- "Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) is an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century."
Examine the general characteristics of Romanticism in literature, such as emotion over reason, nature, individualism, imagination, and the supernatural.
Historical context: Understanding the historical and cultural background of the Romantic period (late 18th to mid-19th century) including the Industrial Revolution, political upheavals and social changes.
Emotion and Imagination: Romantic literature is characterized by an emphasis on emotions and imagination, as opposed to reason and rationality.
Nature and the Sublime: The Romantic Movement celebrated the awe-inspiring beauty of nature and the sublime, which refers to the feeling of awe and terror that comes from experiencing something that is both powerful and potentially destructive.
Individualism: The Romantic poets rejected the idea of universality and instead focused on the subjective experiences of the individual.
Supernatural and Gothic Elements: The Romantic period is known for its interest in the supernatural, including ghosts, witches, and other mysterious phenomena. Gothic elements such as gloomy castles, haunted landscapes, and supernatural occurrences were also prevalent.
Nationalism and Folklore: Many Romantics were interested in the unique cultural traditions of their own countries, often incorporating folk tales, myths and legends into their literature.
The Byronic Hero: A character archetype that emerged in Romantic literature, the Byronic hero is a mysterious, brooding figure with a troubled past and ambiguous morality.
Romanticism in Music and Art: The Romantic Movement was not limited to literature and also had a profound impact on the arts, particularly music and visual art.
Reaction against the Enlightenment: The Romantic period can be seen as a reaction against the rationality and scientific approach of the Enlightenment, towards a more emotional and philosophical approach to human experience.
Feminism and Gender Identity: A growing awareness of women's rights and gender identity led many Romantic writers to address these issues in their work.
Emotion and Passion: Romanticism emphasizes the intensity of emotions and the power of passion.
Imagination and Creativity: Romanticism celebrates the imagination's ability to transcend and transform reality.
Nature and the Sublime: Romanticism emphasizes the beauty and power of nature, including its awe-inspiring aspects.
Individualism and Personal Experience: Romanticism stresses the importance of individualism and personal experience as sources of creativity and insight.
Mysticism and the Supernatural: Romanticism incorporates mystical and supernatural elements, such as ghosts, spirits, and dreams.
Nostalgia and Longing: Romanticism often expresses a sense of longing for a simpler, more innocent past.
Nationalism and Patriotism: Romanticism emphasizes the importance of national identity and cultural heritage.
Gothic Elements and Horror: Romanticism incorporates elements of gothic literature, such as gloom, horror, and fear.
Fragmentation and New Forms: Romanticism often experiments with new forms of literature and music, including fragmented narratives and unconventional structures.
Social and Political Critique: Romanticism critiques the social and political structures of the era, such as industrialization, urbanization, and colonialism.
- "Romanticism was characterized by its emphasis on emotion and individualism as well as glorification of the past and nature, preferring the medieval to the classical."
- "Romanticism was partly a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, and the prevailing ideology of the Age of Enlightenment, especially the scientific rationalization of Nature."
- "It was embodied most strongly in the visual arts, music, and literature; it also had a major impact on historiography, education, chess, social sciences, and the natural sciences."
- "Romantic thinking influenced conservatism, liberalism, radicalism, and nationalism."
- "The movement emphasized intense emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience."
- "It granted a new importance to experiences of sympathy, awe, wonder, and terror."
- "Romantics stressed the nobility of folk art and ancient cultural practices, but also championed radical politics, unconventional behavior, and authentic spontaneity."
- "In contrast to the rationalism and classicism of the Enlightenment, Romanticism revived medievalism and juxtaposed a pastoral conception of a more 'authentic' European past with a highly critical view of recent social changes, including urbanization, brought about by the Industrial Revolution."
- "Many Romantic ideals were first articulated by German thinkers in the Sturm und Drang movement, which elevated intuition and emotion above Enlightenment rationalism."
- "The events and ideologies of the French Revolution were also direct influences on the movement; many early Romantics throughout Europe sympathized with the ideals and achievements of French revolutionaries."
- "Romanticism lionized the achievements of 'heroic' individuals – especially artists, who began to be represented as cultural leaders."
- "Romanticism also prioritized the artist's unique, individual imagination above the strictures of classical form."
- "In the second half of the 19th century, Realism emerged as a response to Romanticism, and was in some ways a reaction against it."
- "Romanticism suffered an overall decline during this period, as it was overshadowed by new cultural, social, and political movements, many of them hostile to the perceived illusions and preoccupations of the Romantics."
- "However, it has had a lasting impact on Western civilization."
- "Many 'Romantic', 'neo-Romantic', and 'post-Romantic' artists and thinkers created their most enduring works after the end of the Romantic Era as such."