Romanticism and transcendentalism )

brief view of Romanticism, Transcendentalism and their characteristics.

1. Romanticism and Transcendentalism 1800-1870 http://www.honors.uiuc.edu/eng255/lectures/12-13.html

2. Romanticism as defined by the Oxford Companion to American Literature :   " Romanticism is a term that is associated with imagination and boundlessness , . A romantic attitude may be detected in literature of any period, but as an historical movement it arose in the 18th and 19th centuries . The most clearly defined romantic literary movement in the U. S. was Transcendentalism.    

3. Nature Sublime Rebellion political liberalism celebration of natural beauty and the simple life introspection, psychology, and supernatural concepts idealization of the common man interest in the picturesque past interest in remote places individualism morbid melancholy historical romance   Characteristics of the Romantic movement in American literature are:

4. How and why? American Romanticism was influenced by European Romanticism. Influential European artists and writers broke away from formalities and rationalities of the Enlightenment/Age of Reason. Philosophers, artists, and writers were concerned with: continuing decay of urban life possibilities for workable democracy a middle class frustrated with a government which brought them little in the way of additional power

5. In the arts, Romanticism promoted a popular taste for wild landscapes, ominous skies, ancient ruins, picturesque rusticity, and other settings for intuitive inspiration .

6. Transcendentalism

7. What does “Transcendentalism” mean? Transcendentalism  comes from the Latin word  transcendere ,  which means to "climb over or beyond." Founders of the American transcendentalism movement were indeed trying to "climb beyond" traditional empirical thinking. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a famous transcendentalist, summed up the beliefs of transcendentalism when he said, "What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

8. Where did it come from? Ralph Waldo Emerson gave German philosopher Immanuel Kant credit for popularizing the term “transcendentalism.” It began as a reform movement in the Unitarian church. It is not a religion—more accurately, it is a philosophy or form of spirituality. Emerson first expressed his philosophy of Transcendentalism in his essay Nature.

9. Basic Premise #1 An individual is the spiritual center of the universe , and in an individual can be found the clue to nature, history and, ultimately, the cosmos itself. It is not a rejection of the existence of God, but the idea that God exists differently in each individual .

10. Basic Premise #2 The structure of the universe literally duplicates the structure of the individual self—all knowledge , therefore, begins with self-knowledge . This is similar to Aristotle's dictum "know thyself."

11. Basic Premise #3 Transcendentalists accepted the concept of nature as a living mystery, full of signs; nature is symbolic .

12. Basic Premise #4 The belief that individual virtue and happiness depend upon self-realization —this depends upon the reconciliation of two universal psychological tendencies: The desire to embrace the whole world—to know and become one with the world. The desire to withdraw, remain unique and separate—an egotistical existence.

13. Who were some of the most influential Transcendentalists? Ralph Waldo Emerson Henry David Thoreau Margaret Fuller

14. Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882 Unitarian minister Poet and essayist Founded the Transcendental Club Popular lecturer Banned from Harvard for 40 years following his Divinity School address Supporter of abolitionism

15. Are you able to define Romanticism and Transcendentalism ? Could you identify some notable authors of the time period? Could you explain how historical change affected the literature of the time period ? What do you know?  

16. Romanticism : Poetry and Prose MADE BY : TEHREEM AMJAD

17. Poetry written in Romantic Era Topics Poets The significant literature in this period mainly consists of poems. The poetry was written on the themes relation to nature. Moreover, the tension between nature and the individual self, or violation of natural order were also discussed in poetry. The poems were lyrical in the form of ballads. Prominent poets of this era are: William Wordsworth William Blake John Keats Percy Bysshe Shelley Mary Shelley Samuel Taylor Coleridge

18. William Wordworth (1770-1850) Words worth is most famous poet of this era. He along with Coleridge helped to launch Romantic age in literature with their joint publication Lyrical Ballad. Significant Works: The Solitary Reaper: the poem is a ballad written to praise the beauty of music and its fluid expressive beauty and spontaneous overflow of emotions. This poem was inspired by the poet’s and his sister’s stay at village of Strathy. The poem was published in 1807 in two volumes. The Tables Turned: the poem was written in 1798, mainly highlighting the importance of nature as a teacher which teaches us all about humans’ evil and good. Peter Bell: this is a long narrative poem written in 1798 but was not published until 1819. the poem starts with description of poet as hard-hearted sinner and followed by the softening effect of nature on him.

19. William Blake(1757-1827) His most renowned works in poetry is Songs of innocence and of experience(considered one of the leading poetic works of this era) Significant works: The Lamb: Published in 1789 the poem is regarded as poem on Christianity. The lamb is metaphor for Jesus which is also called “the lamb of God”. The tone of poem is innocent, simple and reassuring The Tyger: published in 1794.The poem focuses on subject of creation who could have made such a terrifying beast as the tiger. London A Poison Tree The Chimney Sweeper The Sick Rose

20. John Keats (1795-1821) The poems mainly focuses the themes of nature. Significant works: Two Autumn : Three to eleven stanzas on the scene of fall season . On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer : First mature poem of Keats. Hyperion Ode Of Psyche Lamia Ode on a Grecian Um

21. Samuel Taylor Coleridge(1772-1834) His poetry was mainly inspired by his childhood experiences . Significant works: Frost At Midnight: The poem focuses on the negative experiences of poet’s childhood and emphasizes the need to be raised up in countryside. More over portrays nature as the physical presence of God’s words.

22. Percy Bysshe Shelly(1792-1822) The finest lyric and philosophical poet in English language. Significant works: Ozymandias To a Skylark The Cloud Mutability

23. MARY SHELLY(1797-1855) She adopted to write about nature mainly in the forms of short stories and novels. Novels: The Last Man Frankenstein The Ludore Short stories: A Tail of the Passions The death of Despina The Liberal The Pole

24. Prose written in Romantic Era TOPICS The prose was mainly written on following themes: Revolution and democracy Transcendence Psychology and extreme mental issues Nature WRITERS Mary Shelly Percy Bysshe Shelly Victor Hugo Jane Austen

25. CHARACTERISTICS OF ROMANTICISIM MADE BY: ASIF SHAH There are several characteristics of Romanticism such as : Experimentation with poetic forms. Fascinated by Nature. Rebellious against industrialization. Interest in Greek and Roman antiquity. Focus on individualism and subjectivity. Sensitive about Emotions. Salient features of Escapism. Influence of French revolution.

26. Experimentation with poetic forms During this period poets were experimenting new forms of poetry, they were using ordinary speech but still that was beautiful. Beauty is truth, truth beauty, that is all you know on earth and all you need to know on earth. Poets wanted to make poetry conversational, like Samuel Coleridge, William Wordsworth and William Blake.

27. This was the big project of Lyrical Ballads, collection of poetry of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Examples of conversational poetry are: The marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake. The nightingale by Samuel Coleridge

28. Fascinated by Nature Romantics had a huge crush on nature, they loved trees, flowers, mountains, clouds, birds and even seasons. Romantics found inspiration for their poetry, wisdom and happiness in nature. Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher. William Wordsworth . Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. William Wordsworth

29. Scenery is fine but human nature is finer. John Keats. Romantics were writing about nature because people were going away from nature and were attracted toward industrialization. Romantics found beauty in nature, they wrote a lot in the praise of nature such as: Ode to autumn by John Keats. Ode to the west wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Ode to Nightingale by John Keats. Poems of William Wordsworth like THE DAFFODIDLES.

30. Rebellious against Industrialization Romantics were rebellious in nature, it means they went against the flow, people were attracted toward materialistic life style, toward industries but they were attracted toward nature, imaginations, feelings etc. They rebel against the social, political and economic situation of society. It can be seen in the poem LONDON by William Blake.

31. Interest in Greek and Roman antiquity Romantics were interested in the ancient past especially in Greek and Roman ruins. That’s the reason why some of the romantics traveled to Greece and Italy- sites of these two civilizations. Even three of the famous romantics: John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley , died in these two countries. Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats, and Ozymandias by P.B Shelley, these are the living example of their love for ancient past and ruins.

32. Focus on Individualism and Subjectivity Individualism is one of the basic characteristic of Romanticism, instead of norms of society their focus was on individual’s feelings, their freedom and importance of an individual. Ralph Waldo Emerson emphasis to stay true to ourselves in his essay Self-Reliance, his focus was on individuality. Similarly Herman Melville in novel Moby-Dick has projected individuality through a character Captain Ahab.

33. Sensitive about Emotions Emotion was the basic element of romanticism and was the centre element of their writing. Emotion was in opposite to reason, which was at peak during Enlightenment as P.B Shelley said “reason respects the difference and imagination the similitude of things”. They talked about emotions like love, anger, fear as well as feelings.

34. There are some quotes of famous romantic writers which will clear your concept about emotions and feelings A thing of beauty is joy forever. John Keats. Love is my religion I could die for it. John Keats. Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of feelings. William Wordsworth. To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves. Alexander Pop.

35. Salient features of Escapism Romantic writers were mostly escapist which means they were living in their own world of imagination. John Keats in one of his ode, Ode to Nightingale wanted to fly away with nightingale. Similarly William Wordsworth in his poem THE daffodils compare himself with clouds. A famous saying of John Keats “ My imagination is a monastery and I am its monk” explains escapism in a better way.

36. Influence of French revolution Romanticism was greatly inspired by French revolution especially from its ideas like freedom, individual rights, voice against slavery. Different romantic writings reflect these ideas such as: William Blake’s poem London is about injustice and inequality. William Blake’s poem The chimney sweepers criticize child labor. William Wordsworth’s poem Perfect woman describes women qualities.