THE RISE OF GOTHICISM: HISTORICAL CONTEXT The Age of Enlightenment an intellectual movement which dominated the world of ideas in Europe in the 18th century. The Enlightenment included a range of ideas centered on reason as the primary source of authority and legitimacy, and came to advance ideals such as liberty, progress, tolerance, fraternity, constitutional governments, and separation of church and state The Enlightenment was marked by an emphasis on the scientific method and reductionism along with increased questioning of religious orthodoxy - an attitude captured by the phrase “sapere aude,” "Dare to know"

THE RISE OF GOTHICISM: HISTORICAL CONTEXT The Age of Enlightenment French historians traditionally place the Enlightenment between 1715, the year that Louis XIV died, and 1789, the beginning of the French Revolution Some recent historians begin the period in the 1620s, with the start of the scientific revolution.  Les philosophes (French for 'the philosophers') of the period widely circulated their ideas through meetings at scientific academies, Masonic lodges, literary salons, coffee houses, and through printed books and pamphlets. The ideas of the Enlightenment undermined the authority of the monarchy and the Church, and paved the way for the political revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries.  A variety of 19th-century movements, including liberalism and neo-classicism, trace their intellectual heritage back to the Enlightenment

THE RISE OF GOTHICISM: HISTORICAL CONTEXT Romanticism an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century and, in most areas, was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1850 Romanticism was characterized by its emphasis on emotion and individualism, as well as glorification of all the past and nature, preferring the medieval rather than the classical. It was partly a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, the aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment, and the scientific rationalization of nature. 

THE RISE OF GOTHICISM: HISTORICAL CONTEXT Romanticism The movement emphasized intense emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis on such emotions as apprehension, horror and terror, and awe—especially that experienced in confronting the new aesthetic categories of the sublimity and beauty of nature. In contrast to the rational and Classicist ideal models, Romanticism revived medievalism and elements of art and narrative perceived as authentically medieval in an attempt to escape population growth, early urban sprawl, and industrialism.

THE RISE OF GOTHICISM: HISTORICAL CONTEXT Romanticism Defining the nature of Romanticism may be approached from the starting point of the primary importance of the free expression of the feelings of the artist. :the artist's feeling is his law“ (Casper Friedrich) To express these feelings, it was considered that the content of the art had to come from the imagination of the artist, with as little interference as possible from "artificial" rules that dictated what a work should consist of.  Many believed there were natural laws that the imagination—at least of a good creative artist—would unconsciously follow through artistic inspiration if left alone. As well as rules, the influence of models from other works was considered to impede the creator's own imagination, so that originality was essential. The concept of the genius, or artist who was able to produce his own original work through this process of creation from nothingness, is key to Romanticism, and to be derivative was the worst sin. This idea is often called "romantic originality.“

THE RISE OF GOTHICISM: HISTORICAL CONTEXT Romanticism Not essential to Romanticism, but so widespread as to be normative, was a strong belief and interest in the importance of nature. However, this is particularly in the effect of nature upon the artist when he is surrounded by it, preferably alone. In contrast to the usually very social art of the Enlightenment, Romantics were distrustful of the human world, and tended to believe that a close connection with nature was mentally and morally healthy. Romantic art addressed its audiences with what was intended to be felt as the personal voice of the artist

THE RISE OF GOTHICISM: HISTORICAL CONTEXT Horace Walpole Interest in Gothicism stemmed from his fascination with gothic architecture Turned his estate house turned into a gothic castle (Strawberry Hill) also studied ancient folios and medieval abbeys and castles In 1757 he set up a printing press to publish literature The Castle of Otranto is published here in 1764; allows the genre to take off Supposedly Otranto was published as a hoax (a “found” text from a medieval time) Walpole didn’t put his name on the title page. Instead, the “author” of Otranto is William Marshall Gent, a priest who “found” and translated the story (but Gent also wasn’t the author of Otranto’s story)