The Romantic Period

A reaction to the enlightenment

Romanticism Reaction to the Enlightenment way of

thinking Working class growing larger Royalty getting weaker French Revolution Led to a perspective focused on the

“Common” people

Enlightenment Romantic Scientific

objectivity Classic Greeks &

Romans Optimistic about

present Followed

standards and traditions

Social Hierarchy Society as a whole Nature controlled

by man

Inner feelings Middle Ages Idealistic Romanticized past Sought new forms

of expression Favored

democracy Concerned with

Individual Nature should be

untamed

William Blake Saw GOD outside his

window at 4 yrs old Saw trees filled with

Angels Spiritual nature

encouraged by parents

William Blake Was a great artist

as well as a poet Self-taught Brought back

“metal etching” as an art form

Incorporated both words and paintings onto metal plates used in printing process.

Very time consuming

William Blake

Literary Works Greatest literary works—Songs of

Innocence and Songs of Experience Songs of Innocence- tried to recapture the

wonder and joy of childhood Songs of Experience- attempt to recognize

evils all around us Each poem had a counterpart in the other Believed man must accept the union of the

two

William Wordsworth Intended to make a distinct break w/ past Believed poetry was a living form of artistic

expression Wrote for the common man in the common tongue One main focus of works—Man’s relationship with

nature (sometimes called “nature’s priest”) He & Samuel Taylor Coleridge began Romanticism

with Lyrical Ballads One of the most quoted of all English poets

Samuel Taylor Coleridge Close friend of William

Wordsworth friendship fell apart

Co-wrote Lyrical Ballads Started as collaboration on “The

Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” but they couldn’t work together

Included “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”

Samuel Taylor Coleridge Expert on philosophy, Shakespeare,

art, psychology, dreams and other areas

Wrote “Kubla Khan” inspired by a dream never completed dream or poem.

Believed the literature was a magical blend of thought and emotion with the ability to make the unreal seem real.