The Romantic Period
1785-1836
Extracting Key Information
 Read the excerpt from Our Literary Heritage on the Romantic Period.
 Use Highlighters, Sticky notes, or Placemats (Stepping Out strategies)
to extract the key information on your own.
 Read it through
 Circle any words you don’t understand and look them up!!!
 Put question marks by things you need to research in order to make the text




clear… and research them!!!
Underline the information you think is important
Go back and re-read! Take out the information that you don’t need, and keep
the information that you do need.
Get into groups to see if you have the same information as everyone else.
Do you have too much? Did you miss some important information?
Write a summary of your extracted information to use as your notes.
Key points from article:
 Romanticism came about from a fascination with a
romanticized version of the medieval period:









code of chivalry
knights
the idea of a structured society
courtly love
fictional works (not historical)
feelings (instead of actions)
the supernatural
the fanciful or magical
love of nature
 In the Restoration period, man attempted to give scientific
explanations for everything.
 In the Romantic period, man was happy to admit that the
universe was mysterious and wonderful, and that man was
also wonderful and mysterious.
Romantics
Restoration Neo-Classicists
Creative imagination
Critical intellect
Limitless potentials of humans
Man is limited in an orderly, hiearchial
universe
Common sense or reason
Feeling and intuition are important for truth
Freedom of politics and morals for
maximum development (radicals)
Conservative
Concern with the unique, the different, the
abnormal
Concerned with humanity as a whole-the
general populous
Interest in nature-landscapes, scenery,
beauty
Nature of order and reason
Liked new forms/styles to reveal new vision
and inspiration
Kept to cold forms, like couplets, etc.
More personal, expressesd feelings
More scientific-about events more than
feelings
English Poetry in the Romantic Period
 The Romantic Period is one of the great ages of English





poetry.
Wordsworth found delight and wonder in the simple natural
objects of England.
Coleridge went to the weird and legendary to inspire his
writings.
Byron wrote about wild nature and lawless men.
Shelley wrote about the ideal beauty of truth and reality.
Keats wrote of the beauty of the ancient world, of nature, and
of women. He also spoke of the melancholy of existence.
Political and Social Background of the Romantic
Period:
 Three historical events influenced the writers of this time:
 American Revolution
 The French Revolution
 Industrial Revolution
American Revolution
 Conflict between Great Britain and the 13 colonies (Virginia, New
Hampshire, North Carolina, etc.)
 Colonies were upset with the way GB was treating them.
 Basically, it came down to: NO TAXATION WITHOUT
REPRESENTATION.
 They wanted their independence to self-govern and won it in
1783!
 England saw the American Revolution as wicked; the Romantic
writers were non-conformists and saw this in a different light.
 The American Revolution confirmed the Romantics’ belief in
human potential-the great changes that ordinary men could effect
through united effort.
French Revolution
The conflict was a political and religious one:
 French society still followed feudalism, and they also believed in absolute
monarchy.
 The upper class nobles and the clergy class were getting everything; the rich
stayed rich…
 …and the poorer stayed poor…The commoners and middle class (Bourgeoisie)
couldn’t get ahead, even though they were mostly educated. They were forced
to pay heavy taxes and didn’t have representation to lobby the gov’t for equality.
 The gov’t went bankrupt, the price of bread sky-rocketed, and the nobles and
priests persecuted minorities and were intolerant of others under the banner of
religion.
 The revolution was one for social change. It was a violent overthrow- a move
from absolute monarchy (through anarchy) into quasi-democracy, a fight for
liberty and equality.
 *Once again, the radical Romantics saw this as human’s potential to fight for
justice.
Industrial Revolution
 Brought about dislocation in society:
 Change from mainly agrarian to industrial
 Move from country to city slums
 Changes in family unit:
 Extreme poverty
 Alcohol abuse
 Children (4-5 yrs old) working
 Real problems like injuries/pollution/ abuse of workers
 Looking for a social change
 Many of the people (politicians) believed that the IR was the key to a new
heaven on earth, but the Romantics were non conformists again.
 Romantic writers could only recognize one benefit that came out of the IR:
cheaper goods and services helped out the ordinary man. However, they
pointed out that the IR destroyed the natural beauty of England, led people to
the slums, and gave great wealth and power to those who owned the factories –
making them greedy.
Romantic Writers
 Were mostly upper/middle class.
 They were educated.
 Had leisure time to consider political/social problems.
 Were able to get work published because of their status and
finances. They had a voice!
Concerns Expressed in the Romantic
Period:
 The ideals of justice, equality, and liberty (esp. Byron)
 Nature-Pantheism (finding God in nature) was an important
concept for Romantic Period writers in England.
 country life was seen as superior to city life
 Ordinary people were idealized as being virtuous.
 They had a fascination with the Medieval period-code of
chivalry, structured society, etc.
 They had a fascination with elements of the supernatural.
 Their philosophical outlook was carpe diem.
Poems
 The Chimney Sweeper-William Blake (handout)
 Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey-
William Wordsworth
 1. An ode is a type of lyric poem of some length, usually of a
serious or meditative nature. It is typically addressed to some
person or thing and usually characterized by lofty feeling,
elaborate form, and dignified style. How can this poem be
classified as an ode?
 2. This poem includes the concept of pantheism. Explain (using
direct quotes from the poem).
 3. Can this poem also be classified as a pastoral lyric? Why or why
not?
 4. Wordsworth was known to find delight and wonder in the
simple natural objects of England. Apply this fact to this poem.
 London, 1802-Wordsworth
 FRIDTM this poem.
 Christabel - Coleridge
 What type of poem could Christabel be classified as? A lyric? A
ballad?
 This poem includes concepts of romanticism. Which
concepts or motifs does this poem include?
 Coleridge went to the weird and legendary to inspire his
writings; this poem can be said to include quintessential
gothic characteristics. Explain.
 When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be-Keats
 Keats was known for writing about the beauty of the ancient
world, of nature, and of women. He also spoke of the
melancholy of existence. Where does this poem fit in?
 FRIDTM this poem.