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Historical Periods:
1. 1600-1700 – Renaissance
2. 1700-1789 – Neo-Classical/Enlightenment
3. 1789-1836 – Romanticism
4. 1836-1901 – Victorian Age
5. 1901-1945 – Modern Age
6. 1945-1990 – Postmodern Age
7. 1990-2010 – Post-Postmodern Age
8. 2010-2019 – Pre-COVID Era
9. 2019-2020 – COVID Era
10. 2021-2024 – Post-COVID Era

French Revolution (1789) and Its Impact:

The French Revolution is noted for causing significant change worldwide,

influenced by:

Over-taxation

Unmerciful laws

Unemployment

Economic gap between the rich and the poor

These elements reflect the social issues that contributed to the revolution,
which ultimately influenced global political and social change.

ROMANTICISM
The English Romantic movement, spanning from 1789 to 1836, marked a
revolutionary period in literature that emphasized emotion, nature, and
individualism, moving away from the rationalism and order of the
Enlightenment. This response provides a detailed overview, breaking down
the essential aspects of the movement in terms of characteristics, impact,
major themes, key figures, and its enduring influence on English literature.

Characteristics of the English Romantic Movement

1. Emphasis on Emotion and Imagination: Romanticism prioritized the

emotional and imaginative over reason and logic. Poets and writers
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valued intuition and personal feeling, aiming to capture the depths of
human experience.
2. Nature and the Sublime: Nature held a near-spiritual importance in
Romantic ok literature. Poets explored its beauty, power, and ability to
evoke deep emotions, often depicting the “sublime” — awe-inspiring
experiences that surpass ordinary comprehension.
3. Focus on Individualism and Personal Freedom: Romantic writers placed
a high value on individual experience and personal freedom. This often
translated into protagonists who sought self-discovery or rebelled
against societal norms.
4. Medievalism and the Supernatural: There was a revival of interest in
the medieval period and a fascination with the supernatural. This led to
gothic elements in literature, such as mysterious settings, dark
landscapes, and ghostly appearances.
5. Revolutionary Spirit and Political Engagement: Inspired by the French
and American revolutions, the Romantic movement embraced ideas of
political and social reform. Writers often explored themes of freedom,
democracy, and the plight of the common man.

Major Themes in Romantic Literature

1. Nature and Humanity: Writers explored nature’s relationship with

humanity, often presenting it as a source of inspiration, solace, and
truth. Works like Wordsworth’s Lines Composed a Few Miles Above
Tintern Abbey reflect this deep reverence.
2. Emotion and the Inner Life: Romantic writers delved into complex
emotions, exploring the subjective experience of joy, melancholy, love,
and despair. Emotions were viewed as essential to understanding
oneself and the world.
3. Idealism and Beauty: Romantic literature often dealt with themes of
idealism, exploring the perfect forms of love, beauty, and justice.
Keats’s Ode on a Grecian Urn, for example, celebrates beauty and art’s
eternal nature.
4. Alienation and Isolation: Romantic literature frequently portrayed
characters as alienated from society, grappling with loneliness and
existential questions. This theme is evident in Mary Shelley’s
Frankenstein, where Victor Frankenstein and his creature experience
deep isolation.
5. Political and Social Change: Romantic writers responded to the political
upheavals of their time, examining issues such as poverty, social
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inequality, and the need for reform. Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound
symbolizes human struggle against oppression.

Key Figures in English Romanticism

1. William Wordsworth (1770-1850): Often called the “father of English

Romanticism,” Wordsworth emphasized the beauty of nature and the
simplicity of rural life. His works, including Lyrical Ballads (co-authored
with Coleridge), marked a new direction for poetry by using ordinary
language to express profound ideas.
2. Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834): Known for his exploration of the
supernatural and his imaginative style, Coleridge contributed to
Romanticism through works like The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and
Kubla Khan, which blend dreamlike visions with deep moral questions.
3. Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822): Shelley was known for his radical
ideas and lyrical beauty. Works such as Ode to the West Wind and
Prometheus Unbound showcase his commitment to freedom and
individual expression, along with his passionate hope for social
progress.
4. John Keats (1795-1821): Keats’s work is marked by a sensuous
appreciation of beauty, combined with a tragic awareness of life’s
transience. His odes, including Ode to a Nightingale and Ode on a
Grecian Urn, capture the beauty of fleeting moments and the search
for permanence.
5. Lord Byron (1788-1824): Byron’s larger-than-life personality,
adventurous spirit, and rebellious attitude made him a key figure in
Romanticism. His works, like Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage and Don Juan,
introduced the “Byronic hero” — a flawed, rebellious protagonist
struggling against societal norms.
6. Mary Shelley (1797-1851): While best known for Frankenstein, Mary
Shelley’s work reflects Romantic concerns with individualism, isolation,
and humanity’s moral dilemmas. Her novel is a foundational text in
both Romantic and gothic literature, blending science with the
supernatural and moral questioning.

Impact on English Literature and Beyond

The Romantic movement deeply influenced English literature, marking a

departure from classical forms and conventional themes. It allowed literature
to be more expressive, focusing on the individual’s subjective experience
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rather than universal truths. Romanticism fostered the exploration of new
genres, including the gothic and confessional poetry, both of which resonate
in later literary developments, such as modernism and postmodernism.

1. Influence on Poetry

Romantic poetry introduced innovative styles, such as blank verse, and

utilized the vernacular to express profound insights about human experience.
Later poets like Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and Robert Browning drew from the
Romantic tradition, enriching the Victorian poetic landscape.

2. Influence on the Novel

Romantic themes, such as individualism and the supernatural, permeated

novel writing, leading to the rise of the gothic novel. Authors like Emily
Brontë and Charles Dickens absorbed Romantic influences in their works,
infusing their characters with complexity and introspective depth.

3. Impact on Philosophy and the Arts

Romantic ideals transcended literature, impacting art, music, and philosophy.

Romanticism contributed to the development of existential philosophy,
emphasizing human freedom and subjectivity, which later resonated with
thinkers such as Kierkegaard and Nietzsche.

4. Foundation for Later Literary Movements

The introspection and subjective focus of Romanticism paved the way for the
psychological realism of later writers like Henry James and Virginia Woolf. The
Romantic movement’s emphasis on personal experience laid the groundwork
for the confessional poetry of the 20th century and the introspective prose of
modernist authors.

In conclusion, the English Romantic movement was a dynamic force that

revolutionized literature by prioritizing emotion, imagination, and the natural
world. It reshaped the ways writers approached themes of beauty, truth, and
individualism, leaving a lasting legacy on English literature and Western
thought. Through its rich, multifaceted contributions, Romanticism continues
to inspire, reminding readers of the power of emotion, the allure of nature,
and the enduring value of personal freedom and creative expression.
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Literature
Literature is a broad term that encompasses written, spoken, or performed
works of art that convey ideas, emotions, stories, and concepts. It includes
various forms like:

 Novels
 Poems
 Plays
 Short stories
 Certain non-fiction genres

Themes in Literature:

 Literature often delves into themes such as:

 Human experience
 Morality
 Culture
 Imagination

These themes help to explore the complexities of life and the human
psyche.

Purpose of Literature:

At its core, literature serves multiple purposes. It can:

 Entertain
 Inspire or provoke thought
 Reflect societal values
 Challenge norms and foster change
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Through rich language, characters, and settings, literature encourages
readers to experience the world from diverse perspectives, think critically,
and understand themselves and their surroundings.