Elements of Romantic Literature
Romanticism saw a shift from impersonal literary works to more subjective literary works. Romantic literature was most concerned with imagination and emotion. To the romanticists, imagination and emotion were placed above reason and formal rules. Imagination was considered a gateway to transcendent experience and truth.
Romantic literature also emphasized a love of nature. Because industrialization shifted life from the peaceful countryside the the chaotic cities, nature became more appreciated for its visual beauty. Because of this, Romantics tried to idealize country life and believed that many of the faults of society were caused by urbanization. Romantic authors placed a high value on the natural world, including landscapes, animals and elements such as trees. Nature was possibly considered the perfect beauty, as well as having the potential to inspire human beings. Many authors would imbue the natural world with human qualities such as passion, expression, and emotional life. Romantic writers also stressed mankind's ability to perceive and interact with the natural world.
Romanticism also included a valuing of the common, and respect for primitiveness. The protagonists works often came from humble backgrounds, and Romantic literature stressed the greatness which could be found in any object or person. Their purpose was to shatter assumption about who or what we could be and to remove the sheen of familiarity and see things in an entirely new light. A pauper could be a hero in Romantic literature, and even something as common as a bird or a tree could help us perceive the brilliance of the universe.
Romantics were also interested in the supernatural, the mystical, the exotic, and the Gothic. Magic and otherworldly forces often played a role in Romantic literature. It claims that we are surrounded by things that we cannot see and thus do not choose to believe. But by opening ourselves up to the possibilities, we can see things that should not exist. Blake's "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" contains multiple references to forces not of the Earth while Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner is rife with unseen forces tormenting its protagonist.
Romantic literature also emphasized a love of nature. Because industrialization shifted life from the peaceful countryside the the chaotic cities, nature became more appreciated for its visual beauty. Because of this, Romantics tried to idealize country life and believed that many of the faults of society were caused by urbanization. Romantic authors placed a high value on the natural world, including landscapes, animals and elements such as trees. Nature was possibly considered the perfect beauty, as well as having the potential to inspire human beings. Many authors would imbue the natural world with human qualities such as passion, expression, and emotional life. Romantic writers also stressed mankind's ability to perceive and interact with the natural world.
Romanticism also included a valuing of the common, and respect for primitiveness. The protagonists works often came from humble backgrounds, and Romantic literature stressed the greatness which could be found in any object or person. Their purpose was to shatter assumption about who or what we could be and to remove the sheen of familiarity and see things in an entirely new light. A pauper could be a hero in Romantic literature, and even something as common as a bird or a tree could help us perceive the brilliance of the universe.
Romantics were also interested in the supernatural, the mystical, the exotic, and the Gothic. Magic and otherworldly forces often played a role in Romantic literature. It claims that we are surrounded by things that we cannot see and thus do not choose to believe. But by opening ourselves up to the possibilities, we can see things that should not exist. Blake's "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" contains multiple references to forces not of the Earth while Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner is rife with unseen forces tormenting its protagonist.