1. Romantic Literature

2. Romanticism is a literary- historical classification which labels certain writers and writings of the later eighteenth and early nineteenth century, and the ideas characteristically found in those works. No other period in English literature displays more variety in style, theme and content than the Romantic Movement! = a large network of sometimes competing philosophies, agendas and points of interest

3. The Romantic period: -Flourished in the late 18 th Century, celebrating emotion, wildness and nature above reason and science -Gothic was the dark side to Romanticism, with reference to the supernatural, themes of madness and death and the extremes of passion Victorian morals and values -Strict social morals and values -Named after Queen Victoria (promoting straight- laced behaviour) -Class system: strict divide between working, middle and upper classes -It was important to know your place and what you could and couldn’t do! -Women were inferior to men in all aspects except domestic talents -Associated qualities: earnestness (seriousness), moral responsibility and domestic conformity

4. In England, Romanticism had its greatest influence from the end of the eighteenth century up to around 1870. It’s main points of expression were through poetry, however American literature chose to express the same themes through novels. Romanticism involves many meanings:  Individualism  Sentimental love of nature  Feeling or emotion more important than logic or experience ("Anything you want you can have if you only want it enough.")  Nostalgia  Utopian thought (perfect community)  Escapism  Quest for something greater: desire and loss + romance narrative … However, one of the most popular themes of Romantic poetry was country life, otherwise known as pastoral poetry.

5. Key features of the ‘Romantics’  They achieved a whole new perspective on nature and peoples’ relationship to nature  They preferred/ encouraged spontaneous and emotional responses over logical thought  They valued imagination over all mental facilities; they believed that without imagination, you were not a human being They are concerned more with the individual more than society. The individual consciousness and individual imagination = AMAZING AND FASCINATING!!

6. ‘Melancholy’ was the buzzword for the Romantic poets! Writers became more invested in social causes as the period moved forward. Due to the Industrial Revolution, English society was undergoing a lot of changes. The response from many Romantic poets was to yearn for a more idealised, simpler past. English Romantic poets had a strong connection with medievalism and mythology.