The Romantic PeriodThe Romantic Period1798-18321798-1832

The Curfew or The Wide Water'd Shore, 1870

Samuel Palmer

What We What We KnowKnow

Romantic Romantic CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Romanticism is characterized by the following general features: •Romanticism turned away from the 18th century emphasis on reason and artifice.  Instead, the Romantics embraced imagination and naturalness. •Romantic-era poets rejected the public, formal, and witty works of the previous century. They preferred poetry that spoke of personal experiences and emotions, often in simple, unadorned language. •The Romantics each used the lyric as the form best suited to expressions of feeling, self-revelation, and the imagination. 

Romanticism Romanticism Cont’d.Cont’d.

Wordsworth urged poets to adopt a democratic attitude towards their audiences; although endowed with a special sensibility, the poet was always happy “a man speaking to men.”

  Many Romantics turned to a past or inner dream

world that they felt was a more picturesque and magical than the ugly industrial age they lived in.

  Most Romantics believed in individual liberty and

sympathized with those who rebelled against tyranny.

  The Romantics thought of nature as

transformative; they were fascinated by the ways nature and the human mind “mirrored” the other’s creative properties.

Turbulent Times, Bitter Turbulent Times, Bitter RealitiesRealities

•Started with the French Revolution in 1789•Ended with Parliamentary Reforms in 1832•Turbulent Age – England changed from agricultural to industrial (Industrial Revolution)•American Independence 1776 •Revolution sweeping across Western Europe

Storming of the BastilleStorming of the Bastille

Revolution Revolution RomanticizedRomanticized

The idea of revolution in France excited democratic idealists like William Wordsworth.

Made trips to France to see revolution unfold – like tourists to the Grand Canyon.

September Massacre 1792 – 100’s of aristocrats beheaded by the guillotine.

Napoleon Bonaparte – emperor - 1804

Tragic End of Louis XVI (18Tragic End of Louis XVI (18thth Century) unknown Century) unknown artistartist

The Industrial The Industrial RevolutionRevolution

Laissez Faire – “let (people) do (as they please)

Policy allowing economic forces to operate freely without gov’t interference.

Most devastating on the small poor children.

Poetry changed from formal public verse to a mo spontaneous, lyric poetry

Expresses Romantic belief that imagination rather than reason was the best response to the forces of change.

Romanticism is Romanticism is associated with idealism.associated with idealism.

Not romance novelsNot romance novels

A Surrey Cornfield (19A Surrey Cornfield (19thth Century) by George Century) by George Vicat ColeVicat Cole

Bedlam Furnace, Madeley Dale Shorpshire (1803) by Paul Bedlam Furnace, Madeley Dale Shorpshire (1803) by Paul Sandby MunnSandby Munn

Autumn Leaves (20Autumn Leaves (20thth Century) by Century) by Daniel SherrinDaniel Sherrin

Final Final ThoughtsThoughts

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