“Rebels and Dreamers”: The British Romantic Period ENG 400: British Literature Unit IV – Rebels and Dreamers

Speech In Defense of the Lower Classes Apostrophe to the Ocean Song: Men of England Speech In Defense of the Lower Classes Readings and Concepts Introduction to Ozymandias Apostrophe to the Ocean

Lord Byron (1788 – 1824) Name: George Gordon, Title: Lord Byron Born in London to a poor, but noble family 10 years old: inherited great-uncle’s title of Baron 17 years old: left home to attend Trinity College at Cambridge After college, traveled through Europe and Middle East Returned home with two sections of book-length poem entitled Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage Hero was a moody, sensitive, and reckless young man (“Byronic hero”) Popularity of Childe Harold made Byron an overnight success

Lord Byron continued . . . “Mad, bad, and dangerous to know” Reckless lifestyle thrilled and scandalized society 1816: driven out of England by scandal from his broken marriage (never returned to England) Spent time living and writing in Italy Championed liberty and other Romantic ideals 1823: joined revolutionaries to free Greece from Turkish rule Died while training with Greek rebels (considered a national hero of Greece)

Speech: In Defense of the Lower Classes Although a member of the aristocracy, Lord Byron was a supporter of radical reform and political liberty. His first speech to the House of Lords defended workers who had sabotaged factory equipment that had put them out of work (see “Luddite Riots”). At the time, Parliament was debating using the death penalty for these crimes. As you read, consider the components of the argument including Situation, audience, and purpose Claim, warrants, and evidence Persuasive and rhetorical devices

Speech In Defense of the Lower Classes Speech - Vocabulary (v.) destruction or killing of one in ten, or of any large part of a group decimation (adj.) effective efficacious (v.) to free from slavery or oppression emancipate

Speech – Vocabulary continued Speech In Defense of the Lower Classes Speech – Vocabulary continued impediments (n.) hindrances; obstructions; problems or obstacles to be overcome temporize (v.) to delay doing something in order to gain time; to avoid coming to a decision or committing yourself

Figurative Language & The “Sublime” Apostrophe to the Ocean Figurative Language & The “Sublime” Figurative Language: not meant to be take literally; used to evoke emotions and state ideas in an imaginative way similes: direct comparisons of dissimilar things using the words “like” or “as” metaphors: comparisons in which one thing is identified with another, dissimilar thing personification: giving human qualities to nonhuman subjects Sublime: Romantic sense of overwhelming power and beauty in nature that escapes human understanding.

Apostrophe to the Ocean Vocabulary leviathan (n) monstrous sea creature also used to describe a large ship arbiter (n) judge, umpire person who makes a decision or ruling torrid (adj) very hot, scorching (usually describing weather)