Romanticism was an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that
originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century and it was characterized by
its emphasis on emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all the past and
nature, preferring the medieval rather than the classical.
Romantic movement happened a range of many causes. Some were
ideological. Some were social and on material causes. It starts as a reaction
against the intellectualism of the Enlightenment, against the rigidity of social
structures protecting privilege, and against the materialism of an age which, in
the first stirring of the Industrial Revolution, shows signs of making workers the
slaves of machinery and of creating dirty urban environments. These would
have to be the scientific and industrial revolutions.
The American revolution
It begins in the latter half of the reign of George III and ends
with the accession of Victoria when King George entered the
House of Lords by which the American colony gained
independence and British colonies asked for greater
administrative and economic independence and announced the
separation of colonies from Great Britain.
THE France revolution
It was made up of working and middle class people against the
state of inequality. In the first part the revolution supported the
ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity. But the revolution
become bloody and violent and the reign of terror that followed;
romantic poets in France focused more on the hardships of the revolution
and the general attitude changes. After witnessing the French
Revolution, other romantic writers started to comment on the
oppressive rule of their own governments and monarchs. This was
especially exemplified by the English writers Byron and Shelley. They
embraced the romantic ideals of equality and individuality, and used
them to find fault in the English Government.
It took place in the second half of 18th century and there was a
passage from agrarian society into an industrial one. England, at
the end of the war was oppressed by heavy taxation,
unemployment and numerous social problems. The industrial
revolution brought about great changes in employment.
Reform sought to promote basic changes in society, including the
abolition of slavery, education reform, prison reform, women's rights.
The destruction of the African slave trade; the mitigation of horribly
unjust laws, which included poor debtors and petty criminals in the
same class; the prevention of child labor; the freedom of the press;
the extension of manhood suffrage; the abolition of restrictions
against Catholics in Parliament; the establishment of hundreds of
popular schools Massive uprising of the common people against the
privileged monarchy and nobility and important ideas about ensuring
civil rights and fair taxation. The Romantic Movement expressed the
idea that there is more to life than material things.
cultural
Composers write songs to paint an image or set a scene Use of leitmotif.
Composers will take influence from the surrounding world. use of dynamics
and rubato and Nationalism grew in the romantic period. The musical style
became more popular due to Frederick Chopin and his works. Composers
begin to break the conventions in composition to bring in more expression
Social feature In Britain the new system of industrial production
brought about by the steam engine replaced the old crafts and the
craftsmen, at the same time industry trade and commerce began to
develop on a mass scale and assume importance in society. The
emerging industrial society broke up the existing harmonious of
structure of countries life into hostile groups. Social upheaval where
the former established stable structure of rural society was destroyed
by the industrial revolution, trade and commerce.The workers were often
exploited and made to work for extreme conditions. While the middle classes
gradually become more important and the vast majority of the people remained
poor. A lot of people lived in slums. The women of lower classes worked in
factories and the Women of upper and middle classes instead did not work and
received basic education
Literature
In the second half of 18th century literary style were changing. The love of reason,
rationality and harmony being placed by sensibility and imagination. The key
concepts of the literature of the romantic age were emotions and imagination.
The romantic built a new theory of knowledge, opposed by the norms came from
enlightment. It was the inner-self which was given the power to interpret and
reshape reality through nature and practicing. They believe in freedom and
equality and beauty that we find through writing of percy b. shelley ,George
Byron and john keats who desired a better world , a world of justice , freedom
and beauty. Consequently the romantic poet developed a great interest in nature,
that offered solitude to the poet who saw it as a source of inspiration and nature
filled them with pleasure. In lyrical ballads William wordsworth and Samuel taylor
Coleridge emphasized the importance of the self and its relationship with nature.
Furthermore the poet looked at the world form of child’s point of view without
adult preconceptions, giving birth a new interest in childhood that we find williim
blake’s song of innocence of experience.
literature
The Romantic poets are not famous for their poetic expressions or true
love. Rather, the poets were political, economic and socially driven
reactionaries. Feelings of empathy and respect for people of the lower
economic classes. A love of nature drawing inspiration from the
countryside and other rural landscapes. The new poetry has some
special characteristics such as emphasis on imagination, spontaneity of
feeling, love for nature, dealing with supernatural elements, and love for
beauty.
William Wordsworth
Among the romantic poets, the chief name is William Wordsworth, whose
Lyrical Ballads, a joint product with Coleridge, started the Romantic
Movement. Wordsworth, whose Lyrical Ballads, is his love for nature. He is
deemed as a complete innovator with a new look for every visible object.
He is basically a poet of nature. he is found drawn to Nature as the only
repose for the woes and worries of human life. To him Nature is a mighty,
majestic living force__ a teacher ___, and exercises a highly conducive
effect on the mind of man “Nature did never betray the heart that truly loved
her”.
Coleridge
Coleridge is the next name in romantic poetry. His chief importance lies as
a poet of the supernatural. Coleridge’s poetry remains the fine example of
romantic imagination as well as mysticism. The Rime of the Ancient
Mariner, Christabel and Kubla Khan bear out this sufficiently. Coleridge’s
earlier poetical works mark his love for liberty. He has also to his credit
some other poems on love and human relationship.. His critical work also
extends and reveals a wealth of profoundly sensitive observations and a
prophetic vision of compelling authenticity
Byron and Shelley
Byron and Shelley are the democratic poets of Europe. They are the poets
of men, whose poetry may be termed as the poetry of revolution. In vigour
and passion, Byron stands prominent, with a gift of satire. Shelley is
essentially a Lyricist with a prominent zeal for the lofty idealism of life.
Keats
The youngest of the romantic poets is Keats, who stands on a level
different from other romantic poets, He is a poet of beauty, whose
fundamental creed is expressed in his dictum __ ‘A thing of beauty is a joy
forever’. Sensuousness, imaginative splendor and verbal felicity are the
other gifts of Keats’s poetry. Keats’s Odes are the specific contribution to
romantic poetry.
KEATS
shelly
