The Romantic Period

Based on Cornell Notes taken in class

England The Romantic Period 1798 - 1832

• French Revolution 1789 – 1799• English war with Napoleon 1815• Industrial Revolution 1800 – 1900s • Large English Cities - London, Manchester,

Birmingham • Lower class can now become prosperous• Terrible working conditions, overpopulation • Smoke, noise, dirt, pollution

Romantic Age

• English was enhanced by travel and trade• Poetry reflects strange faraway places • Rollercoaster of emotions for authors –

excited by revolution but then were disillusioned

• However – industrial revolution gave economic hope

• The ideas of freedom would not die

• Ideas of freedom are “out there” and express in poetry

• Roller coaster of emotions – in the end the ideas hold true

• Literature becomes more authentic – they express themselves with the common language

• Political reform – slavery ends , Reform Bill 1832 allows more people

• Terrible conditions in factories – workers rebel • The Byronic Hero – Byron was part of the

aristocratic class – was a revolutionary – • He become an icon – moody, suffering hero

that gives everything up for the common people, spiritual

Romantic Age

• There is a rejection of the “old ways” not just in politics but in literature

• Common language is embraced • Common voice is embraced – the common

man• Writers were rebels – not nobility – point of

view of the common people

Terms

• Romanticism – • Romantic • Reform Bill 1832 – political reform on voting • “Coketown” – Dickens • Byronic Hero – “hero” – outsider who speaks

for the common people, mysterious and brooding

Romanticism

• Nature – the beauty of nature – poets focus on nature – connection to nature is spiritual – humans can be reborn within nature

• Nature = God • After revolutions and war some became disillusioned

but these ideas were already “out there”• These ideas actually bring changes• Quakers influence the government to end slavery• Reform Act 1832 – allows more citizens to vote

• Language – British traveled the world and brought back additions to the English Language

• The use of “Common Language” – it was authentic – gave insight into thoughts and feelings