British Romanticism

British Romanticism

Dates of Romanticism

  • Romanticism was an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe at the end of the 18th century and flourished between 1800 and 1850.

  • Common starting dates for British Romanticism:

    • 1789: Year of the French Revolution.

    • 1798: Year Wordsworth and Coleridge published Lyrical Ballads.

  • Ending dates of British Romanticism vary based on perspective:

    • 1830: Rough date for the end of the first Industrial Revolution.

    • 1832: Death of Sir Walter Scott and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

    • 1837: Year Queen Victoria took the throne.

Historical Context of Romanticism

  • Romanticism emerged primarily as a reaction against:

    • The Enlightenment:

    • Focused on cold reason, intellect, and science.

    • Romantics rejected Enlightenment rationalism and the Augustan writers' influence.

    • The Industrial Revolution:

    • Concerns over urbanization, loss of countryside, pollution, loss of individualism, and harsh working conditions.

    • Included child labor and various other negatives associated with industrialism.

  • Inspiration from the French Revolution:

    • Ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

    • Although disappointed by certain outcomes, Romantics cherished the rise of democracy and personal liberty.

    • William Hazlitt, author of The Spirit of the Age, noted the origins of Wordsworth’s work were influenced by the revolution.

Precursors and Harbingers of Romanticism

  • Numerous literary forerunners contributed to the development of Romanticism:

    • Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) emphasized "uncorrupted morals" in the "state of nature."

    • Nature poets and Graveyard poets at the end of the Augustan Age hint at Romantic ideals.

    • Sturm and Drang:

    • Pre-Romantic German movement in literature (1760s-1780s).

    • Emphasized individual subjectivity and the revolt against societal constraints imposed by rationalism.

  • Notable work:

    • The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

    • Affected young men throughout Europe, embodying passionate temperament.

Key Publication: Lyrical Ballads (1798)

  • Commonly regarded as the start of British Romanticism, published by Wordsworth and Coleridge.

  • Content:

    • Approximately 90% of poems by Wordsworth focusing on the lives of the poor and nature.

    • Coleridge contributed five poems, including “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

  • Context:

    • The Lake Poets, including Wordsworth and Coleridge, were seen as radical.

Key Figures in British Romantic Poetry

  • William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

  • Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

  • John Keats (1795-1821)

  • Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

  • Lord Byron (1788-1824)

  • William Blake (1757-1827)

Themes in Romanticism

Nature and the Common Man

  • A core concern of Romantics was the positive effects of nature on individuals.

    • Spiritual and aesthetic dimensions of nature were emphasized.

    • Connection with nature seen as mentally and morally healthy, contrasting with urban life and societal norms.

    • Favored simple and pastoral life.

    • Emphasized the innocence of children and the common man.

The Individual

  • Romanticism values the achievements of individual artists and ‘heroic’ individuals.

  • Rejection of societal norms is central; individuals must free themselves from societal expectations to pursue great art.

The Imagination

  • Central to the artistic experience.

  • In contrast to Augustans, Romantics prioritized imagination over classical rules and reason.

  • They believed that truth and universal spirit could be found in nature, influencing artistic inspiration.

  • Example: The Aeolian Harp

    • Played by the wind; symbolizes the belief in the natural world as a source of art.

Emphasis on Emotions

  • Romantics valued intense emotions, regarding them as key to the human and artistic experience.

  • Notable quotations:

    • William Wordsworth: Poetry should begin as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.”

    • Strong emotions, including fear and horror, were embraced, notably through the Gothic tradition.

The Byronic Hero

  • A distinct archetype characterized by complexity and emotional depth.

    • First exemplified through Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.

    • Marked by intelligence, emotional richness, alienation from society, and frequently flawed behaviors which still evoke admiration.

Miscellaneous Characteristics of Romanticism

  • Emphasis on intuition and spontaneous creativity.

  • Preferring subjective to objective experience, and imagination over intellect.

  • The fascination with the mysterious and supernatural led to the emergence of Gothic literature.

Beliefs About Art

  • Romantics opposed the idea of didactic art, arguing for “Art for Art’s Sake” (Ars Gratia Artis).

  • Valued individual expression over imitative qualities of art.

  • Art was seen as a vehicle to express universal truths beyond science or reason.

  • Ordinary people became primary subjects, employing the “language of the common man.”

    • First-person lyric poetry became prevalent, reflecting intimate artist-audience connections.

Revolutionary Changes in Art

  • The Romantic movement transformed the perception of art, emphasizing individual expression and inner experience over imitation of life.