18th and 19th Century Literature

📚18th and 19th Century Literature Unit 2 – Romanticism

Romanticism emerged in Europe in the late 18th century, challenging Enlightenment ideals. This movement celebrated emotion, nature, and individuality, rejecting reason and logic in favor of imagination and personal experience. Key figures like Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Shelley shaped Romantic literature. Their works explored themes of nature, the supernatural, and human emotion, often using vivid imagery and unconventional forms to express their ideas.

What's Romanticism?

  • Artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century
  • Emphasized emotion, individualism, and glorification of the past and nature
  • Rejected the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment which stressed reason and logic
  • Celebrated the individual imagination as a critical authority
  • Focused on intense emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience
  • Valued the natural world as a source of inspiration and spiritual renewal
  • Sought to break free from traditional forms and conventions in art and literature

Key Players

  • William Wordsworth (1770-1850) helped launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the publication of Lyrical Ballads
  • Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) collaborated with Wordsworth on Lyrical Ballads and is known for his poems "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Kubla Khan"
  • John Keats (1795-1821) is famous for his odes, including "Ode to a Nightingale" and "Ode on a Grecian Urn"
    • Died at the age of 25 but left a significant impact on English poetry
  • Lord Byron (1788-1824) was a leading figure of the Romantic movement known for his flamboyant lifestyle and works like Don Juan
  • Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) was a major English Romantic poet who wrote "Ozymandias" and "Ode to the West Wind"
    • Married to Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein
  • Mary Shelley (1797-1851) wrote the Gothic novel Frankenstein, considered an early example of science fiction

Big Ideas

  • Celebration of the individual and the importance of personal experience
  • Emphasis on emotion and feeling over reason and logic
  • Appreciation for the beauty and power of the natural world
  • Interest in the supernatural, the exotic, and the medieval past
  • Belief in the importance of imagination and creativity
    • Idea that the creative process is spontaneous and organic rather than planned and structured
  • Rejection of traditional forms and conventions in art and literature
  • Exploration of the human psyche and the inner workings of the mind

Famous Works

  • Lyrical Ballads (1798) by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, considered the starting point of the Romantic movement in English literature
  • "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (1798) by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a narrative poem that tells the story of a sailor's supernatural experiences at sea
  • "Ode on a Grecian Urn" (1819) by John Keats, a meditation on art, beauty, and the passage of time
  • Don Juan (1819-1824) by Lord Byron, a satirical poem that follows the adventures of a young nobleman
  • Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley, a Gothic novel that explores the consequences of creating life
  • "Ode to the West Wind" (1819) by Percy Bysshe Shelley, a poem that uses the wind as a metaphor for the power of nature and the poet's desire for social and political change

Writing Style

  • Use of vivid imagery and figurative language to evoke emotion and create a sense of atmosphere
  • Emphasis on the beauty and power of nature, often used as a source of inspiration or a metaphor for human emotions
  • Exploration of the inner workings of the human mind and the complexity of human emotions
  • Use of supernatural and exotic elements to create a sense of mystery and wonder
  • Experimentation with form and structure, breaking away from traditional conventions
    • Use of irregular rhyme schemes, blank verse, and other unconventional poetic forms
  • Incorporation of personal experiences and emotions into the work, often drawing on the poet's own life as a source of inspiration
  • Use of symbolism and allegory to convey deeper meanings and universal truths

Historical Context

  • Emerged in the late 18th century as a reaction against the Age of Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution
  • Influenced by the French Revolution (1789-1799) and the social and political upheavals of the time
    • Many Romantic writers were initially supportive of the French Revolution but became disillusioned with its violence and tyranny
  • Coincided with the rise of nationalism and the idea of individual nations with distinct cultures and identities
  • Reflected the growing interest in folklore, mythology, and the medieval past as sources of artistic inspiration
  • Influenced by the philosophical ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who emphasized the importance of emotion and the natural world
  • Shaped by the increasing industrialization and urbanization of society, which led to a growing sense of alienation and disconnection from nature

Legacy and Impact

  • Romanticism had a profound impact on the arts, influencing literature, music, painting, and architecture well into the 19th century
  • Helped to establish the idea of the artist as a visionary and a rebel against society's norms and conventions
  • Contributed to the development of new literary genres, such as the Gothic novel and the historical novel
  • Influenced the rise of nationalism and the idea of distinct national cultures and identities
  • Paved the way for later artistic movements, such as Realism and Modernism, which reacted against Romanticism's emphasis on emotion and subjectivity
    • Realism sought to depict the world as it actually was, without the idealization and sentimentality of Romanticism
    • Modernism rejected Romanticism's faith in the individual and the power of nature, instead emphasizing the fragmentation and alienation of modern life
  • Continues to shape our understanding of creativity, individuality, and the role of the artist in society

Critiques and Controversies

  • Some critics argue that Romanticism's emphasis on emotion and subjectivity led to a rejection of reason and a glorification of irrationality
  • Romanticism's focus on the individual and personal experience has been criticized as self-indulgent and narcissistic
  • The movement's idealization of nature and the past has been seen as a form of escapism and a rejection of the realities of modern life
  • Romanticism's celebration of the artist as a visionary and a rebel has been criticized as elitist and disconnected from the experiences of ordinary people
  • The movement's association with nationalism has been seen as contributing to the rise of xenophobia and the idea of cultural superiority
    • Some Romantic writers, such as Lord Byron, have been criticized for their exoticism and orientalism in their depictions of non-European cultures
  • Romanticism's legacy has been debated, with some seeing it as a vital contribution to the development of modern art and others viewing it as a regressive and reactionary movement


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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.