Romanticism: Feeling Before Thinking

Romanticism: Feeling Before Thinking

Historic Connection

It is hard to look at literature without looking at the history it represents. There is a bond between the two. The creative written word often times can directly relate to the world, society, and times in which it was written. Romanticism is no different. Originating sometime during the second half of the eighteenth century, Romanticism can be linked to The French Revolution, The Industrial Revolution, and fueled by a revolt against norms, political and societal views, and convention. Factors such as population growth and industrialism lead intellectuals to reach beyond classical ideals and conventional models. Although the period also faced literary criticism, it paved a path for forward creative thinkers who relied on imagination, freedom of thought, and expression to create a "vast body of literature of great sensibility and passion".

Let's take a trip back through time to discover some of the worlds most sensitive literature that approaches human senses as well as intellect. One cannot research the period of Romanticism without stumbling across names like Shelley, Keats, Byron, and Blake. We can begin our adventure with a famous announcement from Jean Jacques Rasseau who proclaimed, "I felt before I thought." Some believe Rosseau to be an inspiration for the beginning of a movement known as Romanticism. His announcement is a perfect comparison to what this period represents. This began an "exotic and mysterious" journey through literary works that made an impact on the world. This impact was created due to the contrast created against the elegance and artificiality of classical forms. What was known as a formal literary form was broken to allow for emotion and imagination. The early phase of Romanticism was considered unsophisticated and overly emotional. In 1800, the preface to the second edition of Lyrical Ballads served as a "manifesto" of literary romanticism. Wodsworth and Coleridge brought about this important moment that transformed Romanticism and encouraged development of complex, fast moving plots of mixed genres. Romantic literature began to develop everywhere.

The second phase of Romanticism was during the beginning of the nineteenth century. During this time, romantic poetry reached its peak. Literary works by John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron are examples of this rapidly moving time of "general exaltation of emotion over reason and of the senses over intellect." This movement also brought about a deepened appreciation of nature and its' beauty. Many literary authors used nature as a symbolic representative of strong emotion and free thinking. Writing became more unstructured and blank verse became popular. Imagination was used to introduce a search for "spiritual truth". Writing styles continued to develop. Characteristics changed as the typical "hero" was replaced. Hero's that were once static and universal became peculiar, temperamental, and gave new characteristics to "common man". Another example of this unique period is that of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. This literary masterpiece is a perfect example of this period. Its' powerful plot and unconventional characters define Romanticism.

Child of distress, who meet'st the bitter scorn

Of fellow men to happier prospects born,

Doomed art and nature's various stores to see

Flow in full cups of joy,-and not for thee,

Who seest the rich, to heaven and fate resign'd

Bear thy afflictions with a patient mind;

Whose bursting heart disdains unjust controll,

Who feel'st oppression's iron in thy soul,

Who drag'st the load of faint and feeble years,

Whose bread is anguish and whose water tears-

Bear, bear thy wrongs, fulfil thy destined hour,

Bend thy meek neck beneath the foot of power!

But when thou feel'st the great deliverer nigh,

And thy freed spirit mounting seeks the sky,

Let no vain fears thy parting hour molest,

No whispered terrors shake thy quiet breast,

Think not their threats can work thy future woe,

Nor deem the Lord above, like Lords below.

Safe in the bosom of that love repose

By whom the sun gives light, the ocean flows,

Prepare to meet father undismayed,

Nor fear the God whom priests and kings have made.

- Anna Letitia Barbauld