Romanticism and classicism

Point of differences.

1. Romanticism and Classicism

2. CLASSICISM “Classicism is aesthetic attitudes based on culture, art and literature of ancient Rome and Greece characterized by emphasis on form, simplicity and restrained emotion.”

3. Classicism Romantic period was followed by the classical period dominated by Dryden, pope, Addison, swift and Dr. Johnson. Advocates of classicism value tradition, regularity, order and simplicity of form. Classicism followed the three unities of time, place and action. Nature and human nature could be understood by reason and thought. According to the classicists, it was literature function to show everyday values of humanity. Classicism uses strict, rigid and logical diction and theme. Classicists believed that nature was a self contained machine like a watch whose laws of operation could be rationally understood.

4. “It a movement in literature that drew inspiration from the classical age.” Neo classicism John Milton, Alexander pope, john Dryden, J onathan swift Neoclassicism was based on classical themes and forms. (1660-1798) Reaction against renaissance

5. Romanticism Break away from traditions and conventions and make way for individuality and experimentation. (Reaction against neo classicism) The romantic spirit is an ever an enduring principle, in the artistic temperament. The essential elements of romantic spirit are curiosity and the love of beauty.

6. Romanticism(1798-1832) Elizabethan period was the first romantic period dominated by Marlowe, Shakespeare, Spenser etc. The later part of the 18 th century and the early part of 19 th century is called Romantic period whose prominent poets were wordsworth , John Keats, Byron Shelley. Romanticism only follows the unity of action, but doesn’t follow the unities of time and place. Romanticism uses simple diction of common men. The romanticists thought of the world as a place to express their ideas and beliefs. Romanticists viewed nature as mysterious and ever changing. Romantics stressed the human potential for social progress and spiritual growth.

7. Belief in reason Interest in urban society Impersonal objectivity Generic abstraction Realistic recognition of things Classicism Romanticism Discovery of beauty Attachment to concrete particulars Belief in feelings subjectivism Interest in rural solitude Emphasize on ideal of intensity Emphasize on ideal of order

8. Point of differences Classicists are makers they use diction to produce literature guided by their rational minds while romantics are guided by heart and imagination. The treatment of emotion is one of the primary ways in which both are differ. The romantics placed a higher value on he expression of strong emotion while classicists didn’t shy away from describing emotional charged scenes Classicism put mankind in restrains of philosophy, regional, moral values, on the other hand, romantics broke away from all these chain playing havocs with imagination and fantasy. Classicism stressed on reason while romanticism on imagination.

9. When both tendencies carried to the extremes do much damage to genuine literature. Classical tendency degenerates into rigid formalism and slavish obedience to rules which suppress the originality of writer. Romantic tendency turns itself into license and lack of restraint which leads to chaos The best type of literature follows the phrase “nothing too much”

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