Defining Romanticism

Romanticism “Began” with the publication of Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1798 Wordsworth defined features of romanticism in his preface to the Lyrical Ballads Dominated by William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron*, Percy Bysshe Shelley*, and John Keats*

What Does “Romantic” Mean? The term “romantic” signifies: A fascination with youth and innocence A questioning of authority and tradition in order to imagine better ways to live; idealism A demanded people acquire an awareness of change and find ways to adapt to it.

Neoclassicism: Values reason & common sense Values tradition and order Addresses objective social values (that concerned society as a whole) Respects established human institutions of church & state Style: witty and satirical Style: imitated classical forms of Greek and Rome Romanticism: Emphasizes the importance of an individual’s experience Values imagination & emotion Turns to nature, in all its creative & destructive forces, for inspiration Celebrates everyday life and the commonplace Explores the mysterious, supernatural & the exotic Style: lyrical, natural speech patterns, expressive

“The World is Too Much With Us” by William Wordsworth Emphasizes the importance of an individual’s experience Values imagination & emotion Turns to nature, in all its creative & destructive forces, for inspiration Celebrates everyday life and the commonplace Explores the mysterious, supernatural & the exotic Style: lyrical, natural speech patterns, expressive

Written Response What is universal message (theme) in Wordsworth’s poem “The World is Too Much With Us”? Use specific details from the poem to support your analysis.

William Blake Transitional Visionary

William Blake  Believed that the poet was a bard ---an inspired revealer and teacher.  Wrote two books of illuminated poems: Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794)  Written to show “the two contrary states of the human soul”

Elements of Poetry The Basics

3 Myths about Poetry MYTH #1: The only way to enjoy a poem is to find the meaning. MYTH #2: The meaning is “hidden” in the poem. MYTH #3: The meaning is found by deciphering each word, image, analogy as a symbol.

Forms of Poetry Analysis Theme Form and Structure Sound Rhythmic Patterns (meter) Use of Figurative Language Impact on the Reader

Form and Structure Form refers to the way a poem is arranged, including its line length, placement, and grouping. –Fixed Form Has a conventional stanza pattern OR a defined rhyme scheme –Irregular Form Not defined by any traditional poetic structure Romantic poets experimented with both fixed and irregular poetic form. Types of poems: Lyric, narrative, descriptive

Sound Devices Types: alliteration, consonance, assonance, onomatopoeia Purpose: Unify stanzas, create mood, delight the ear From Kubla Khan Samuel Taylor Coleridge In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure-dome decree: Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea. So twice five miles of fertile ground With walls and towers were girdled round; And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills, Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree; And here were forests ancient as the hills, Enfolding sunny spots of greenery…

Rhythmic Patterns Rhyme – repetition of similar sounds Meter – the rhythmic pattern repeated throughout the poem –Measured in feet, type and number per line –Creates a musical quality

Figurative Language Language beyond the literal Common types: –Metaphor –Simile –Apostrophe (direct address to an object, quality, or absent person) –Personification –Symbol

Impact on Reader Tone Imagery –Poets use imagery to create a sensory experience for the reader. Connotation vs. Denotation