July 14, 1789-French Revolution and Parliamentary reform of 1832 laid the political foundations for modern Britain. England moves from agricultural to industrial nation with large and restless working class concentrated in mill towns.

Starting in 1776 revolution swept western Europe, releasing political, economic, and social forces that produced some of the most radical changes experienced in life.

For the ruling class of England, the French Revolution came to represent their worst fears: the overthrow of an anointed king by a democratic “rabble.” Feared the revolutionary fever would spread across the Channel. Writers such as Wordsworth thought revolution was right but soon became disillusioned with “September massacre” (Reign of Terror-killing of hundreds of aristocrats and middle class citizens) and by new invention guillotine.

After turmoil, control of French Government went to Napoleon Bonaparte and in 1804 declared the first dictator (tyrant) as ruthless as former French King. These changes made England more rigid: outlawed collective bargaining, kept spies in prison without trial. Conservative economic and political measures and lengthy war ( ) against Napoleon from England consolidated the power of the rich.

Tyranny of Laissez Faire- let the people do what they please/no government interference Industrial Revolution and improvements in farming brought prosperity to middle and upper but degrading poverty to families employed in factories and mills. Previously goods made by hand or at home-now production switched to factories where machines worked faster. The city populations increased which caused terrible living conditions. Land previously shared by small farmers taken over by individual owners for their own pleasure. Created homeless who migrated to city.

Effect on children- used as beasts No laws for factory safety, workers’ hrs, low wages. No effort to control economy’s boom and bust fluctuations-result in layoffs.

Luddite Riots Unemployed factory workers rioted and smashed machinery they blamed for taking their jobs away. The violence was frightening to so many that Parliament passed a law making the breaking of machines an offense punishable by death

Corn Law (any grain) A law to keep foreign grain from glutting the market; tax-protected the large landowners and small farmers, but devastated the poor and unemployed by keeping food prices high

Peterloo Massacre (pun on Battle of Waterloo) Labor unions illegal- so when workers assembled in defiance of the law, government troops called in to suppress their meetings. In one incident, 11 people killed at St. Peter’s Fields, Manchester.

Collection between William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge began the Romantic time. Both desired to explore new modes of literary expression. Both nature and meditation were linked with insight into the human experience flowing freely from communion with nature.

Romantic Literature Writers revolted against the order, propriety, and traditionalism of the Age of Reason. Neoclassical writers had great respect for rules, both in literature and society and wrote about human being as an integral part of organized society rather than as an individual Frustrated by resistance to political and social change to improve conditions, poets went from formal, public verse to private, spontaneous lyric poetry.

* Writers used the elements of romance (not sentimental writing) to go back beyond refinements of neoclassical literature to older types of writing they saw as genuine. * Emotion more important than reason and the individual’s relationship to nature- major concern.

Romantic(ism) first signifies fascination with youth and innocence and growing up by exploring and learning to trust our emotions and our sense of will and identity. Delight in commonplace, celebrate ordinary- bird’s song, flower, etc. in verse.

Second--question tradition and authority in order to imagine better-that is, happier, fairer, and healthier (associated with idealism)

Third-- people acquire a stronger and stronger awareness of change and find ways to adapt to it.

Elements: Imagination Personal experiences and emotions Lyric is best for self- revelation Democratic attitude Turned to past or inner contemplation Individual liberty Nature is transformative Fascination with youth and innocence Questions authority

Poetry, Nature, and the Imagination: Explores commonplace, beauty of nature and power of human imagination/ no longer using complex arguments in witty style Form is often a lyric that lends itself to spontaneity, immediacy, quick burst of emotion, and self-revelation.

Wordsworth focused on rural instead of city life because in the country “the passions of men are incorporated with the beautiful and permanent forms of Nature.”

Romantics often called nature poets but that term is misleading-prized experiences of beauty and majesty of nature. Nature not hostile but mysterious. Thought the human mind and nature act on each other.

The Romantic Poet The Romantic poets found a way through the imagination to fulfill the poet’s traditional role as “prophet, priest, and king” in a time of change. Used Gothic – Setting - gloomy; eerie; supernatural; provoked wild emotions. Ruins reflect human aspirations and failures This age expressed a sense of helplessness about forces beyond their control-revolutions and industrializations’ economic changes.

Romantic Writers Dominated by six poets William Blake- mystical verse (innocence and experience) William Wordsworth - writing to capture everyday experience in simple language without concern for artificial rules or conventions Samuel Taylor Coleridge -explores the supernatural events with a human interest and semblance of truth. George Gordon, Lord Byron -the Byronic hero (dark, brooding, diabolical) literary staple Percy Shelley -wrote verse dramas and lyric poetry celebrating nature, freedom, and artistic expression. John Keats -sonnets, odes, ballads that used nature as a starting point for philosophical meditations