Take a few minutes and jot down your thoughts on a sheet of notebook paper. Brainstorm a list, or write a paragraph of your ideas about the word Romantic.

1. The answers to life’s most puzzling questions can be found through discussions with a simple person who lives in the country close to nature—not with a sophisticated, well- educated person from the city. 2. The answer to life’s most puzzling questions can be found through a connection with nature. 3. The use of one’s imagination is more important than rational (based on reason or fact) thought. 4. Subjectivity (personally biased) is more important than objectivity (unbiased).

5. Knowledge is gained through gut reactions and subjective hunches rather than level-headed, objective, rational thought. 6. Nature is more important than art. 7. Experimental trial and error is a better process than the conventional scientific method. 8. Poetry should be spontaneous and full of emotion, not planned and straightforward. 9. Sensitivity, feelings, and spontaneity are more important than intellectualism. 10. “Dare to be” is a better motto than “dare to know.”

Tally up your number of As: 3 or fewer As = not romantic 4 or 5 As = sort of romantic 6 or 7 As = highly romantic 8-10 As = extremely romantic Has your idea of the word Romantic changed in any way? If so, how?

Romantic has come to mean basically two things: 1. The loving or potentially loving relationships b/w men and women. 2. A way of looking at the world that looks beyond, or ignores, the world as it is and perceives a visionary world. Note: When talking about the Romantic Era in literature, we are actually referring to romantic as “freely imaginative fiction” and not romantic as in “romantic love”

 Romanticism is characterized by the 5 “ I ” s  Imagination Imagination  Intuition Intuition  Idealism Idealism  Inspiration Inspiration  Individuality Individuality

 Imagination was emphasized over “ reason. ”  This was a backlash against the rationalism characterized by the Neoclassical period or “ Age of Reason. ”  Imagination was considered necessary for creating all art.  British writer Samuel Taylor Coleridge called it “ intellectual intuition. ”

 Romantics placed value on “ intuition, ” or feeling and instincts, over reason.  Emotions were important in Romantic art.  British Romantic William Wordsworth described poetry as “ the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. ”

 Idealism is the concept that we can make the world a better place.world a better place  Idealism refers to any theory that emphasizes the spirit, the mind, or language over matter – thought has a crucial role in making the world the way it is.  Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher, held that the mind forces the world we perceive to take the shape of space-and- time.

 The Romantic artist, musician, or writer, is an “ inspired creator ” rather than a “ technical master. ”  What this means is “ going with the moment ” or being spontaneous, rather than “ getting it precise. ”

 Romantics celebrated the individual.  During this time period, Women ’ s Rights and Abolitionism were taking root as major movements.  Walt Whitman, a later Romantic writer, would write a poem entitled “ Song of Myself ” : it begins, “ I celebrate myself… ”

The most important event that led to the Romantic period ( ): The French Revolution: Began on July 14 th 1789 when a mob stormed the Bastille, (prison) for political prisonersBastille Their successions put limits on powers of King Louis XVI They established a new government  approved Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen Principles affirmed “liberty, equality, and fraternity” France becomes a constitutional monarchy

Trying to establish power over Europe led the French Revolution to become more chaotic In 1792, France finally declared war again Prussia, and Austria Radical group called the “JACOBINS” gained control and of French assembly, abolished the monarchy, and declared the nation, a republicJACOBINS Britons did not want France or any other nation to win dominance over European continent So they outlawed parliamentary reform outside the halls Banned public meetings and suspended basic rights So those who were liberal minded had no political outlet for their hopes and dreams

So…think of the Romanticism movement as a “REACTION” to the French Revolution

British Romantic writers responded to the climate of their times Their interest in the trials and dreams of the common people and desire for radical change developed out of the democratic idealism outlined (at first) by the early part of French Revolution Their attachment to nature and to a pure, simple past was a response to the misery and ugliness of industrialization

In the Age of Reason, writers stressed: Reason and Judgment Concern with the universal experience The value of society as a whole The value of rules Imagination and Emotion Concern with the particular experience The value of the individual human being The value of freedom In the Romantic Era, writers stressed:

William Wordsworth William Blake Lord Byron Percy Shelley John Keats

Helped to launch the Romantic Age His most famous work is The Prelude chronicles the spiritual life of the poet Has an interest and sympathy for the life and troubles of the “common man” He is considered the nature poet by focusing ordinary people in country settings

Started writing poetry when he was twelve Blake was a nonconformist who associated with some of the leading radical thinkers of his day He rebelled against traditional poetic forms and techniques He valued imagination over reason

He indulged in excesses and had huge debts and many love affairs His most famous creations are his dark heroes, called Byronic heroes, who, in fact, were not heroes at all, but stood out from ordinary humans as larger than life

Shelley had a very unconventional life and was very idealistic He was also a radical nonconformist He did not become famous until after his death

During his life, his poems did not receive favorable reviews by the critics The poetry of Keats is characterized by sensual imagery, most notably in his odes

 “ Classical ” musicians included composers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Josef Haydn.  Romantic musicians included composers like Frederic Chopin, Franz Lizst, Pyotr Il ’ yich Tchaikovsky Frederic ChopinFranz LizstPyotr Il ’ yich Tchaikovsky

  Classical music emphasized internal order and balance.   Romantic music emphasized expression of feelings.

 In America, Romanticism most strongly impacted literature.  Writers explored supernatural and gothic themes.  Writers wrote about nature – Transcendentalists believed G-d was in nature, unlike “ Age of Reason ” writers like Franklin and Jefferson, who saw G-d as a “ divine watchmaker, ” who created the universe and left it to run itself.