Q:- CHARACTERISTICS OF ROMANTIC AGE....
Introduction
Romanticism often considered as Romantic Age or Romantic Era was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement of Europe. Many different dates are given for the rise of the Romantic Age but the publication of Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth and S. T. Coleridge in 1798 is taken as the beginning of the Romantic Era.
Romanticism in literature concerned with the two bed – rock of emotions and imaginations. It introduces the readers to a world of strangeness and beauty as Pater considers it as “The addition of Strangeness in beauty.” He further said that –
The desire of beauty being a fixed element in every artistic organization, it is the addition of curiosity to the desire of beauty.
Thus, the two most prominent elements of romanticism are curiosity and beauty. Romanticism also stands for freedom and liberty, and therefore it is “Literalism in Literature.”
Rise of The Romanticism
Romantic Movement dates its origin in 1798 with the publication of Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth and S. T. Coleridge. This movement in literature was preceded and accompanied by the change in literary styles. It was partly a reaction to the Industrial Revolution and also the social and political norms of England as well as Europe. The rise of the Romanticism in English literature is somehow concerned with the Age of Enlightenment. The supreme Romantic Movement in English literature was the Renaissance. It had brought about a transformation not only in England but also in European life.
Characteristics of Romanticism
1) Contrast with Neo – Classicism
While talking about Neo – Classicism era, the Romantic era is totally opposed to it. There is a great contrast between Neo – Classicism and Romanticism. The main difference between neoclassicism and romanticism is that neoclassicism emphasized on objectivity, order, and restraint whereas romanticism emphasized on imagination and emotion. The main thing in the poetry of Romanticism is the break from the thralldom of rules and regulations. W. J. Long marks –
The Romantic Movement was marked by a strong reaction and protests against the bondage of rule and custom which in literature, generally tend to fetter the free human spirit.
2) Love for Freedom
In Romantic Poetry, the emphasis was laid on liberty and freedom of the individual. Romantic poets were rebels against tyranny and brutality exercised by tyrants and despots over humans crushed by poverty and smashed by inhuman laws. English romanticism was an expression of the desire for freedom from the restraining forces of reason and the assertion of the rights of feeling and imagination. Thus, Freedom is the breath in which the Romantic poets breathed freely.
3) Supernaturalism
Supernaturalism is another outstanding quality of Romantic Poetry. Poets like Coleridge and Scott gave a sense of wonder and mystery to poetry. It was this supernaturalism that gave the atmosphere of wonder and mystery to the Romantic Poetry. Most of the romantic poets used supernatural elements in their poetry. Samuel Taylor Coleridge is the leading romantic poet in this regard, and "Kubla Khan" is full of supernatural elements.
4) Subjectivity
Subjectivity is another important feature of the Romantic poets. Subjective poetry is a kind of poetry in which the poet goes into himself and finds his inspiration from his own experiences, thoughts and feelings. Most of the Romantic poets are subject in this sense. For example, Keats’s “Ode to the Nightingale” is basically based on personal matter. Subjectivity began to have its full play in the poetry of this age as W. J. Long points out –
The Romantic Movement was the expression of individual genius rather than of the established rules.
5) Variety of Moods
In Romantic Poetry, we come across an endless variety. The poetry of this age is as varied as the character and moods of different writers. A noted remark of W. J. Long said that –
In the works of the best romanticists there is endless variety. To read them is like passing through a new village, meeting a score of different human types, and finding in each one something to Love or to remember.
6) Simplicity in Style
The style of the Romantic Poets is varied but the stress was laid on simplicity. Instead of an artificial mode of expression of classical poets, we have a natural diction and spontaneous way of expressing thoughts in Romantic Poetry. Romantic Poets believe in the simplicity in their style. They followed the simplicity in their works. They not followed the artificial mode of the expression of classical Poetry. They have express thoughts in natural Diction and spontaneity way.
7) Emotion and Imagination
In Romantic Poetry, reason and intellect were subdued and their place was taken by imaginations, emotions and passion. In the poetry of all the Romantic Poets, we find heightened emotional sensibilities and imaginative flights of genius bordering on heavenly heights uncrossed by the poets of the previous age.
Authors of The Romantic Era
---> William Wordsworth, born in 1770 and died in 1850, is considered as the father of Romantic Movement. In fact, the Romanticism in English literature began with his publication of Lyrical Ballads with co – author and his friend S. T. Coleridge. He was also the Poet Laureate of England from 1843 till his death in 1850.
---> Samuel Taylor Coleridge, born in 1772 and died in 1834, was another great poet of Romantic Era. He was a good friend of William Wordsworth, and they two together published Lyrical Ballads which marks the beginning of Romanticism. Coleridge contributed in Romantic Movement with his two best poems The Rime of Ancient, Christabel and Kubla Khan.
---> John Keats, born in 1795 and died in 1821, was one of the prominent figures of the second generation of English Romantic poets. However, his reputation grew after his death. His famous works are Ode to Nightingale and When I Have Fears.
---> P. B. Shelley, born in 1792 and died in 1822, was an English poet and friend of John Keats who contributed in English Romanticism along with John Keats. His great works of the time were Ode to The West Wind and A Defense of Poetry.
---> William Blake, born in 1757 and died in 1827, was highly influential figures in the history of Romantic era. His poetry often accompanied by fantastic imagery. Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience are the two great works of Blake.
Works of The Romantic Era
Lyrical Ballads, The Rime of Ancient, Christabel, Kubla Khan, Ode to Nightingale, When I Have Fears, Ode to The West Wind, and Songs of Experience are some of the great works of the Romanticism of Literature.
Conclusion
The Romantic period was one of major social, political and literary change in England. Romanticism in literature concerned with the two bed – rock of emotions and imaginations. It introduces the readers to a world of strangeness and beauty as Pater considers it as “The addition of Strangeness in beauty.” Thus, the two most prominent elements of romanticism are curiosity and beauty. Romanticism also stands for freedom and liberty, and therefore it is “Literalism in Literature.”
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