English Literature | Romanticism: main features, social context and key concepts

Ad Maiora
4 Apr 201828:36

Summary

TLDRThis video script offers an insightful introduction to Romanticism, a pivotal era in European culture and literature. It highlights the period's social and historical context, marked by revolutions like the American and French revolutions, and the Industrial Revolution. The script delves into key Romantic themes such as the emphasis on imagination, the free artist, the significance of nature, and the concepts of beauty and the sublime. It also touches on the rise of the middle class and its impact on art and literature, as well as the contributions of notable Romantic poets and writers like Wordsworth, Blake, and Mary Shelley.

Takeaways

  • 🌎 Romanticism was a period marked by significant revolutions, including the American Revolution and the French Revolution, which greatly impacted England and Europe.
  • 🏭 The Industrial Revolution drastically changed social and economic structures, leading to social unrest and a reaction from the working class.
  • 🚢 Advances in transportation allowed for the quicker spread of ideas across Britain and Europe, influencing the intellectual climate of the time.
  • 🎭 Romanticism was a pan-European movement with different focuses in various countries, such as Germany's Sturm und Drang and France's emphasis on drama and political elements.
  • 📚 The rise of the middle class and the publication of 'The Wealth of Nations' by Adam Smith laid the groundwork for modern capitalism and liberalism.
  • 🖼️ Imagination was a central theme in Romanticism, with poets like Wordsworth using it as a lens to perceive the world more deeply.
  • 🌿 Nature was a primary source of inspiration for Romantic artists, who saw it as an organic living entity imbued with spirituality.
  • 🎨 The Romantic artist was considered free from the constraints of neoclassicism, embodying the spirit of individualism and intellectual independence.
  • 💭 Imagery and symbolism, including mythological elements, were used by Romantic artists to convey transcendental truths.
  • 🏞️ The concepts of 'beautiful' and 'sublime' were key in defining beauty during the Romantic period, with the latter often associated with danger and grandeur.
  • 📚 The Romantic period saw a rise in professional writers and a distinction between literature meant for entertainment and that which held deeper artistic value.

Q & A

  • What is the significance of the Romantic period in European culture?

    -The Romantic period is considered one of the most studied and significant periods in European culture, marked by a focus on emotions, individualism, and the glorification of nature. It was a time of great social and political upheaval, and it greatly influenced literature, art, and intellectual thought.

  • What major revolutions are associated with the Romantic period?

    -The Romantic period is known as the 'age of revolutions', which includes the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Napoleonic Wars. These revolutions had profound impacts on political structures, social attitudes, and the way people thought about their place in the world.

  • How did the Industrial Revolution impact the Romantic period?

    -The Industrial Revolution, occurring during the late 18th and 19th centuries, drastically changed social and economic structures, causing social unrest and a reaction from the working class. It also led to a romanticized view of nature as a counterpoint to the industrialized world.

  • What is the concept of 'imagination' in Romanticism?

    -Imagination is a key concept in Romanticism, emphasizing the power of the individual to perceive and interpret the world in a personal and subjective way. It was seen as a way to access deeper truths and was often associated with the role of the poet as a prophet.

  • How did the Romantic period view the role of the artist?

    -The Romantic period viewed the artist as a free and independent figure, liberated from the constraints of neoclassicism. Artists were seen as individuals who could express their unique visions and insights through their work.

  • What was the importance of nature in Romantic literature?

    -Nature was a central theme in Romantic literature, seen as a source of inspiration and a place where the 'true self' could be discovered. It was considered an organic living entity, full of spirituality and hidden truths.

  • How did Romanticism differ across different countries in Europe?

    -Romanticism developed differently across Europe, with variations in focus and expression. For example, in Germany, it began with Sturm und Drang and emphasized philosophical aspects, while in England, it was more about poetry and the ideal of the poet, and in France, it was centered on drama and literary criticism.

  • Who were some of the key figures of the Romantic period?

    -Key figures of the Romantic period include poets like William Blake, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Percy Bysshe Shelley. They were known for their innovative use of language and their exploration of themes like nature, imagination, and the sublime.

  • What is the concept of the 'sublime' in Romanticism?

    -The sublime in Romanticism refers to a sense of awe and fear inspired by the vastness and power of nature or art. It is associated with the overwhelming and sometimes dangerous aspects of beauty that captivate the human imagination.

  • How did the Romantic period view the role of the middle class?

    -The Romantic period saw the rise of the middle class as a significant social and economic force. This class was central to the new economy and played a crucial role in shaping the cultural and intellectual landscape of the time.

  • What were some of the literary forms popular during the Romantic period?

    -During the Romantic period, poetry, especially lyrical poetry and ballads, was highly valued. Works like 'Lyrical Ballads' by Wordsworth and Coleridge, and the use of personal experience and emotional expression were characteristic of the era.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Introduction to Romanticism

This paragraph introduces the Romantic period as a significant era in European culture and English literature. It emphasizes the period's association with revolutions, including the American Declaration of Independence and the French Revolution, which had profound impacts on Britain's colonial and imperial attitudes. The paragraph also touches on the Industrial Revolution and its transformative effects on social and economic structures, leading to social unrest. The Romantic movement is described as a pan-European phenomenon with different focuses in various countries, characterized by enthusiasm and a reaction to the political and social changes of the time.

05:05

🎭 Romanticism's Impact on Art and Literature

The second paragraph delves into how Romanticism affected poets like Blake and Wordsworth, who felt they were living in an apocalyptic moment, leading to new energy and enthusiasm in their works. It discusses the different manifestations of Romanticism in various countries, such as Germany's philosophical focus, England's emphasis on poetry, and France's political element. The paragraph also mentions Jean-Jacques Rousseau's influence on the movement, proposing that humans are essentially good but can be corrupted by society and private property. Additionally, it highlights the emerging middle class's role in shaping the economy and society, referencing Adam Smith's 'The Wealth of Nations' and its advocacy for laissez-faire economics.

10:08

🖌️ Key Concepts of Romanticism

This paragraph outlines the key concepts of Romanticism, starting with the importance of imagination and subjectivity, exemplified by Wordsworth's use of 'I wandered lonely as a cloud.' It discusses the poet as a prophet, using imagination to see deeper truths. The artist's newfound freedom from societal and artistic rules is highlighted, along with nature's role as the primary source of inspiration and spirituality. The paragraph concludes with the concept of the sublime, contrasting it with the beautiful, and how it relates to the picturesque and Gothic elements popular during the period.

15:08

📚 Romanticism in Literature and the Role of Poets

The fourth paragraph focuses on the use of ballads and lyrics by Romantic poets, who emphasized personal experiences and spirituality. It contrasts this with the Industrial Revolution, which was seen as corrupting nature. The paragraph mentions how some poems, like Blake's 'London,' expressed strong opposition to industrialization. It also discusses the recurring theme of children as symbols of innocence and purity, with Blake's 'The Lamb' as an example. The importance of memory in Romanticism is also highlighted, as seen in Wordsworth's recollection of daffodils.

20:10

📖 The Rise of the Novel and Women's Role in Literature

This paragraph discusses the rise of the novel during the Romantic period and the division between 'good' and 'bad' literature. It notes the emergence of professional writers and the economic motivations behind literature production. The paragraph also acknowledges the significant role women began to play in literature, mentioning Ann Radcliffe's Gothic novels and Jane Austen's social commentary. It further discusses Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' as a pioneering work in both Gothic and science fiction genres.

25:13

🎭 Conclusion and Preview of Future Content

The final paragraph summarizes the key aspects of Romanticism discussed so far and sets the stage for future videos that will delve deeper into the works of individual Romantic writers. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the movement's themes and context to interpret the works of Romantic poets and writers accurately.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Romanticism

Romanticism is an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. It emphasized emotion and individualism, glorified the past and the natural world, and was characterized by its emphasis on freedom, imagination, and the beauty of nature. In the script, Romanticism is described as a movement that developed in different ways across Europe, involving various aspects and different moments, and is associated with the works of poets like Blake, Wordsworth, and Coleridge.

💡Age of Revolutions

The 'Age of Revolutions' refers to a period marked by the occurrence of several revolutionary events that had a profound impact on world history. These include the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Napoleonic Wars. The script mentions these revolutions as significant political changes that influenced the development of Romanticism and the socio-political climate of the time.

💡Imagination

Imagination is a key concept in Romanticism, referring to the creative power of the mind to produce ideas, images, or concepts not present to the senses. It was considered a vital force for creating art and was highly valued by Romantic poets. The script explains that imagination was seen as a way for poets to look deeper into things and to express what they saw through their 'inward eye'.

💡Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution refers to the transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840. It had a profound effect on the social, economic, and cultural landscape of Britain and Europe. In the script, it is mentioned as a significant change that caused social unrest and was often seen as an enemy by Romantic poets, who felt it was corrupting nature.

💡Nature

Nature is a central theme in Romantic literature and art. It is often portrayed as a source of inspiration, beauty, and spiritual truth. Romantics believed that nature was an organic living whole, and they often contrasted its purity with the corruption of industrial society. The script mentions how nature was a place where artists could find inspiration and 'hidden truths'.

💡Artist

In the context of the script, the 'artist' refers to the Romantic ideal of the creative individual who is free from the constraints of society and tradition. The artist is seen as someone who can express deep truths and emotions through their work. The script discusses how artists, especially poets, were seen as prophets who could use their imagination to see deeper into the world.

💡Sublime

The 'sublime' is a concept in aesthetics that refers to an experience of overwhelming awe or fear, often in response to natural phenomena or art. It is associated with the vast, the powerful, and the mysterious. In the script, the sublime is contrasted with the 'beautiful' and is exemplified in the works of poets like Blake and Coleridge, who wrote about powerful, awe-inspiring aspects of nature and experience.

💡Beautiful

The 'beautiful' in Romanticism refers to a sense of aesthetic pleasure and harmony. It is often associated with elements that are controlled, regular, and reassuring to the human spirit. The script contrasts this with the 'sublime' and gives Wordsworth as an example of a poet who focused on the beautiful aspects of nature.

💡Mythology

Mythology is the body of myths of a particular cultural tradition. In the context of Romanticism, mythology was used as a source of inspiration and symbolism, allowing artists to explore transcendental and metaphysical truths. The script mentions how imagery and myth were connected, and how they were used by artists to convey deeper meanings.

💡Gothic

The Gothic is a literary genre that combines elements of horror, romance, and the supernatural. It was influential during the Romantic period and is exemplified in the works of authors like Mary Shelley. The script refers to Gothic elements as being widespread and popular, particularly in the context of novels that explored dark, fearful themes.

💡Liberalism

Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on liberty, consent of the governed, and equality before the law. The script mentions Adam Smith's 'The Wealth of Nations' and its advocacy for laissez-faire economic policies as an influence on the development of liberalism and its relation to the Romantic period's changing economic landscape.

Highlights

Introduction to Romanticism and its significance in European culture.

Romantic period as the 'Age of Revolutions' with political and ideological shifts.

American Revolution's impact on Britain's colonialism and the emergence of the Commonwealth.

French Revolution's influence on England and the rise of Napoleon's empire.

Britain's involvement in political changes and the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo.

The Industrial Revolution and its profound effects on social and economic structures.

Social unrest due to the reactions of the working class against the middle class.

The Romantic movement as a pan-European phenomenon with diverse currents.

The role of poets like Blake and Wordsworth in capturing the spirit of the times.

German Romanticism's focus on philosophical aspects and the Sturm und Drang movement.

French Romanticism's emphasis on drama, literary criticism, and political elements.

The influence of Jean-Jacques Rousseau on Romantic thought across Europe.

The rise of the middle class and its impact on the economy and society.

Adam Smith's 'The Wealth of Nations' and the principles of laissez-faire economics.

Key Romantic themes: imagination, the artist's freedom, nature, and the sublime.

The concept of the poet as a prophet and the use of imagination in their work.

Nature as a source of inspiration and the idea of organic living in Romanticism.

The division of beauty into 'beautiful' and 'sublime' in Romantic art and literature.

The use of ballads and lyrics in Romantic poetry to express personal experiences.

The opposition of nature to the Industrial Revolution in Romantic literature.

The importance of childhood and innocence in the works of William Blake.

The role of memory in Romantic poetry and its connection to imagination.

The rise of women writers in Romantic literature, such as Ann Radcliffe and Jane Austen.

Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' as an early example of science fiction within Gothic literature.

The distinction between 'good' and 'bad' literature in the Romantic period.

Transcripts

play00:00

[Music]

play00:06

hi everybody we all know that one of the

play00:10

most studied and considered periods and

play00:13

not only in in English literature

play00:15

battalion European culture is Romantic

play00:18

period romanticism so my idea today is

play00:22

to give you a sort of an introduction

play00:25

short maybe but complete introduction in

play00:29

order to be able to understand social

play00:33

and historical context but also to

play00:36

somehow to remember some key concepts

play00:41

some ideas that will help us then study

play00:45

some on the poet's or the greatest

play00:48

writers and intellectuals of the time so

play00:51

first of all we have to remember that

play00:53

romanticism was the so-called age of

play00:56

revolutions which revolutions are we

play00:59

talking about first of all the American

play01:02

Declaration of Independence was signed

play01:05

and that was something completely new

play01:08

the American Revolution changed

play01:11

completely the attitude and the idea of

play01:14

England of Britain and concerning

play01:17

colonialism concerning the Empire that

play01:21

was a great loss and then after some

play01:25

time during Korean age we have a new

play01:31

idea of empire developed by Queen

play01:33

Victoria that was absolutely important

play01:37

to develop economy English economy and

play01:41

so we can talk about the Commonwealth

play01:44

and another kind of Empire so this is a

play01:47

complete change okay concern in the idea

play01:51

of colonialism and concerning the idea

play01:53

of Empire then a second revolution we

play01:56

can remember extremely important not

play01:59

just a political revolution a revolution

play02:01

sorry but also an ideological revolution

play02:04

is french revolution obviously which

play02:08

created both enthusiasm

play02:11

side and on the other side also

play02:13

radicalism sometimes especially in

play02:16

England and then after the French French

play02:19

Revolution we know that we know that

play02:23

Napoleon started his own empire and that

play02:27

somehow also involved England and we

play02:32

have to remember that in 1815 when

play02:36

Napoleon was defeated in Waterloo it was

play02:41

the Duke of Wellington who actually led

play02:44

the battle so we can say that Britain is

play02:47

extremely involved in the political

play02:51

changes of the time now only say when we

play02:55

talk about age of revolution we don't

play02:58

talk just about revolution political

play03:01

revolutions they can say so but also

play03:03

some other kinds of changes Industrial

play03:08

Revolution first of all that's

play03:10

revolution that developed specifically

play03:14

during the end of the 18th century and

play03:18

so then during the 19th century changed

play03:20

completely the social structure the

play03:24

economical structure of Britain and that

play03:27

of Europe of course it could also cause

play03:32

a very large quantity of social unrest

play03:38

okay especially because of the reaction

play03:41

of the working class okay against the

play03:45

the owners against the middle class most

play03:48

of the times it also provoked some other

play03:51

changes in some other fields like for

play03:53

example we can talk about agricultural

play03:56

revolution we can talk about transport

play03:59

revolution this is also very important

play04:02

just not just as far as economy is

play04:05

concerned as far as trade is concerned

play04:07

but we knew that transport means mean

play04:11

that not only goons can travel can

play04:16

travel across Britain or across across

play04:20

Europe but also people travel and so

play04:23

ideas travel in less time for a longer

play04:28

for a longer path so generally we can

play04:34

consider that intellectuals during the

play04:37

Romantic period and we have to remember

play04:39

that when we talk about Romanticism we

play04:41

are talking about a movement not

play04:42

occurrence because this movement is

play04:45

formed by many different currencies

play04:48

throughout Europe because it involves

play04:51

all Europe in different moments moments

play04:55

and focus in different aspects and we'll

play04:59

see this so this this period provoked

play05:04

call the sort of an enthusiasm okay in

play05:08

especially in in the poets and the time

play05:11

we're talking about Blake Wordsworth or

play05:14

choleric they had this feeling that they

play05:18

could be present in such a sort of an

play05:23

apocalyptic moment okay in Europe and so

play05:26

they that provoked sort of of a new

play05:29

energy and enthusiasm in their works

play05:34

obviously as I said before romanticism

play05:39

developed in a different way is in

play05:41

different ways sorry in different

play05:43

countries like for example in in Germany

play05:47

first of all we have to remember that

play05:50

romanticism in in Germany started from

play05:54

the Sturm and Drang okay started from

play05:57

the strimmin drug that developed more or

play05:59

less and 70 1770 more or more or less

play06:03

and so it developed from there and it

play06:08

was especially focused on the

play06:12

philosophical aspect then in England of

play06:17

course we'll see it obviously later it's

play06:20

a pretty much about poetry and the idea

play06:25

of poetry and the the ideal of the poet

play06:30

profit for example in France I have the

play06:34

FRA

play06:35

romanticism was baseless focus on drama

play06:37

on literary criticism and obviously

play06:41

there was also a strong political

play06:44

element because of the other period

play06:46

events important period of revolutions

play06:49

of France was living we can also

play06:52

remember that Rousseau Rousseau

play06:55

jean-jacques Rousseau influenced the

play06:58

thought of many romantic intellectuals

play07:02

throughout all Europe and we can

play07:05

remember that the idea was so the

play07:07

philosopher was concerned the human

play07:11

being that was considered to be good

play07:13

okay to be essentially good in nature

play07:17

and then he he was potentially corrupted

play07:23

by society by the structural society and

play07:26

especially by private property property

play07:30

sorry okay so this was a very

play07:33

interesting philosophy that could really

play07:37

influence many many intellectuals and

play07:41

especially poets Italy well Italy came a

play07:46

little later but in in Italy romanticism

play07:51

was also and especially based on the

play07:54

idea or the development of the novel and

play07:57

a poetry as well so this period period

play08:01

as I said before was especially based on

play08:06

a sort of a new economy new economy

play08:09

which was based on the middle class okay

play08:13

and this rising class was extremely

play08:15

strong at the moment and the middle

play08:18

class upper middle class was now ruling

play08:21

the economical and the social world

play08:24

there is especially one work that

play08:28

includes the thought the economical

play08:31

thought but also the perspective towards

play08:33

government

play08:34

such was the idea of of state which was

play08:40

written by Adam Smith okay was written

play08:43

by Adam Smith in 70

play08:45

seventy-six and it was called The Wealth

play08:47

of Nations it was based on a principle

play08:51

on Honor on a concept that was called

play08:55

Lisa Fair which is French and it means

play08:59

it it's and sometimes expresses the idea

play09:03

that there should be no interference

play09:08

okay no action of the government in

play09:13

economical policies and in economical

play09:16

actions in general this is a very modern

play09:19

point of view and we can say that from

play09:23

this moment on we can start to consider

play09:26

ok the rooms of the future capitalism

play09:30

liberalism liberalism which is something

play09:34

different so back to our literature back

play09:39

to arts in general I told you we would

play09:42

have fixed some key concepts some key

play09:45

points ok that represent art a

play09:50

literature in general talking

play09:52

specifically about England but as I told

play09:56

you before this is this this is

play09:58

influencing also culture throughout all

play10:01

Europe we can say that the first

play10:04

important point first important theme is

play10:07

the stress on imagination imagination is

play10:12

a absolute key word when we talk about

play10:16

Romanticism imaginations of subjectivity

play10:19

somehow so a personal point of view a

play10:23

personal perspective especially the poet

play10:29

was considered the one who really who

play10:33

could really use imagination through his

play10:37

own in Ward I in Ward I is a word that

play10:42

William Wordsworth

play10:44

uses in his work I wandered lonely as a

play10:48

cloud or the daffodils if you prefer and

play10:52

he really talked about this I that was

play10:55

I of imagination through each other poet

play10:59

himself in this case that were able to

play11:03

to understand to see deeper into things

play11:06

to understand to watch okay and

play11:10

imagination one a sort of a lens through

play11:13

this lens they could understand more

play11:16

they can see more than other people so

play11:19

imagination is absolutely important and

play11:23

probably this this was also the point

play11:28

that inspired the definition of the poet

play11:32

as poet prophet because actually the

play11:36

poet was able able to look deeper into

play11:39

things and to convey okay and to express

play11:44

what they could understand through art

play11:48

okay in order to let to help other

play11:51

people to understand what they could

play11:54

really see using their inward eye which

play11:58

was something special they had that's

play12:01

what that was why they were called forth

play12:04

prophets so second key point is a second

play12:10

key concept first one stress on

play12:12

imagination the second one is about the

play12:15

artist the artist is now free is

play12:19

completely free from we can say any kind

play12:24

of rule we're not just talking about

play12:29

social rules or social aspects of you're

play12:32

also talking about artistic aspects he's

play12:36

free from neoclassicism

play12:39

for example absolutely free which

play12:42

reminds us of the concept of the genie

play12:46

in in the stew on drunk in in Germany

play12:50

the genie was the Intel genius we can

play12:54

say in translation but Chinese concept

play12:58

somehow Express this independence of the

play13:02

intellectual okay who was absolutely

play13:07

we're self-conscious and independent

play13:10

this is also very important so third

play13:14

concept third point says first one was

play13:17

the stress on the imagination second is

play13:19

the artist okay who is completely freeze

play13:23

of freedom independence of the artist

play13:25

second keeps the key concept is nature

play13:29

nature is the most important topic when

play13:34

when considering romanticism nature is

play13:38

the inspiration okay

play13:40

of all artists of all poets and not only

play13:45

nature was the place where artists could

play13:51

find their inspiration and it was also

play13:54

the place were the true were we can say

play13:59

hidden truths could be find could be

play14:03

found sorry

play14:03

so nature nature is considered as an

play14:08

organic living all which means that in

play14:13

nature we found spirituality and the

play14:17

concept of of of nature is a very

play14:20

fantastic concept okay so now we are

play14:26

developing a new idea also of spiritual

play14:29

of spirituality everything inside nature

play14:33

is alive and nature is this organic all

play14:37

organic living oh okay completely new

play14:42

concept and absolutely very very very

play14:45

present in poetry especially first one

play14:50

so last fourth and last key concept I

play14:54

remember again first one was stressing

play14:56

imagination that independence of the

play14:58

artisan nature as an organic leaving all

play15:00

and fourth point is imagining so imagine

play15:08

also connected to the idea of myth for

play15:11

example of Mythology a symbolism this is

play15:16

also interesting because

play15:19

this imagery was also you can say was

play15:25

also connected with the idea of the

play15:27

artists that could see Luke deeper into

play15:31

things okay using his imagination as we

play15:34

said before and he could be able to

play15:39

understand to to find out that sort of a

play15:44

trascendental that sort of a super

play15:47

sensible truth okay that metaphysical

play15:51

truth that other people couldn't

play15:55

actually understand couldn't actually

play15:57

touch somehow Burcham be considered the

play16:05

idea of how beauty how the concept of

play16:10

beauty was treated at the time was

play16:12

considered at the time and it divided

play16:16

the concept of beauty into two parts one

play16:21

concern what is beautiful and the other

play16:24

side sublime so beautiful is that beauty

play16:31

okay

play16:32

that beautiful concern all those

play16:34

elements that were somehow controlled

play16:39

regular tamed we can say that worsen

play16:45

somehow reassuring for the human being

play16:48

it was a delicate balance somehow on the

play16:53

other side we have the sublime the

play16:56

sublime is something something

play16:57

completely different it also belongs to

play17:00

the idea of beauty but it is huge

play17:04

it's dangerous it could be even fatal

play17:07

somehow okay and still it is absolutely

play17:12

fascinating and it attracts the human

play17:16

being okay so from the study from the

play17:21

concept of sublime yeah because the

play17:24

development of another country another

play17:27

concept which is picturesque

play17:30

and picturesque influences all the

play17:35

Gothic elements and all the gothic

play17:39

currencies we have in this period which

play17:42

are very very popular and widespread we

play17:44

talked to my previous video about

play17:47

Frankenstein or the modern prometheus by

play17:50

Mary Shelley so there are obviously some

play17:57

authors that are inspired by the concept

play18:00

of beautiful and others from the context

play18:03

from the concept of sublime when talking

play18:06

about beautiful we can mention

play18:08

Wordsworth for example when we talk

play18:11

about the sublime and we can mention

play18:13

courage they wrote together the lyrical

play18:16

ballads but they talked and wrote from

play18:19

two opposite perspectives and Blake as

play18:24

well in his own work works and Songs of

play18:29

Innocence particularly in the land he

play18:32

represented the beautiful side of art in

play18:36

his other work his other collection

play18:38

Songs of Experience in particular the

play18:41

tiger he talked about the idea of

play18:43

sublime all them where truth coloration

play18:48

Blake were all belonging to the first

play18:51

generation of Romantic poets and we have

play18:54

the second generation layer Lord Byron

play18:57

we have Percy Bysshe Shelley we have

play19:00

John tease for example and I develop

play19:04

their own idea of not only beautiful or

play19:10

sublime but also other aspects like for

play19:13

example desperate and tragic love like

play19:19

for example the role a different role or

play19:24

in Lord Byron of the individual okay and

play19:28

his own study in dependence or in a

play19:34

Percy Bysshe Shelley's case another idea

play19:37

of art which should

play19:40

some somehow in a huge net or elements

play19:44

of mythology and history of arts and

play19:49

some also falter if six element and so

play19:53

on so completely different ideas and

play19:56

perspectives perspectives because as I

play19:58

told you romanticism is a great movement

play20:01

and inside this movement we have a lot

play20:04

of different currencies a lot of

play20:05

different points of view when talking

play20:09

about poetry it's important to remember

play20:13

that poets at the time use particularly

play20:16

ballads ballads and lyrics in general

play20:21

Kalia mentioned before for example the

play20:25

lyrical ballads by were certain color

play20:27

age okay when talking about color ichika

play20:31

mentioned the Rime of the Ancient

play20:31

Mariner one of the most famous balance

play20:35

and Romantic period they were all based

play20:39

as I said before on a sort of a personal

play20:43

experience personal experience of the

play20:45

world of spirituality personal

play20:50

perception okay of the world of nature

play20:52

especially as we said before nature that

play20:56

was somehow opposed okay to Industrial

play21:00

Revolution Industrial Revolution was now

play21:03

seen as an enemy that was corrupting

play21:07

nature and some poems expressed that in

play21:13

a very strong way let's think for

play21:16

example let's think of London by Blake

play21:23

by William Blake he talked about the

play21:26

city that was corrupted that was salt as

play21:32

a prostitute that was becoming dark

play21:36

because of pollution Blake again wrote

play21:41

the chimney sweeper in this case we have

play21:44

the child which is the we can say the

play21:48

symbol of purity that

play21:51

is exploited which is corrupted by this

play21:56

new system childhood actually children

play22:00

were also a very important theme very

play22:04

recurrent and cyclic theme in in

play22:08

Romanticism they're always the symbol of

play22:11

innocence and purity talking about Blake

play22:16

we can remember that lamb in that sense

play22:20

of experience was the symbol of

play22:23

innocence was the symbol of childhood

play22:28

and in this case we have also a

play22:32

Christian symbolism and firmly we can

play22:36

say that Blake was one of the last

play22:41

Romantic poets who actually talked or

play22:44

used a Christian symbolism but the lamb

play22:46

is also a very strong symbol for Christ

play22:49

okay so then talking about imagination I

play22:55

have mentioned before they wandered

play22:57

lonely as a cloud

play22:58

this is absolutely iconic its iconic

play23:01

because the idea of the poet that can

play23:05

experience something very simple like

play23:09

watching their food is like watching the

play23:12

small flowers and then when he gets back

play23:17

home he remembers he remembers these

play23:22

flowers using is his inward eye we have

play23:26

mentioned before he he gets back to them

play23:29

so memory is another important very

play23:32

strong element and concept of

play23:35

Romanticism now we have talked about

play23:38

poetry because poetry is as I said one

play23:42

of the symbols one of the most important

play23:44

elements of Romanticism but we don't

play23:46

have to remember to to forget that also

play23:49

fiction okay was somehow important and

play23:55

represented here section that was

play23:58

specifically

play24:00

meant for entertainment at the time so

play24:04

in this case we have that concept we

play24:09

have talked about that in my video about

play24:13

the rise of the novel of the of the

play24:16

modern novel we have this a sort of a

play24:19

division or discussion about good

play24:22

literature and bad literature some bad

play24:26

literature concern especially all those

play24:29

words that were just meant for the

play24:32

market ok the general just meant to sell

play24:36

basically and normally they had some

play24:40

mechanical cliches and some very

play24:44

mechanical plots with a forced happy

play24:47

ending ok and this pattern was only

play24:49

meant to please the public somehow in

play24:54

fact during the 18th and the 19th

play24:56

century we started to talk about

play25:00

professional writers ok and I had to

play25:04

consider writing as a true work and they

play25:09

had to give their literary product ok to

play25:13

publishing houses this is why often we

play25:19

talk about this good literature and this

play25:21

bad literature that was especially based

play25:24

on a sort of an economical need we can

play25:30

say so but anyway we have great

play25:33

novelists we have absolutely great

play25:36

novelists in in the Indus period in a

play25:39

romantic period and we can say that

play25:41

women started to play an important role

play25:46

in literature we can mention for example

play25:49

and an Radcliffe who was so

play25:54

representative for the Gothic currents

play25:58

ok with their novels full of fearful

play26:02

events and gloomy and creepy aspects and

play26:08

and settings for example Jane Austen

play26:11

Jenelle says something completely

play26:13

different from Ann Radcliffe absolutely

play26:15

opposites that she wrote her noble

play26:18

manners in which she talked about her

play26:21

social class which was the gentry and

play26:26

appearances and manners and KC

play26:30

conventions okay that belong to her

play26:33

so-called

play26:34

small world she represented this world

play26:38

with a sort of an affection because she

play26:40

belonged to it but at the same time she

play26:43

also criticized it in a very subtle way

play26:45

okay with a small irony and she

play26:49

criticized the exaggerations okay she

play26:52

criticized the exaggeration of

play26:55

appearances the lack of

play26:59

self-consciousness sometimes the lack of

play27:03

we can say the lack of generosity and

play27:09

also during this time also dramatic

play27:12

period we have talked about her during

play27:16

my my last video we can mention Mary

play27:19

Shelley a cursor she was also so

play27:22

important as father as as the as the the

play27:25

gothic novel is concerned she wrote

play27:29

Frankenstein and we can remember all the

play27:32

important elements she introduced for

play27:36

the first time in literature because it

play27:38

was a gothic novel this is true it was

play27:40

gothic fiction but it was for the very

play27:44

first time in history also science

play27:46

fiction okay so this is sort of a of a

play27:52

big picture okay in which we can somehow

play27:56

find our our intellectuals our ports our

play28:01

writers and we'll talk about all of them

play28:05

in detail but if we remember these

play28:08

aspects we are absolutely able to give

play28:12

an interpretation or larger

play28:14

interpretation to their works I hope

play28:17

this is useful for you and

play28:19

I'll see you later okay with my next

play28:24

video about dramatic pose thank you very

play28:27

much and see you very very soon

play28:30

[Music]

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

関連タグ
RomanticismLiteratureRevolutionImaginationArtistic FreedomNatureMythologySublimeIndustrial RevolutionPoetry
英語で要約が必要ですか?