Essay on Introduction to Romanticism - 1656 Words

For many years, this period and these writers were known as the American Renaissance, a coin termed by F.O. Matthiessen in his book of that name in 1941. This book set the parameters of how to read and connect these writers until relatively recently, when its limitations, especially in terms of defining the quot;canonquot; of literary giants and what made them (all male) quot;giantsquot; have been recognized and challenged. However, the term is still useful to some degree. It is a misnomer, if one thinks of the period as a time of rebirth of some earlier literary greatness, as the European Renaissance, because there was nothing to be quot;reborn.quot; The great writers of this period, roughly 1840-1865 although more particularly†¦show more content†¦There is nothing comparable in so short a period in Europe. Is there any relationship between this literary outburst and the conflicts which would soon lead to war? As is so often true, there are no good answers, but lots of good speculation. Cultural there was time for literature and art; the practical matters such as the essential of making a living and establishing political independence had been squared. There were American publishers and even more important, copyright laws protected writers from having their works printed, without their permission or pay, in England. There were readers, often women eager to expand their minds. It was actually possible to make a kind of living as a writer, although it was difficult and limited, making these writers agonize over the problem of quot;vocation.quot; There was also a strong national pride, self-conscious and anti-British. Politically the time was ripe. The 18th century left a heritage of optimism about mans possibilities and perfectability. The lofty ideals of democracy asserted the value of individuals, regardless of class, and education. Of course, these values primarily applied to white males. In fact, tensions were building which cried out for creative release. Inequality, not equality was the rule for many, especially women and slaves. The clash of these realities with the idealistic rhetoric led writers to take extremes, championing individualism yet also seeing the darker sides of a fragmentingShow MoreRelatedThe Romantic Period Of Literature1019 Words   |  5 Pagesbut examples of Romanticism can still be seen today. The Romantic authors most certainly had an impact on many artists to come. Edgar Allan Poe is often a name that comes to mind when discussing Romanticism and especially Dark Romanticism and for good reason. Poe exemplifies Romanticism and many examples can be seen in his work, s uch as the House of Usher. Some traits of Romanticism include high drama, pathetic fallacy, and shocking climax, which are a few pillars of the Romanticism style. These pillarsRead MoreLiterature during the Romantic Era972 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Romanticism Introduction The Romantic era began in the late eighteenth century as a reaction against the Age of Enlightenment and was a period of great change and emancipation. The movement started as an artistic and intellectual reaction against aristocratic social and political norms of the Enlightenment and against the scientific rationalization of nature. During the Enlightenment literature and art were primarily created for the elite, upper classes and educated, and the language incorporatedRead MoreA Meaningful Romantic Period1176 Words   |  5 Pagesthought of in society, today – that warm, fuzzy feeling inside when in the presence of a beloved partner. The Romantic period, however, is referenced by the third definition on the page, â€Å"relating to or denoting the artistic and literary movement of romanticism† (â€Å"Romantic†). This definition will be the focal point of this paper, which will discuss the trend of the Romantic period to include its characteristics, historical considerations, and sociopolitical factors. This paper will also analyze a literaryRead MoreThe Neoclassical and Romantic Periods1114 Words   |  5 Pagesmore emotionally accessible. The importance of abstract reason perpetuated by the upper and middle class elite drove opposing interests to begin exploring the world of sensation and emotion in the cultural movement that became known as Romanticism (Pre-Romanticism, 2010). Romanic Period Romanticist artists were fascinated by the nature, the genius, their passions, inner struggles, their moods, mental potentials and heroes. They investigated human nature and personality, the folk culture, theRead MoreRomanticism in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake1393 Words   |  6 PagesRomanticism in William Blakes Poem William Blake was a poet, painter, and a printmaker all during the period in literature known as the Romantic time period. The Romantic time period, also known in Literature as Romanticism began in Europe, mainly France and Britain around the 1800s (Barker) and it was first defined as a tool to in literature and literary criticisms (Galitz). The Romantic period did not just focus on literature, but also on the subjects of art and knowledge which was fueledRead MoreEmily Dickinson And Walt Whitman1719 Words   |  7 Pagesand their emotions into words that move the readers in some way. One of the most popular periods of writing would be the romanticism era. Some of the most well known authors in this time period were Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman. The reason they are so popular from the Romanticism period is because they also incorporated their transcendental ideas into their work. Romanticism has been described as a Protestantism in the arts and letters, an ideological shift on the grand scale from conservativeRead MoreAnalysis Of John Keats And The Sick Rose By William Wordsworth837 Words   |  4 PagesChesney Monroe October 26, 2014 Dr. Jana Chance Exam 2: Essay Identify 3 features of Romanticism and discuss how each of these features appears in two works that we have read. Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats and The Sick Rose by William Wordsworth: I. Introduction of Romanticism a. Features of Romanticism II. How these features embody the written works of Romanticism exemplified by Bright Star and The Sick Rose a. Ode to a Nightingale i. How it embodies a love of nature, imagination and emotionalRead MoreThe Prairies Essay example686 Words   |  3 PagesThe term romantic is defined as literature depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form (Morner). Romanticism was a cultural movement in the eighteenth century that had an impact on in many areas including music, art, and literature. The movement that Romanticism put forth was so powerful that today, scholars refer to it as a revolution that took place in rebellion against the austere views of groups like the Puritans from the previous centuries. Many images of nature in the writing at thisRead MoreEssay On Love DoesnT Always Conquer All1593 Words   |  7 Pagesa villain, but his dreams of being a hero die on the day he realizes he is powerless to get the girl he loves. This is a classic case of how romanticism negatively affects people, especially young men. There’s nothing wrong with romance in and of itself; many people read books and watch mov ies involving a hero and a damsel in distress. It’s when romanticism is taken too far—it’s when young people’s lives are shattered by its often misguided ideology—that problems start to arise. The boy in â€Å"Araby†Read MoreClose Critical Analysis of Coleridges Frost at Midnight1716 Words   |  7 Pagesrevealing how the key concerns of Romanticism were communicated through the poem. The Romantic period in English literature ran from around 1785, following the death of the eminent neo-classical writer Samuel Johnson, to the ascension of Queen Victoria to the throne in 1837. However, in the years spanning this period writers were not identified as exponents of a recognised literary movement. It was only later that literary historians created and applied the term Romanticism. Since then, a further distinction