1. The Romantic Period

2. Restoration ( )
1660- Charles II assumes the throne to begin the Restoration
1665- More than 68,000 Londoners die from the plague
1666- Great Fire of London destroys much of the city
1687- Sir Isaac Newton establishes his laws of gravity
1689-Glorious Revolution (no blood); James II is succeeded by a Protestant monarch (William and Mary)
1695- Laws established to deny Catholics of civil rights
1707- England, Scotland, and Whales are unified as Great Britain
1754- Seven Year’s War ends-Britain controls most of North America
1775- American Revolution
1798- Small Pox Vaccine

3. Rationalism vs. Romanticism
Inspiration- logic, science, Classical Greek and Roman literature
Attitudes/Interests- science, technology, exploration, tradition, elegance
Social Concerns- social hierarchy, stability and harmony, aristocracy
Inspiration- feelings, emotions, imagination, Medieval literature
Attitudes/Interests- mysterious and supernatural, romanticized past, spontaneous, appreciated folk traditions
Social Concerns- favored democracy, concerned with common people

4. What’s Going on in England?
1793- France declares war on Britain
1804- Steam engine is used to drive a locomotive
1811- New Idea of Anatomy is published-exploration of brain and nervous system
1811- Napoleon surrenders to Britain at Waterloo
1825- Railroad locomotive invented
1829- Catholics are allowed to hold public office
1831- Charles Darwin expedition
1833- Slavery is abolished in Britain

5. Revolution Spreads
Many social, economic, and political changes—marked by violence
Many people feared literature was based off imagination
This literature was called the Romantic Period
Turned to nature, the past, or a dream world

6. Romantic Poets Thought to be extraordinary people—vital to society
William Wordsworth
Thought to be extraordinary people—vital to society
Poetry dominated during this time
Famous Poets- Keats, Wordsworth, Blake, and Shelley
William Blake
John Keats

7. Basic Characteristics
English Romanticism begins in 1798 with the publication of Wordsworth and Coleridge’s The Lyrical Ballads
Believed poetry could purify individual souls and society.
Focused their writings on inner feelings, emotions, & imagination

8. Three Main Influences:
Political Rebellion
Rustic Life
Personal Feelings
Tried to provide a model for a better way of life.
Three distinguishing qualities:
Turned away from reason and embraced imagination
Writings spoke of personal experience and emotions
Nature transformed them. Nature and human mind mirrored each other.

9. Romantic Authors The novel was still popular
Jane Austen, Sir Walter Scott, and Maria Edgeworth were influential

10. Industrialization England was the first to undergo industrialization
Factories were popular urban populations increased poor living conditions
Farms taken over by owners unemployed farmers migrated to the cities
Laissez Faire- “let people do as they please”
Rich got richer

11. Industrialization and Literature
Britain was adrift and frightened
The response- eerie and supernatural literature
Gothic writing
Helped express the helpless feelings
Used ghosts, death, violence, eerie settings
Purge fears through literature