Romanticism and the
Romantic Poets
E Block
Alex Pollard, Khloe Webb, Maeve
Sockwell, Rachel Vasilyev, and Meghan
Bellerose
What is Romanticism?
Romanticism is a literary, intellectual, and artistic
movement that began in the late 18th century.
• It began in England and Germany, then it spread throughout
Europe and America.
• Imagination, individualism, emotion, and freedom from rules of
form are focal points of romanticism.
• Common characteristics of romantic literature include solidarity,
worship of nature, imagination above reason, and beauty.
Samuel Coleridge
(October 21, 1772- July 25 1834)
• Addicted to Opium from taking laudanum to cure illnesses as a
young child.
• Good friends with Wordsworth-- another Romantic Poet.
• Father was a vicar of a parish and wanted Coleridge to become a
clergyman--thus he attended Jesus College, U of Cambridge in
1791 with the intention of building a future in the Church of
England.
• Leader of the British Romantic movement.
• His (Coleridge’s) views, however, began to change over the course
of his first year at Cambridge. He became a supporter of William
Frend, a Fellow at the college whose Unitarian beliefs made him a
controversial figure.
Samuel Coleridge (cont.)
• While at Cambridge, Coleridge also accumulated a large debt, which his
brothers eventually had to pay off (Due to a rampant addiction to Opium he
acquired early on in his life). Financial problems continued to plague him
throughout his life, and he constantly depended on the support of others.
• Lyrical Ballads. This collection is considered the first great work of the
Romantic school of poetry and contains Coleridge's famous poem, "The Rime
of the Ancient Mariner." -- work of collaboration between Wordsworth’s poems
and Coleridge
• Coleridge served as Emerson's primary guide to German philosophy-o “To carry on the feelings of childhood into the powers of manhood; to combine the
child's sense of wonder and novelty with the appearances, which every day. . .
had rendered familiar. . . this is the character and privilege of genius, and one of
the marks which distinguish genius from talents.” --Coleridge, (Biographia literaria)
o
Very similar philosophy to that of Emerson-- both idolizing the youth and
explaining how youthfulness and openness to new ideas are what true
genius is.
Coleridge in his later
years; having suffered
from a rampant opium
addiction he spent the last
years of his life living in
the home of his doctor,
and maintained an
acclaimed reputation
among many a young
romantic.
Percy Shelley
(August 4 1792 – July 8 1822 )
• Famously associated with Lord
Byron; his wife wrote the
acclaimed Frankenstein because
of a suggestion by Byron.
• Began developing idealist and
other controversial philosophies
during college; thus conventional
school was a struggle and he was
consequently expelled for his
unorthodox ideas.
• Similar to many romantic poets,
Shelley believed strongly in the
power of nature-- Emerson was
greatly influenced by his poetry
and ideas in this sense.
Matthew Arnold
(Dec 1822- April 1888)
• Born in Laleham, Middlesex, England
• British poet, critic and educator
-worked for 35 years as gov. school inspector
-taught poetry at Oxford (1857- 1867)
-wrote many essays
• Known as a sage writer
• Family involved in literature
-Dad was headmaster of Rugby School
-Brother was literary professor
-Other brother was novelist
• Close friend of/inspired by Wordsworth
Writing Topics
• Christianity/Importance of faith
• Literal and figurative beauty
• Importance of education
William Wordsworth
(April 7, 1770 - April 23, 1850)
English romantic poet
Born in Cumberland, England
Lost both parents as a young boy and had to take care of his
neurotic sister Dorthy
o Published Lyrical Ballads in 1798 with Samuel Taylor
Coleridge
 simple stories about their lives written in common
language
o Completed his major literary work, an autobiographical
poem, The Prelude, in 1850
o Wrote many poems expressing his love of nature
o Last decades of his life he was Poet Laureate of England
Some of Emerson’s ideas were influenced by Wordsworth’s
essays and poems
After his resignation as minister in 1832, Emerson went on a tor
of Europe where he met William Wordsworth, along with Carlyle,
J Mill, and Coleridge
o
o
o
•
•
Wordsworth
"I Wandered Lonley as a Cloud"
“I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”
William Blake
Nonconformist
Romantic Writer
and Philosopher
"I must create a
system or be enslaved
by another man's."
Childhood
• Born November 28, 1757 in
London (d.Aug.12, 1827)
• Part of a very religious family
• Intellectually ahead of his
peers
• Very good writer and artist by
age 10
• Claimed to have seen "angles
in a tree"
• Also claimed to see them in
fields and had reported
experiences with God
Early Career
• Worked closely with wife as his assistant
• Often used simple AABB ABAB rhyme schemes
along with standard four lined stanzas
• Combined visuals with his writing to deepen the
impact of his work on the reader
Later Career
• Outspoken nonconformist
• Based his poetry and writings on imagination rather than
reason
• Used observations on man's inner nature
• Later developed his own, very complex, mythology
• This complex mythology became the subject for much of
his later work
• Many people claimed that he had gone mad, including
William Woodsworth
Lord Byron
• At birth, named "George
Gordan Byron"
• Born January 22,1788
• Born in London, England
• Raised
• Famous in his lifetime for
his many exotic affairs
• Created his own cult of a
personality: "Byronic Hero"
• Known for height (6'2) &
good looks
• Great Romantic impact on
England
• Died from a fever April 19
1824
Lord Byron (Cont.)
• Attended Trinity College (1805-1808)
• In November 1806 he distributed around Southwell his first
book of poetry Fugitive Pieces - a collection of his poems
inspired by his early infatuations
• In 1809 Byron's first major poetic work, English Bards, and
Scotch Reviewers. A Satire, was published anonymously in
an edition of one thousand copies.
• In March 1809 took seat in "House of Lords" & attended
sessions of the Parliament
• Close relationship with Percy Shelley
• Most famous poetry work "She Walks In Beauty"
• Considered a leader of the Romanticism Revolution
John Keats
• B
orn in Finsbury
Pavement, England.
• Born October 31, 1795
• As a child, sacrificed
medical ambitions to
become a poet.
• Work not well known until
4 years prior to death
• Most of his poems were
inspired by Lord Byron.
• Died February 23, 1821
• Death caused by
Tuberculosis
Keats (cont.)
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mortransient sensation or passion vs enduring art
dream or vision vs reality
joy vs melancholy
the ideal vs the real
mortal vs immortal
life vs death
separation vs connection
being immersed in passion vs desiring to escape passion
- Focused on beauty & truth
- Imagination
- Excessive use of imagery
- Advocated living "the ripest, fullest experience that one is capable of"; he believed that
what determines truth is experience.
CITATIONS
Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wordsworth
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/rom.html
http://www.eduquan.com/fanwen/362/696/20070729113526.html
http://www.clickinks.com/The-Life-and-Works-of-Ralph-Waldo-Emerson.html
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/179
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Taylor_Coleridge
http://www.online-literature.com/byron/
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/keats.html#rom
http://www.keatsian.co.uk/keatsian-ideas.htm
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/103419/poetry/lord_byrons_poem_she_walks_in_beauty.html
Photos:
http://rosswarner.com/Walden.html (Walden photo)
http://www.wordsworthclassics.com/cov/poet/1840225351.jpg (lyrical ballads photo)
http://www.unl.edu/Corvey/html/Images/WavesBreakingOnALeeShore.jpg (Romanticism photo)