Literature - Romanticism

What is romanticism?

The encouragement of feelings, innocence and spirituality, instead of capitalism and industrialized society.

What is the age of enlightenment?

The age of enlightenment was an intellectual and cultural movement in the eighteenth century that placed reason and science over superstition and blind faith.

What proceeded the romantics and why?

The age of enlightenment proceeded the romantic period. This is because we tend to see a shift between progressive and conservative once a society leans too much to one side to balance this.

What were the key tenants of enlightenment?

• Rationalism: Humans use reason to gain knowledge

• Empiricism: Knowledge comes from experience and observation

• Progressivism: Through reason and observation, humans can progress.

• Cosmopolitism: People should be engaged citizens of the world as opposed to provincial (based on conutry/state)

What is enlightenment to romanticism?

They aren’t opposites and romanticism wasn’t anti-knowledge or anti-science but it did place critic on reason as they believed human experience is more complex for the romantics.

What are the key tenants of romanticism?

• Privileging emotion over reason and senses over intellect.

• Appreciation of nature.

• Rebellion against elitist/unequal social and political norms.

• Celebrating childhood as a time of innocence and goodness.