English Romanticism 1798-1832

1. English Romanticism1798-1832 How poets such as Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Keats shaped literature during the most revolutionary time in English history.

2. What is Romanticism? “I felt before I thought” --Jean Jacques Rousseau Romantic poets believed that one should write from their emotions and initial feelings on certain topics, rather than THINK about the topic and its impact and/or consequences.

3. Romantic Style • First Appearance: German songs and Ballads in the late 18th century. • Throwback to traditional literature of Medieval Times • Unrequited Love (murder and suicide) • Chivalry (Was chivalry dead?)

4. Romanticism • Revolved around one’s personal life and personal experiences. • Involved themes such as: • Frenzy • Melancholy • World-Weariness • Fear • Self-Destruction WHY?? What was everyone so depressed about?

5. Romantic Style Romantic poets emphasized content over form!! • Less rhyming & meter (Chaucer/Shakespeare) • More plot-driven (narrative) • More action • More emotion & feeling • Complex characters • Less/Absence of God • Alternatives to organized religion

6. Themes of Romanticism • Libertarianism/Individualism • Nature • Lure of the Exotic • Supernatural

7. Libertarianism/Individualism • Born out of “Age of Enlightenment” • Desire to be free from tyranny and oppression • Monarchies • Feudal System • Overthrow/Change the government • American & French Revolution

8. Libertarianism/Individualism • Focus on the influence of the Industrial Revolution and the “Urban Sprawl” • Filth from pollution from factories/human waste • Moving into “nature” and away from cities • Criticism of Urban Society • Filth in the streets and factories • Influence of poverty and the poor • Poor living/working conditions & child labor • “A Modest Proposal”—Jonathan Swift (1732) brought up idea originally (rich vs. poor)

9. Nature • Natural and picturesque surroundings in the country (away from urban misery) • Emphasis to move away from the cities to the country. • Healthier • Less stress • Melancholy, sometimes laid-back themes • Life needs to be changed for the better—make it better for the individual

10. Lure of the Exotic • Introductions of other societies • Oriental culture (Chinese, Japanese, etc.) • East Indian culture • Native Caribbean culture • How does the aristocracy live in other cultures? Corrupt? Dishonest? Disconnected? (to its people). • Creation of locations with ornate descriptions • Recall from the Gothic past (Medieval Times) • Leads to the expanse of the “supernatural”

11. The Supernatural • Irrational states of being (states of mind) • Based on old folk tales and ballads from medieval and post-medieval literature • Hans Christian Andersen (Dutch) • Brothers Grimm (German) • Fascinated with self-identity (analysis of self within the self—philosophy?) • Beginning of the creation of monsters (ex: Frankenstein monster) • Symbolism for the corruption of the mind/humanity or states of mind/humanity

12. Review • Romanticism has to do with feelings not thoughts • Emphasis on medieval literature • Melancholy and laid back themes • Less form: rhyming, meters; more plot-driven, more developed characters, more actions, emotions, feelings, etc. • Main themes: • Libertarianism/Individualism • Nature • Lure of the Exotic • Supernatural