The Romantic Period 1798-1832

The Beginning The beginning of the Romantic Period in England was marked by the publication of Lyrical Ballads with a Few Other Poems by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth (it contained the poems Rime of the Ancient Mariner and “Tintern Abbey”)

Turbulent Times A major economic change occurred in England during this time: transition from an agricultural society to industrial nation, with a restless working class centered in mill towns What England lost in America, it lost prestige & confidence (as well as money) The French revolution represented the English ruling classes’ worst fears: overthrow of the king by democratic “rabble,” the triumph of radical principles However, the French revolution make the democratic idealists feel exhilarated! During the “September massacre,” hundreds of French aristocrats (even those with a slight connection to Louis XVI) were executed by guillotine Napoleon Bonaparte was a French officer turned emperor and totally ruthless dictator (name synonymous with “tyrant” now) By defeating Napoleon, the English conservatives felt they had saved their country from a tyrant (via rigid social ideas) Napoleon’s defeat meant idealists like Wordsworth felt betrayed. It was the defeat of one tyrant by another

The Tyranny of Laissez Faire The increase in city populations was caused by the Industrial Revolution (more people lived by the factories); It led to desperate/terrible living conditions Communal land shared by small farmers taken over by individual owners caused people to be “landless.” They then migrated to the city in search of work or went on welfare A “laissez faire” policy “let (people) do (as they please);” economic forces operate freely without government interference This policy resulted in the rich growing richer. The poor suffered more, and children suffered the most (used for labor) The Romantics changed poetry by turning from the formal, public verse (of the 18th century Restoration) to more private, spontaneous, lyric poetry The Romantics’ lyrics expressed their belief that imagination, rather than reason, was the best response to the forces of change

What Does “Romantic” Mean? IMAGINATION and NATURE Imagination - exploring and understanding psychology, mystery of the human experience Nature - beautiful and majestic, full of mystery, nature as a force (relationship between force of nature and human mind?) "ROMANTIC" - 2 meanings Focus on youth, innocence, "growing up" - trusting individual will, individual identity (disassociated with the society which seemed to be the cause of so many ills) Idealism, societies will only get better/happier/fairer/healthier through the questioning of tradition and authority

Poetry, Nature, and Imagination Wordsworth’s definition of “good poetry”: a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” He said this type of poetry should use simple, unadorned language to deal with commonplace subjects for a particular purpose; often a lyric that lends itself to spontaneity, immediacy, a quick burst of emotion and self-revelation The Romantic poets were called “nature poets” because they focused on natural life rather than city life (“beautiful and permanent forms of nature”), prized experiences of beauty and majesty of nature, not hostile, but full of mysterious forces, and were intrigued by way the human mind and nature act upon each other Wordsworth believe that the mind is a “mirror” of nature. Imagination moves the mind in mysterious ways to imitate (without being sacrilegious) the power of its Maker and create new realities in the mind and in poetry

The Idea of the Poet What was Wordsworth’s definition of a poet: “He is a man speaking to men.” Speaker (not the poet) speaking to something else, makes us consider not only the speaking itself, but also the kind of speaking taking place Lyric poetry of Romantics is different from Restoration poetry since it is more emotional, passionate, speaking from the heart; we don’t hear it, we overhear it—like eavesdropping on a private conversation (private NOT public expression) The Romantic poets were deeply concerned with truths of the heart and the imagination This “democratic definition” of poetry resulted in poetry about the ordinary human experience, relationship between mind and other people/things, speaking should be convincing and seems a genuine and sincere account of an experience

The Romantic Poet Wordsworth believed that the poet was a special person, “endowed with more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm and tenderness…a greater knowledge of human nature, and a more comprehensive soul, than are supposed to be common among mankind.”

William Blake believed that the poet was a bard: an inspired revealer and teacher

Samuel Taylor Coleridge believed that the poet “brings the whole soul of man into activity,” employing “that synthetic and magical power…the imagination.”

Percy Shelley believed that the poets were the “unacknowledged legislators of the world.”

John Keats believed that the poet was “physician” to all humanity and “pours out a balm upon the world”

Characteristics of a Byronic hero: The Byronic Hero Characteristics of a Byronic hero: rash rebels, hailed or resurrected in reaction to neoclassical world of restraint reckless, wounded manhood “proud, moody, cynical, defiance on his brow, and misery in his heart, implacable in revenge, yet capable of deep and strong affection” devastatingly attractive, yet flawed passionate individuals, intellectually searching incapable of compromise, forever brooding over some past sin, painfully yet definitely alone The appeal of these characters was that they embodied the pessimism of the age (there was no other outlet for creative young men--like Byron); they “beckon admirers to explore personal freedoms and to reject confining conventions,” and appeal to those lonely and misunderstood. Basically, people love the “bad boy” Lord Byron

The Lure of the Gothic Gothic literature filled with examples of the eerie and supernatural, terror, and gloomy, medieval castles Gothic architecture reflected rustic irregularity, glorious imperfection; the wild, unpredictable aspects of nature; ruins reflect human aspirations and failures. It enhanced spiritual awareness