ROMANTICISM

18th to 19 century period

 At the end of
the lesson, th
e students sho
uld be able to
:

Identify the cha

r a c t er i s t i c s of
R om a n t i c i s m Learning
and OBJECTIVES
Analyze the influ
en c e of
R om a n t i c i s m p e
r i od i n t od a y ’ s
L i t er a t u r e
 E R H
O D S E A R C H
W R S A C
 Romanticism
rō-ˈman-tə-ˌsi-zəm

• Popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries

• A literary movement that emphasized nature and
the importance of emotion and artistic freedom
• In Romanticism, emotion is much more powerful
than rational thought.
 THE
Romanticists
A group of artists, writers, and intellectuals who celebrated nature,
emotion, and the spiritual. These writers believed that true beauty
and truth resided not in objective reality but in the individual's
subjective perception of the world.
Characteristics of Romanticism
Characteristics of Romanticism:
Celebration of nature
Emotion and Passion
Focus on the Individual and Spirituality
Idealization of Women
Celebration of Artistic Creativity and Imagination
 1

Celebration of Nature
Nature was a source of endless inspiration and beauty for romantic writers. They
often viewed nature as a teacher; a living, breathing entity; a god or goddess.

One of the most famous works of Romanticism is John Keats’ To Autumn (1820):
 To Autumn
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,–
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
 2

Emotion and Passion

Romanticists cared about emotions such as fear, awe, and horror.
In stories written by Romantic writers, characters often focus on the more
sentimental sides of the story, including their inner struggles, dreams, and
passions.
 3

Focus on Spiritual and Supernatural Elements

Romantic writers explored the contrast between life and death. Many pieces have
Gothic motifs, such as manor houses in disrepair, dark and stormy nights, and more.
Some of the supernatural elements serve as symbols for emotions of guilt,
depression, and other darker feelings.
 4

Idealization of Women
In the Romantic era, women were seen as innocent, pure creatures who should be
admired and respected. Many Romantic poets and novelists centered their
narratives around celebrating the purity and beauty of a woman.

One example of the idealization of women is Edgar Allan Poe’s poem

“Annabel Lee” (1849):
 Annabel Lee
For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride,
In her sepulchre there by the sea—
In her tomb by the sounding sea.
 5

Celebration of Artistic Creativity and Imagination

Writers of the Romantic movement explored the importance of imagination and the
creative impulse. They believed that artists and writers looked at the world
differently, and they celebrated that vision in their work.
How Has Romantic Literature
Affected Our Literature Today?
 Before the Romantic Movement, most English literature centered
around essays and studying the Classics, with a focus on rationality and
truth. Literary Romanticism shifted the focus of literature toward
emotions and imagination.
The most direct legacy Romantic writers left behind is their body of
work, which remains popular even now. Novels and poems from the
Romantic period are still taught in most English literature classes.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven
William Woodsworth’s Lyrical Ballads
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
KEY FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM

E_M_T__N
KEY FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM

EMOTION
KEY FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM

_NDI__U_L__M
KEY FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM

INDIVIDUALISM
KEY FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM

_MA__N__IO_
KEY FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM

IMAGINATION
KEY FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM

N___RE
KEY FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM

NATURE
KEY FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM

_UP_RNA__R__L
KEY FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM

SUPERNATURAL