Romantic Age | The Age of Wordsworth | History of English Literature

Summary

This video offers an insightful exploration of the Romantic Age in English literature, highlighting its historical background, literary features, and major writers. The period, spanning from 1798 to 1837, marked a shift from the rationality of the Enlightenment to the celebration of emotion, nature, and imagination. Key themes include the influence of the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution's impact, and the poets’ embrace of free verse and simple language. Notable figures such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, Keats, and novelists like Austen and Mary Shelley are also featured, emphasizing their lasting literary contributions.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Romantic Age in English literature spans from 1798 AD to 1837 AD, following the Age of Enlightenment and preceding the Victorian Age.
• 😀 The Romantic Age emphasized emotion, feelings, and individual freedom, contrasting with the rationalism and logic of the Age of Enlightenment.
• 😀 The French Revolution heavily influenced Romantic poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge, who supported the ideals of freedom and individuality.
• 😀 Key historical factors that shaped the Romantic Age include the European wars, the Industrial Revolution, and significant social unrest in Britain.
• 😀 The Industrial Revolution led to problems like pollution, child labor, and materialism, which Romantic writers critiqued by advocating for a return to nature.
• 😀 Poets of the Romantic Age used simple and plain language, making their work accessible to a wider audience compared to the complex language of Enlightenment writers.
• 😀 Nature was idealized in Romantic literature, with writers celebrating rural life and seeing nature as a source of spiritual truth and emotional connection.
• 😀 Imagination was highly valued, with works featuring supernatural elements and an emphasis on creative freedom, as seen in Coleridge's term 'willing suspension of disbelief.'
• 😀 Romantic poets used free verse to allow for a more natural flow of language, rejecting the strict metrical forms like heroic couplets used by earlier poets.
• 😀 Notable Romantic poets include William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats, each contributing significant works.
• 😀 In addition to poets, the Romantic period also produced influential novelists like Jane Austen, Sir Walter Scott, and Mary Shelley, as well as prose writers such as Charles Lamb and Thomas De Quincey.

Q & A

What time period does the Romantic Age cover?

The Romantic Age spans from 1798 to 1837, after which the Victorian Age began.

How did the French Revolution influence the Romantic Age?

The French Revolution promoted ideas of individual freedom, which resonated with Romantic poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge. They supported the revolution’s ideals of liberty and personal expression, influencing their works.

What were the main social issues during the Romantic Age?

During the Romantic Age, social issues included unemployment, low wages, heavy taxation, child labor, and pollution, which arose from the Industrial Revolution. These issues were often addressed in the works of Romantic poets, who advocated for a return to nature.

What literary feature of the Romantic Age distinguishes it from the Enlightenment?

The Romantic Age emphasized emotions, feelings, and imagination, in contrast to the Enlightenment's focus on logic, reason, and rationalism. Poets of the Romantic Age sought to express personal emotion and intuition.

What role did nature play in Romantic literature?

Nature was idealized in Romantic literature, seen as a source of spiritual truth and a way for individuals to reconnect with their humanity. Poets like Wordsworth believed that nature provided a refuge from the industrialization and chaos of modern life.

What is meant by 'willing suspension of disbelief' in Romantic literature?

The term 'willing suspension of disbelief' was coined by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It refers to the reader's ability to accept supernatural elements in literature, allowing them to fully enjoy the imaginative and fantastical aspects of Romantic poetry.

How did Romantic poets approach the use of language in their works?

Romantic poets preferred simple and plain language to make their work more accessible to the common people. Unlike the complex language of Enlightenment poets, Romantic poets like Wordsworth used direct and straightforward language in their poetry.

Which major poets are considered central figures of the Romantic Age?

Major poets of the Romantic Age include William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats, who are known for their contributions to poetry that emphasized emotion, nature, and imagination.

What is the significance of Wordsworth's 'Lyrical Ballads'?

'Lyrical Ballads' (1798), co-authored by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, marked the beginning of the Romantic Age. The collection focused on everyday life and nature, using simple language to express deep emotions and ideas.

How did the Industrial Revolution impact literature during the Romantic Age?

The Industrial Revolution led to urbanization, pollution, and social inequality. Many Romantic writers criticized the dehumanizing effects of industrialization, urging people to reconnect with nature as a means of preserving their humanity.