1. Romanticism: Rejecting the Enlightenment
By Susan Pojer
Horace Greeley High School
Chappaqua, NY

2. How Was Romanticism a Rejection of the Enlightenment?
Emotions, passion, and irrationality
The “rugged” individual
The power and fury of nature
The Gothic
The exotic, the occult, and the macabre
Nationalism
Exotic foreign lands

3. A Growing Distrust of Reason
Early 19th Century
Enlightenment
Romanticism
Society is good, curbing violent impulses!
Civilization corrupts!
The essence of human experience is subjective and emotional.
Human knowledge is a puny thing compared to other great historical forces.
“Individual rights” are dangerous efforts at selfishness & the community is more important.

4. 1. Emotions!
Passion!
Irrationality!

5. Wandering Above the Sea of Fog Caspar David Friedrich, 1818

6. Lady Macbeth - Henry Fuseli, 1794

7. 2. The
"Rugged"
Individual

8. The Dreamer Gaspar David Friedrich, 1835

9. Solitary Tree Caspar David Friedrich, 1823

10. 3. The Power
& Fury
of Nature

11. The Deluge Francis Danby, 1840

12. The Eruption of Vesuvius –
John Martin

13. 4. The Gothic:
"Romanticizing"
the Middle Ages

14. Eldena Ruin Gaspar David Friedrich, 1825

15. British Houses of Parliament 1840-1865

16. 5. The Exotic,
the Occult,
and the Macabre!

17. Cloister Cemetery in the Snow Caspar David Friedrich, 1817-1819

18. Saturn Devours His Son Francisco Goya, 1819-1823

19. 6. Nationalism

20. Liberty Leading the People Eugène Delacroix, 1830
Detail of the Musket Bearer Delacoix, himself

21. Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass
David, 1803

22. The Shooting of May 3, 1808 Francisco Goya, 1815

23. 7. Interest in
Exotic
Foreign Lands

24. The Bullfight - Francisco Goya

25. The Royal Pavillion at Brighton John Nash, 1815-1823