Romanticism

A literary, artistic, and intellectual movement that emerged in the late 18th century and reached its peak during the 19th century. It was a reaction against the rationalism and Enlightenment ideals of the 18th century and emphasized emotion, individualism, imagination, and a deep appreciation of nature (Curran 43, 46).

The Romantic era was marked by significant societal transformations, including the Industrial Revolution as well as the rise of liberal movements. One of these was Chartism, which emerged as a working-class movement advocating for political reform. The People’s Charter gained support in industrial towns and put political pressure on the elites. Even though Chartism as a political movement did not achieve its goals at the time, the demands of the People’s Charter were fulfilled with the reform acts of the political system. The first reform bill laid the basis for all later reforms, gradually expanding the voting rights and representation in Parliament. Another turning point in British history, highlighting the need for political and social reform was the Peterloo Massacre of 1819, where political tension erupted into violence.

Additionally the early 19th century saw the rise of various religious movements that explored alternative spiritual paths and drew on a range of religious and philosophical traditions. Some Romantic writers critiqued organized religion, questioning its dogmas. Percy Bysshe Shelley, for example, was known for his criticism of institutionalized religion (Clark 329). Further changes were middle class education, and political instability all hovered over by the French Revolution (Curran 14). However, the revolutionary spirit was also evident in Great Britain as a result of the colonial failures - the American Revolutionary War of the 1780s and growing discontent and resistance against British rule in India.

Romantic poets used poetry to explicitly express their thoughts on political and social issues. They rejected the neoclassical style, which was prevalent during the 18th century. Neoclassical poets sought to express clear and rational ideas, often avoiding excessive emotionalism or personal subjectivity. In contrast to this, romantic poets adopted a more personal and impressionistic approach, expressing their subjective experiences through their works (Dart 612). Perhaps the most enduring legacy of Romanticism is the dominance of the lyric poem. These poems, often spoken in the first person, explore the inner workings of the poet's heart and mind, finding correspondences in the natural world (Esterhammer 87). The Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge exemplifies this shift in poetry, emphasizing powerful feelings and introspection.

The Romantic era produced an array of poetic voices, from the older generation of William Blake, Wordsworth and Coleridge to younger poets like Percy Bysshe Shelley (Clark 329). Women poets like Charlotte Smith, and Mary Robinson also made significant contributions (Curran 38).

Bibliography:

Clark, Ashley. “Romanticism.“ The Cambridge History of Atheism, edited by Bullivant, Stephen and Michael Ruse, Cambridge University Press, 2021, pp. 329-345.

Curran, Stuart. Poetic Form and British Romanticism. Oxford University Press, 1986.

Dart, Gregory. “Practical Criticism.“ The Oxford Handbook of British Romanticism, edited by David Duff, Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 608-624.

Esterhammer, Angela. “The 1820s and Beyond.“ The Oxford Handbook of British Romanticism, edited by David Duff, Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 74-90.