1. English Romanticism
How poets such as Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Keats shaped literature during the most revolutionary time in English history.

2. “I felt before I thought” --Jean Jacques Rousseau
What is Romanticism?
“I felt before I thought”
--Jean Jacques Rousseau
Romantic poets believed that one should write from their emotions and initial feelings on certain topics, rather than THINK about the topic and its impact and/or consequences.

3. Romantic Style
First Appearance: German songs and Ballads in the late 18th century.
Throwback to traditional literature of Medieval Times
Unrequited Love (murder and suicide)
Chivalry (Was chivalry dead?)

4. What was everyone so depressed about?
Romanticism
Revolved around one’s personal life and personal experiences.
Involved themes such as:
Frenzy
Melancholy
World-Weariness
Fear
Self-Destruction
WHY??
What was everyone so depressed about?

5. Romantic poets emphasized content over form!!
Romantic Style
Romantic poets emphasized content over form!!
Less rhyming & meter (Chaucer/Shakespeare)
More plot-driven (narrative)
More action
More emotion & feeling
Complex characters
Less/Absence of God
Alternatives to organized religion

6. Libertarianism/Individualism Nature Lure of the Exotic Supernatural
Themes of Romanticism
Libertarianism/Individualism
Nature
Lure of the Exotic
Supernatural

7. Libertarianism/Individualism
Born out of “Age of Enlightenment”
Desire to be free from tyranny and oppression
Monarchies
Feudal System
Overthrow/Change the government
American & French Revolution

8. Libertarianism/Individualism
Focus on the influence of the Industrial Revolution and the “Urban Sprawl”
Filth from pollution from factories/human waste
Moving into “nature” and away from cities
Criticism of Urban Society
Filth in the streets and factories
Influence of poverty and the poor
Poor living/working conditions & child labor
“A Modest Proposal”—Jonathan Swift (1732) brought up idea originally (rich vs. poor)

9. Nature
Natural and picturesque surroundings in the country (away from urban misery)
Emphasis to move away from the cities to the country.
Healthier
Less stress
Melancholy, sometimes laid-back themes
Life needs to be changed for the better—make it better for the individual

10. Lure of the Exotic Introductions of other societies
Oriental culture (Chinese, Japanese, etc.)
East Indian culture
Native Caribbean culture
How does the aristocracy live in other cultures? Corrupt? Dishonest? Disconnected? (to its people).
Creation of locations with ornate descriptions
Recall from the Gothic past (Medieval Times)
Leads to the expanse of the “supernatural”

11. The Supernatural Irrational states of being (states of mind)
Based on old folk tales and ballads from medieval and post-medieval literature
Hans Christian Andersen (Dutch)
Brothers Grimm (German)
Fascinated with self-identity (analysis of self within the self—philosophy?)
Beginning of the creation of monsters (ex: Frankenstein monster)
Symbolism for the corruption of the mind/humanity or states of mind/humanity

12. Review Romanticism has to do with feelings not thoughts
Emphasis on medieval literature
Melancholy and laid back themes
Less form: rhyming, meters; more plot-driven, more developed characters, more actions, emotions, feelings, etc.
Main themes:
Libertarianism/Individualism
Nature
Lure of the Exotic
Supernatural