or corrupted by society’s institutions.” • Ex. Church or Government
There was a rediscovery of the artist as a supremely individual creator, They are the “bards” of society. (Wordsworth) • The development of nationalistic pride • The exaltation of the senses and emotions over reason and intellect • A philosophical revolt against rationalism. • Focus on Imagination and emotion • (http://mural.uv.es/frando.romancharacters.html)
So who created the first Hero? LORD BYRON
MAD!!!!! • Lord Byron • Born January 22, 1788 • Wrote Poetry and satires • Major works include Child Harold’s Pilgrimage, and Don Juan. • Had a club foot, and was very self conscious about his infirmity • He was very attractive; his nurse made advances at him when he was only nine, and with his idealized love for his cousins, his ideas of women were formed.
BAD!!!! • When he was older he fell into an “abyss of sensuality,” that was so bad that it threatened to undermine his health. • Chris Lynam said that he was, “Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know.” • Was married to Anne Isabella • When she gave birth to their first child, she left him without excuse, and Byron exiled himself from Europe.
AND DANGEROUS TO KNOW!! • He traveled abroad, wrote poetry, and constantly fell in love. • He died of a fever on April 19, 1824 • (http://englishhistory • .net/byron/life.html)
It’s not Superman!!!!!! • Characteristics of a Byronic Hero • Considered a rebel • The Byronic hero does not possess "heroic virtue" but rather dark and mysterious qualities. • His self-respect and hypersensitivity are “larger than life.” • Titanic Passion • Prideful • Isolated from society and their institutions
And It’s not Batman!!!! • Moody • Emotional • Arrogant • Rejects society because he believes he rises above them • Usually characterized by some secret sexual sin, and therefore a figure of repulsion as well as fascination. • Has some physical infirmity
Who In Jane Eyre would have fit this description? ROCHESTER!!!!!!!!
Why do you think There is a Byronic Hero In Jane Eyre? • Jane wrote this story during the Romantic Period • When Byron died at the age of thirty-six in 1824, Bronte was but eight years old. • Bronte's youthful age, however, did not preclude Byron and his works from having a profound effect on her and her writing; indeed, the "cult" of Lord Byron flourished shortly after his death "dominating [the Brontes'] girlhood and their young womanhood"
So wouldn’t a woman who seems preoccupied with aristocracy, and prudent behavior of that time, find the idea of the Byronic hero attractive and alluring? • Blanche Ingram asks Rochester to "now sing, and I will play for you." When Rochester replies that he will indeed sing for them, she says, "Here then is a Corsair-song. Know that I dote on Corsairs; and for that reason, sing it 'con spirito'" (181; ch.17). Bronte's allusion to Byron's immensely popular work "The Corsair," which was published in 1814, suggests that Jane Eyre was set sometime after this date. • http://www.umd.umich.edu/casl/hum/eng/classes/434/charweb/CHARACTE.htm