📖British Literature II Unit 1 – Romantic Era: Historical & Cultural Context

Key Historical Events

• French Revolution (1789-1799) overthrew the monarchy, established a republic, and had far-reaching effects on European politics and thought
• Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) led to the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte's empire, reshaping the political landscape of Europe
• Industrial Revolution began in Britain, transforming manufacturing processes, economic structures, and social conditions
• Abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire (1807) marked a significant step towards the end of slavery
• Luddite Riots (1811-1816) saw workers destroying machinery in protest against industrialization and its impact on their livelihoods
• Peterloo Massacre (1819) occurred when cavalry charged into a crowd of protesters demanding parliamentary reform, highlighting social and political tensions

Cultural Shifts and Ideologies

• Romanticism emerged as a reaction against the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason, embracing emotion, imagination, and individualism
• Nature became a central theme, with Romantics viewing it as a source of spiritual truth and a refuge from the ills of society
  • Poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge celebrated the beauty and sublimity of the natural world
• The concept of the "sublime" gained prominence, referring to experiences that evoke awe, terror, and transcendence
• Nationalism rose as people increasingly identified with their national identities and sought political self-determination
• The idea of the "genius" or the individual creator gained currency, with artists and writers seen as visionaries and prophets
• Interest in folklore, mythology, and the medieval past grew, as Romantics sought to reconnect with a simpler, more authentic way of life
• The Gothic novel emerged as a popular genre, exploring dark themes, the supernatural, and the irrational

Major Literary Figures

• William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was a key figure in the early Romantic movement, known for his lyrical poetry celebrating nature and the human spirit
  • His "Preface to Lyrical Ballads" (1800) served as a manifesto for Romantic poetry
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) collaborated with Wordsworth on "Lyrical Ballads" and is famous for his visionary and supernatural-themed poems like "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
• John Keats (1795-1821) was a younger Romantic poet known for his sensuous imagery, musical language, and odes on themes of beauty, love, and mortality
• Lord Byron (1788-1824) was a flamboyant and controversial figure, known for his satirical and romantic poetry, as well as his adventurous lifestyle
• Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) was a radical thinker and poet, known for his visionary and idealistic works like "Prometheus Unbound" and "Ode to the West Wind"
• Mary Shelley (1797-1851), wife of Percy Bysshe Shelley, wrote the groundbreaking novel "Frankenstein" (1818), which explored the dangers of unchecked scientific ambition

Defining Characteristics of Romantic Literature

• Emphasis on emotion and individualism, with a focus on the inner world of the self
• Celebration of the imagination as a creative power, capable of transcending the limits of reason and reality
• Love of nature, with detailed descriptions of landscapes and the natural world serving as a source of inspiration and spiritual truth
• Interest in the common man and childhood, with a belief in the inherent goodness and wisdom of the uncorrupted human heart
• Emphasis on the beauty and power of language, with a use of vivid imagery, metaphors, and musical qualities
• Exploration of the supernatural, the exotic, and the medieval, as a means of escaping the confines of the present and the mundane
• Rejection of strict formal rules and conventions, in favor of a more organic and spontaneous mode of expression

Themes and Motifs in Romantic Works

• The power of nature to inspire, heal, and teach, as seen in Wordsworth's "Tintern Abbey" and Coleridge's "Frost at Midnight"
• The quest for spiritual truth and transcendence, as exemplified by Shelley's "Adonais" and Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale"
• The dangers of unchecked ambition and the consequences of playing God, as explored in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"
• The celebration of individual freedom and the rejection of societal constraints, as seen in Byron's "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage"
• The beauty and transience of youth and love, as captured in Keats' "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "La Belle Dame sans Merci"
• The power of the imagination to create and transform reality, as demonstrated in Coleridge's "Kubla Khan" and Keats' "Ode to Psyche"
• The struggle against political and social oppression, as addressed in Shelley's "The Mask of Anarchy" and Byron's "The Prisoner of Chillon"

Influential Art and Music

• Romantic painters like J.M.W. Turner and John Constable depicted dramatic landscapes and the power of nature, often with a sense of the sublime
  • Turner's "The Fighting Temeraire" (1839) and Constable's "The Hay Wain" (1821) exemplify this approach
• William Blake, a visionary artist and poet, created intricate illuminated books that combined poetry and visual art, such as "Songs of Innocence and of Experience" (1789)
• Composers like Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert embodied Romantic ideals in their music, with an emphasis on emotional expression and individuality
  • Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (1824) and Schubert's "Winterreise" song cycle (1828) are notable examples
• The Romantic ballet, exemplified by works like "La Sylphide" (1832) and "Giselle" (1841), featured ethereal and supernatural themes, as well as a focus on the individual dancer's expression

Impact on Later Movements

• Romanticism's emphasis on emotion, individualism, and the imagination influenced later literary movements like Transcendentalism and Symbolism
• The Romantic interest in folklore and nationalism contributed to the rise of national literatures and the study of vernacular traditions
• Romantic ideas about the role of the artist as a visionary and prophet influenced later conceptions of the avant-garde and the bohemian lifestyle
• The Romantic fascination with the dark, the irrational, and the supernatural paved the way for the development of Gothic and horror literature
• Romantic nature poetry and landscape painting influenced later artistic movements like the Hudson River School and the Pre-Raphaelites
• The Romantic emphasis on individual freedom and self-expression had a lasting impact on Western culture, influencing ideas about personal identity, creativity, and political liberty

Notable Works and Their Significance

• "Lyrical Ballads" (1798) by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge marked the beginning of the Romantic movement in English poetry, with its emphasis on natural language and emotional sincerity
• "Ode on a Grecian Urn" (1820) by John Keats is a meditation on the nature of art, beauty, and the human condition, exemplifying Romantic themes and techniques
• "Don Juan" (1819-1824) by Lord Byron is a satirical epic that subverts Romantic conventions while exploring themes of love, freedom, and the human experience
• "Frankenstein" (1818) by Mary Shelley is a groundbreaking work of science fiction that explores the dangers of unchecked scientific ambition and the nature of humanity
• "Ode to the West Wind" (1819) by Percy Bysshe Shelley is a powerful invocation of the transformative power of nature and the role of the poet as a prophet and agent of change
• "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (1798) by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a supernatural ballad that explores themes of sin, redemption, and the power of nature, exemplifying Romantic interest in the otherworldly
• "Songs of Innocence and of Experience" (1789) by William Blake is a collection of illustrated poems that juxtaposes the innocence of childhood with the corruption and oppression of adulthood, highlighting Romantic concerns with the human condition and social justice