Romanticism in English Literature : An Overview

Romanticism, a literary movement, generally believed to begin in 1798 with the publication of Lyrical Ballads. This book was a collection of a new kind of 23 poems composed by Wordsworth and Coleridge. It was a successful joint venture by Wordsworth and Coleridge to establish a new trend in English poetry. It was a successful attempt to break away from the Neo-classical tradition of the previous age. Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, Shelley and Byron were the main exponents of this movement. The main features of Romantic poetry are: return to nature, spontaneity, dependence on imagination, love of beauty, mysticism, subjectivity, love of rural common people, use of Greek and Roman myths and use of simple language. This new kind of literary tradition is first seen in the Elizabethan age to some extent, but it revived with much vigour after 1798 as a direct consequence of the French Revolution

Return to Nature: The Core of Romanticism

Return to nature is the most dominant feature of Romantic literature. Nature here means the world of vegetation and the natural qualities of human beings. Wordsworth established a close kinship with Nature. His pantheism forms a wonder in the romantic appreciation of Nature. To him Nature is a mighty and majestic spirit that animates and mobilises every object of the visible world. Similarly Keats idealizes and glorifies Nature in his poetry. One remembers his famous images of natural phenomena in his odes showing his love of Nature.

Return to Nature also refers to the Romantic poets  love for natural qualities of man. It is akin to spontaneity. Wordsworth talked about it time and again in reaction to the artificiality of the Neoclassical age. To him poetry means, Spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. His The Solitary Reaper, Michael and Lucy Poems glorify the feelings of the downtrodden people.

Romanticism and the Common People

Love for common people found in the Romantic age is, in fact, glorification of humanism which is a very important aspect of the Revival of Romanticism. Rousseau was the philosopher who popularized it during those years. The Romantic poets temperament was shaped by their love for humanity.

Beauty and Hellenism in Romantic Poetry

Love for beauty or Hellenism is another salient feature of Romanticism. Keats sings in Endymion a "Thing of beauty is joy forever". His belief in the power of beauty has been resounded in many of his poems. In The Eve of St Agnes he has glorified female beauty. In Ode on a Grecian Urn he equalled beauty with truth. Shelley and Byron also wrote poems which show their interest in the appreciation of beauty.

Subjectivity in Romantic Expression

Subjective expression is one more feature of Romanticism. Poets in this period preferred to present their own feelings without hiding themselves. Wordsworth, for example, in Tintern Abbey and Ode on Intimation of Immortality presents his personal belief in the soothing power of Nature and prenatal existence of human soul. Similar personal experiences and beliefs are also found in the poetry of Keats.

Mysticism and Supernaturalism in Romantic Literature

Mysticism is inherent in the literature of Romantic period. In Wordsworth's poems mysticism is seen profusely. His pantheism pervading many of his famous poems is actually a reflection of his mystic bent of mind. Similarly Coleridge's supernaturalism bears the testimony of the mystical novels of romantic poetry. His famous poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is based on his mystic belief. The Mariner's alienation from the forces of Nature after killing the Albatross is indeed mystic because the bird's association with other natural phenomena is a matter of unusual belief. Further, the polar spirit, the Hermit and the Mariner's love for the ugly snakes are all mystical. Shelley's myths are also mystical in nature. The wonder of mysticism is also evident in the fictional and non-fictional prose writings of this period.

Classical Myths and the Romantic Imagination

The Romantic poets often went back to ancient Greek and Roman myths. Their use of Greek and Roman myths shows their love for ancient truths and culture. Keats poems are replete with these mythical elements. For example, his well-known poem, Ode on a Grecian Urn is based on an ancient Greek urn. The images on the body of the urn reflect Keats love for the Greek concept of aesthetic beauty, natural beauty and spiritual beauty ” which are eternal truths of life. Keats other odes are also replete with references to Greek and Roman myths. This nostalgia for the past is also found in the poems of other Romantic poets. 

Conclusion: The Essence of the Romantic Movement

Romanticism, therefore, is a literary movement that includes several trends in literature. The age had very powerful enthusiasm-a unique spirit that drove the poets soar in the higher sphere of reality. It was, for some poets, a revolution against the existing social and literary tradition; for others it was an age of idealising life and society.

Romanticism in English Literature: Origin, Features, and Key Poets

Green Land | June 25, 2025 | 0 comments

Romanticism in English Literature : An Overview

Romanticism, a literary movement, generally believed to begin in 1798 with the publication of Lyrical Ballads. This book was a collection of a new kind of 23 poems composed by Wordsworth and Coleridge. It was a successful joint venture by Wordsworth and Coleridge to establish a new trend in English poetry. It was a successful attempt to break away from the Neo-classical tradition of the previous age. Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, Shelley and Byron were the main exponents of this movement. The main features of Romantic poetry are: return to nature, spontaneity, dependence on imagination, love of beauty, mysticism, subjectivity, love of rural common people, use of Greek and Roman myths and use of simple language. This new kind of literary tradition is first seen in the Elizabethan age to some extent, but it revived with much vigour after 1798 as a direct consequence of the French Revolution

Return to Nature: The Core of Romanticism

Return to nature is the most dominant feature of Romantic literature. Nature here means the world of vegetation and the natural qualities of human beings. Wordsworth established a close kinship with Nature. His pantheism forms a wonder in the romantic appreciation of Nature. To him Nature is a mighty and majestic spirit that animates and mobilises every object of the visible world. Similarly Keats idealizes and glorifies Nature in his poetry. One remembers his famous images of natural phenomena in his odes showing his love of Nature.

Return to Nature also refers to the Romantic poets  love for natural qualities of man. It is akin to spontaneity. Wordsworth talked about it time and again in reaction to the artificiality of the Neoclassical age. To him poetry means, Spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. His The Solitary Reaper, Michael and Lucy Poems glorify the feelings of the downtrodden people.

Romanticism and the Common People

Love for common people found in the Romantic age is, in fact, glorification of humanism which is a very important aspect of the Revival of Romanticism. Rousseau was the philosopher who popularized it during those years. The Romantic poets temperament was shaped by their love for humanity.

Beauty and Hellenism in Romantic Poetry

Love for beauty or Hellenism is another salient feature of Romanticism. Keats sings in Endymion a "Thing of beauty is joy forever". His belief in the power of beauty has been resounded in many of his poems. In The Eve of St Agnes he has glorified female beauty. In Ode on a Grecian Urn he equalled beauty with truth. Shelley and Byron also wrote poems which show their interest in the appreciation of beauty.

Subjectivity in Romantic Expression

Subjective expression is one more feature of Romanticism. Poets in this period preferred to present their own feelings without hiding themselves. Wordsworth, for example, in Tintern Abbey and Ode on Intimation of Immortality presents his personal belief in the soothing power of Nature and prenatal existence of human soul. Similar personal experiences and beliefs are also found in the poetry of Keats.

Mysticism and Supernaturalism in Romantic Literature

Mysticism is inherent in the literature of Romantic period. In Wordsworth's poems mysticism is seen profusely. His pantheism pervading many of his famous poems is actually a reflection of his mystic bent of mind. Similarly Coleridge's supernaturalism bears the testimony of the mystical novels of romantic poetry. His famous poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is based on his mystic belief. The Mariner's alienation from the forces of Nature after killing the Albatross is indeed mystic because the bird's association with other natural phenomena is a matter of unusual belief. Further, the polar spirit, the Hermit and the Mariner's love for the ugly snakes are all mystical. Shelley's myths are also mystical in nature. The wonder of mysticism is also evident in the fictional and non-fictional prose writings of this period.

Classical Myths and the Romantic Imagination

The Romantic poets often went back to ancient Greek and Roman myths. Their use of Greek and Roman myths shows their love for ancient truths and culture. Keats poems are replete with these mythical elements. For example, his well-known poem, Ode on a Grecian Urn is based on an ancient Greek urn. The images on the body of the urn reflect Keats love for the Greek concept of aesthetic beauty, natural beauty and spiritual beauty ” which are eternal truths of life. Keats other odes are also replete with references to Greek and Roman myths. This nostalgia for the past is also found in the poems of other Romantic poets. 

Conclusion: The Essence of the Romantic Movement

Romanticism, therefore, is a literary movement that includes several trends in literature. The age had very powerful enthusiasm-a unique spirit that drove the poets soar in the higher sphere of reality. It was, for some poets, a revolution against the existing social and literary tradition; for others it was an age of idealising life and society.

The Romantic Period

In the romantic literature of the first half of the 19th century, Sir Walter Scott is a significant name. He started as a poet, won fame for his poetry, but gave up his poetical career, as Byron emerged as a poet, took up novel-writing and achieved immortality. It is actually as a novelist, that Scott’s name is today celebrated in English literature, and his poetry is read now rarely, and as such the poet, in him has today a little reputation or even recognition. 

In fact, Scott’s fictional works have actually given him a triumphant position in the history of English literature. He is the author of a good many historical novels (about twenty nine) that shocked Europe, with their very publications. His novels, like Guy Mannering, Rob Roy, Ivanhoe and Kenilworth, are some of the most well read works in the world of English fiction. 

Scott’s maturity, as a novelist, was evident from the very beginning. Waverley, his first novel, came out in 1814, and Scott’s full genius was exhibited as much in that as in any of its successors. 

His career, as the fictional author, continued persistently and regularly in Guy Mannering (1815), The Antiquary, Old Mortality (both in 1816), Rob Roy (1817), The Heart of Midlothian (1818), The Bride of Lammermoor and The Legend of Montrose (both in 1819), All these novels are based on the history of his country which is Scotland. After his novels on Scottish history, Scott turned to English and then continental themes and produced a series of new historical novels. Ivanhoe appeared in 1819. It was followed by The Monastery and The Abbot in 1820, Kenilworth in 1821, The Pirate in 1822, The Fortunes of Nigel in 1822, Quentin Durward in 1823 and St. Roman’s Well in 1824. In his last novel Redgauntlet, published in 1824, too, Scott once again went to Scottish history for his material. As a novelist, Scott is acknowledged as a pioneer. In him is found the first potential author of historical novels in England. He has done in the world of English fiction with his historical novels, what Shakespeare has achieved in the realm of drama with his history plays. History, as a matter of fact, is well-preserved and presented in a fictional manner by him, and here Scott remains a great romanticist. The romantic spirit, brought in the domain of poetry by Wordsworth, is claimed to have been captured and preserved by Walter Scott in his historical novels. Among the historical novelists  in English, he is definitely the greatest, and his contribution to the development of historical and romantic novels is truly unique. 

Scott’s historical novels has the magnificence and range of Homeric epics. The note of greatness and majesty in his historical novel is beyond any question. He is, as noted already, like Shakespeare, a master who superbly renews the past with all its vastness and charms and interests. 

The historical novelist in Scott is essentially a romanticist, an author of romances. Of course, he is not concerned only with the  romance of love but with the general romance of life —of war and adventure and the mysterious past. The telling effect of his romance is undeniable and his influence on the subsequent authors of romantic novels is immense. Highly coloured and picturesque incidents and situations, belonging to the indistinct past add to the romantic character of his fiction. 

The influence of Scott, however, is found extended to Europe to affect immensely the course of romantic story-writing by different European authors. His treatment of the past, with all its liveliness and thrill and his representation of romance are found to have deeply affected a good many French novelists of repute, in particular, such as Alexander Dumas and Victor Hugo. Here Scott’s significance in European literature is distinctly evident. In fact, he seems to have the significance of the great Italian master, Boccaccio, in the realm of romances. 

Assess the importance of Scott in the history of the English novels

Green Land | February 15, 2024 | 0 comments

In the romantic literature of the first half of the 19th century, Sir Walter Scott is a significant name. He started as a poet, won fame for his poetry, but gave up his poetical career, as Byron emerged as a poet, took up novel-writing and achieved immortality. It is actually as a novelist, that Scott’s name is today celebrated in English literature, and his poetry is read now rarely, and as such the poet, in him has today a little reputation or even recognition. 

In fact, Scott’s fictional works have actually given him a triumphant position in the history of English literature. He is the author of a good many historical novels (about twenty nine) that shocked Europe, with their very publications. His novels, like Guy Mannering, Rob Roy, Ivanhoe and Kenilworth, are some of the most well read works in the world of English fiction. 

Scott’s maturity, as a novelist, was evident from the very beginning. Waverley, his first novel, came out in 1814, and Scott’s full genius was exhibited as much in that as in any of its successors. 

His career, as the fictional author, continued persistently and regularly in Guy Mannering (1815), The Antiquary, Old Mortality (both in 1816), Rob Roy (1817), The Heart of Midlothian (1818), The Bride of Lammermoor and The Legend of Montrose (both in 1819), All these novels are based on the history of his country which is Scotland. After his novels on Scottish history, Scott turned to English and then continental themes and produced a series of new historical novels. Ivanhoe appeared in 1819. It was followed by The Monastery and The Abbot in 1820, Kenilworth in 1821, The Pirate in 1822, The Fortunes of Nigel in 1822, Quentin Durward in 1823 and St. Roman’s Well in 1824. In his last novel Redgauntlet, published in 1824, too, Scott once again went to Scottish history for his material. As a novelist, Scott is acknowledged as a pioneer. In him is found the first potential author of historical novels in England. He has done in the world of English fiction with his historical novels, what Shakespeare has achieved in the realm of drama with his history plays. History, as a matter of fact, is well-preserved and presented in a fictional manner by him, and here Scott remains a great romanticist. The romantic spirit, brought in the domain of poetry by Wordsworth, is claimed to have been captured and preserved by Walter Scott in his historical novels. Among the historical novelists  in English, he is definitely the greatest, and his contribution to the development of historical and romantic novels is truly unique. 

Scott’s historical novels has the magnificence and range of Homeric epics. The note of greatness and majesty in his historical novel is beyond any question. He is, as noted already, like Shakespeare, a master who superbly renews the past with all its vastness and charms and interests. 

The historical novelist in Scott is essentially a romanticist, an author of romances. Of course, he is not concerned only with the  romance of love but with the general romance of life —of war and adventure and the mysterious past. The telling effect of his romance is undeniable and his influence on the subsequent authors of romantic novels is immense. Highly coloured and picturesque incidents and situations, belonging to the indistinct past add to the romantic character of his fiction. 

The influence of Scott, however, is found extended to Europe to affect immensely the course of romantic story-writing by different European authors. His treatment of the past, with all its liveliness and thrill and his representation of romance are found to have deeply affected a good many French novelists of repute, in particular, such as Alexander Dumas and Victor Hugo. Here Scott’s significance in European literature is distinctly evident. In fact, he seems to have the significance of the great Italian master, Boccaccio, in the realm of romances. 

The Romantic Period

From the 1800s to about 1910, Western classical music was defined by its soaring melodies and ever-expanding orchestrations, originality and self-expression. Here are the composers who made all this possible: There are many musicians in the romantic period.

Romance time. In the wonderful words of composer and classical FM host John Branning, "They named him twice. So good."

The 'early' Romantic era began around 1800 with the great classical music of the time Ludwig van his Beethoven. His symphonic revolution ushered in a new era in music history. Fast forward to the turn of the century and music looked very different from the classical era (1730-1820). Late-romantic composers like Rachmaninoff and Mahler expanded the orchestra to an unprecedented scale, adding more colors and instruments, transforming the music into a range of human emotions, from sorrow to joy, passion to sorrow. I changed it to a way to express the whole range.

Here we explore some of the biggest contributors to romance.

01. Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Frédéric Chopin was a virtuoso pianist who wrote almost exclusively for his instrument. The piano underwent major changes in his nineteenth century, with composers becoming more ambitious in range, color and dynamics. It became a symbol of Romanticism and was expanded to meet the needs of musicians like Chopin. Of his repertoire, preludes were favorites of Polish Romanticism, and his nocturnes, waltzes, etudes, mazurkas, sonatas and concertos are still some of the pianist's most popular repertoires today.

02. Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Another composer, Franz Liszt, called "the world's first rock star", took the virtuoso piano art to new heights. The great Hungarian composer, known for his astonishingly demonic La Campanella repertoire, was a showman who revolutionized the performing arts. At his recital, Liszt's fans stripped him of his clothes and shouted his name. This is the phenomenon that the German poet Heinrich Heine called "listomania".In today's recital, we often hear Liszt's timeless and beautiful song No. 3 in A-flat major.

03. Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

The undisputed king of Italian opera, Verdi is known not only for his monumental Requiem, but above all for his great stage productions: La Traviata, Rigoletto, Nabucco, Aida. Fate of Destiny" and "Il Trovatore". Written primarily around the time of Italian unification, Verdi's operas have become an integral part of Italy's national identity, and his chorus has been adopted as the hymn of Italian freedom fighters. In nineteenth-century Italy, Verdi was the king of music. His death in 1901 brought grief to a nation deeply connected to his passion for opera.

04. Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Richard's list of Wagnerian innovations in 19th-century music goes on, including new instruments, bespoke venues, and extraordinarily long works A rather controversial figure largely due to his ties to Nazism – see his gallery of facts here for more – Wagner was a musical visionary best known for opera . His most enduring works include The Flying Dutchman, Tannhäuser, Tristan, Isolde and of course his monumental Ring Cycle, his four opera productions lasting 15 hours. . He gave the opera a "leitmotif". It is a musical feature that is widely used today and intended to represent characters and themes. Remember the music of Darth Vader from Star Wars.

05. Fanny Mendelssohn (1805-1847)

Fanny Mendelssohn was a truly great composer, but getting her work published in the 19th century was an almost overwhelming ordeal. Her brother Felix Mendelssohn wrote that the Violin Concerto in E Minor and Hebrides was a regular feature in her 21st Century Concerts program, and Fanny felt she should not publish music as a woman. was He decided that many of her works, including her rather wonderful song Italia, should be published under his name. In all, Fanny wrote 460 pieces of music, including many without words, a genre of piano music made famous by her brother Felix Mendelssohn. Musicologists now believe Fanny to be the pioneer of this form.

06. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Tchaikovsky is one of the most successful Russian composers. He is a prolific composer of symphonies, concertos, operas, ballets, and chamber music, whose ballets The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty are guaranteed to sell out worldwide, and whose symphonies and The concerto is a mainstay on the international concert stage today. Tchaikovsky was also a deeply troubled man, and his work was shaped by the emotional aftermath of a disastrous marriage, multiple love affairs, and homosexuality, which was illegal in Russia at the time.

07. Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Have you heard the German Requiem? Brahms is one of the most respected and beloved composers of the Romantic era. His symphonies, piano and violin concertos, delightful academic overtures for his festivals, and the moving German Requiem, written after the death of his mother, are among his most performed works. . Discovering Brahms' music also means exploring the fascinating blend of classical tradition with folk and gypsy influences that are the inspiration for his 21 dynamic and varied Hungarian dances. .

08. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

You say sobbing Aria, we say Puccini. This great Italian composer is one of the most performed operas of our time, including La Bohème, Tosca, Madame Butterfly, and Turandot, and the core of every song is absolutely heartbreaking music. In fact, his last opera, Turandot, contains the great tenor's aria "Nessundorma", making him one of the few 20th-century operas to gain a foothold in opera houses around the world. It's one. While working on his final work, Puccini said:

"God Almighty touched me with his pinky finger and said, 'Write for the play, remember only for the play.' "And I obeyed his highest orders."

09. Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Rachmaninoff is now moving into the late-romantic period, the ideal turn-of-the-century type of grandiose melodies and virtuoso pianism, whose masterpiece was certainly his 1901 Piano Concerto 2. Its subsequent use in the movie Brief Encounter made it one of the most popular to date. A famous gentleman with big hands, Rachmaninoff could have spanned his 12 piano keys from little finger to thumb. His Piano Concerto No. 3 has long been a favorite in his concert halls and challenges the soloist (literally) to the limits of his abilities.

10. Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

For many, Mahler represents the culmination of the astonishing transformation that Western classical music has undergone over his century. As a symphonic master, Mahler thought: it must encompass all. There's more to Mahler's symphonies: frenzied violence, deep sentimentality, existential boredom. With Symphony No. 2, the phrase 'size matters' has never been more appropriate, but Mahler wanted to emphasize life and death in all its terrifying glory. Its emotional range and melodic tension make him one of those classic repertoire pieces that not only audiences want to hear, but orchestras and conductors alike want to play. .

Of course, romantic music doesn't end with these ten composers of his. The 19th century produced a melting pot of musical expression, with composers such as Richard Strauss, Felix Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Berlioz, Schumann, Grieg, Dvořák and Debussy contributing productively. Click on the name to learn more about the composer and their music. 

Musicians in the romantic period

Green Land | January 21, 2023 | 0 comments

From the 1800s to about 1910, Western classical music was defined by its soaring melodies and ever-expanding orchestrations, originality and self-expression. Here are the composers who made all this possible: There are many musicians in the romantic period.

Romance time. In the wonderful words of composer and classical FM host John Branning, "They named him twice. So good."

The 'early' Romantic era began around 1800 with the great classical music of the time Ludwig van his Beethoven. His symphonic revolution ushered in a new era in music history. Fast forward to the turn of the century and music looked very different from the classical era (1730-1820). Late-romantic composers like Rachmaninoff and Mahler expanded the orchestra to an unprecedented scale, adding more colors and instruments, transforming the music into a range of human emotions, from sorrow to joy, passion to sorrow. I changed it to a way to express the whole range.

Here we explore some of the biggest contributors to romance.

01. Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Frédéric Chopin was a virtuoso pianist who wrote almost exclusively for his instrument. The piano underwent major changes in his nineteenth century, with composers becoming more ambitious in range, color and dynamics. It became a symbol of Romanticism and was expanded to meet the needs of musicians like Chopin. Of his repertoire, preludes were favorites of Polish Romanticism, and his nocturnes, waltzes, etudes, mazurkas, sonatas and concertos are still some of the pianist's most popular repertoires today.

02. Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Another composer, Franz Liszt, called "the world's first rock star", took the virtuoso piano art to new heights. The great Hungarian composer, known for his astonishingly demonic La Campanella repertoire, was a showman who revolutionized the performing arts. At his recital, Liszt's fans stripped him of his clothes and shouted his name. This is the phenomenon that the German poet Heinrich Heine called "listomania".In today's recital, we often hear Liszt's timeless and beautiful song No. 3 in A-flat major.

03. Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

The undisputed king of Italian opera, Verdi is known not only for his monumental Requiem, but above all for his great stage productions: La Traviata, Rigoletto, Nabucco, Aida. Fate of Destiny" and "Il Trovatore". Written primarily around the time of Italian unification, Verdi's operas have become an integral part of Italy's national identity, and his chorus has been adopted as the hymn of Italian freedom fighters. In nineteenth-century Italy, Verdi was the king of music. His death in 1901 brought grief to a nation deeply connected to his passion for opera.

04. Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Richard's list of Wagnerian innovations in 19th-century music goes on, including new instruments, bespoke venues, and extraordinarily long works A rather controversial figure largely due to his ties to Nazism – see his gallery of facts here for more – Wagner was a musical visionary best known for opera . His most enduring works include The Flying Dutchman, Tannhäuser, Tristan, Isolde and of course his monumental Ring Cycle, his four opera productions lasting 15 hours. . He gave the opera a "leitmotif". It is a musical feature that is widely used today and intended to represent characters and themes. Remember the music of Darth Vader from Star Wars.

05. Fanny Mendelssohn (1805-1847)

Fanny Mendelssohn was a truly great composer, but getting her work published in the 19th century was an almost overwhelming ordeal. Her brother Felix Mendelssohn wrote that the Violin Concerto in E Minor and Hebrides was a regular feature in her 21st Century Concerts program, and Fanny felt she should not publish music as a woman. was He decided that many of her works, including her rather wonderful song Italia, should be published under his name. In all, Fanny wrote 460 pieces of music, including many without words, a genre of piano music made famous by her brother Felix Mendelssohn. Musicologists now believe Fanny to be the pioneer of this form.

06. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Tchaikovsky is one of the most successful Russian composers. He is a prolific composer of symphonies, concertos, operas, ballets, and chamber music, whose ballets The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty are guaranteed to sell out worldwide, and whose symphonies and The concerto is a mainstay on the international concert stage today. Tchaikovsky was also a deeply troubled man, and his work was shaped by the emotional aftermath of a disastrous marriage, multiple love affairs, and homosexuality, which was illegal in Russia at the time.

07. Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Have you heard the German Requiem? Brahms is one of the most respected and beloved composers of the Romantic era. His symphonies, piano and violin concertos, delightful academic overtures for his festivals, and the moving German Requiem, written after the death of his mother, are among his most performed works. . Discovering Brahms' music also means exploring the fascinating blend of classical tradition with folk and gypsy influences that are the inspiration for his 21 dynamic and varied Hungarian dances. .

08. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

You say sobbing Aria, we say Puccini. This great Italian composer is one of the most performed operas of our time, including La Bohème, Tosca, Madame Butterfly, and Turandot, and the core of every song is absolutely heartbreaking music. In fact, his last opera, Turandot, contains the great tenor's aria "Nessundorma", making him one of the few 20th-century operas to gain a foothold in opera houses around the world. It's one. While working on his final work, Puccini said:

"God Almighty touched me with his pinky finger and said, 'Write for the play, remember only for the play.' "And I obeyed his highest orders."

09. Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Rachmaninoff is now moving into the late-romantic period, the ideal turn-of-the-century type of grandiose melodies and virtuoso pianism, whose masterpiece was certainly his 1901 Piano Concerto 2. Its subsequent use in the movie Brief Encounter made it one of the most popular to date. A famous gentleman with big hands, Rachmaninoff could have spanned his 12 piano keys from little finger to thumb. His Piano Concerto No. 3 has long been a favorite in his concert halls and challenges the soloist (literally) to the limits of his abilities.

10. Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

For many, Mahler represents the culmination of the astonishing transformation that Western classical music has undergone over his century. As a symphonic master, Mahler thought: it must encompass all. There's more to Mahler's symphonies: frenzied violence, deep sentimentality, existential boredom. With Symphony No. 2, the phrase 'size matters' has never been more appropriate, but Mahler wanted to emphasize life and death in all its terrifying glory. Its emotional range and melodic tension make him one of those classic repertoire pieces that not only audiences want to hear, but orchestras and conductors alike want to play. .

Of course, romantic music doesn't end with these ten composers of his. The 19th century produced a melting pot of musical expression, with composers such as Richard Strauss, Felix Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Berlioz, Schumann, Grieg, Dvořák and Debussy contributing productively. Click on the name to learn more about the composer and their music. 

Romantic Period , The Romantic Period

The impact on English Romantic poets by Franch revolution

Franch revolution

French Revolution is one of the most remarkable events in the history of the world. It started in 1789 in France and continued till 1799. Voltaire and Jean Jacques Rousseau taught individualism. They inspired revolution for more freedom and quality During the reign of Louis-XVI of France, there were several social inequalities among the people. The king and the nobility were enjoying all the good things in the country. But the common people were deprived of their due shares. The law of the country was not equal for all classes of people. The existing social injustices prompted the great revolution known as the French Revolution. The slogan of the revolution was "Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity." The king along with his queen was overthrown by the common people. This revolution was able to create a tremendous effect on the life and literature of the people of England. Many contemporary writers went to France and join the French Revolution. William Blake, William Wordsworth, S. T Coleridge, and P. B Shelley were influenced by it to a great extent.

French Revolution has several aspects and phases. One of the main ideas of the revolution was equality. The marks of the Revolution conceive of mankind as one brotherhood. The essential oneness of man in all countries and climates was realized and stressed.

Another idea of the revolution was that of liberty. The Revolution itself was a protest against oppression and exploitation. The old fortress of Bastille was regarded as a symbol of oppression by the Revolutionaries. It was long used by French kings as a prison. The Paris mob rose on July 14, 1789. The fortress was their first target of attack. That was the beginning of the end of the Old Regime based on the suppression of liberty. Wordsworth and Coleridge heard the crash of its towers. Both of them recorded their joy and welcomed it at the dawn of a new era. Before the Revolution, the rich and the powerful had enjoyed all the rights and privileges. They enjoyed them for so long and considered them to be divine. They thought that it was their divine right to exploit the poor for their own good. After the Revolution, such thought came to be regarded as the vilest wrong. It was condemned seriously.

The Revolutionaries were also visionaries. They saw the vision of the universal regeneration of mankind. They thought of a Golden Age to come in not too distant future. The philosophers proclaimed the right of all mankind to happiness and perfection in the Golden Age to come. Shelley's imagination caught the idea. He flung aside all social and political limitations with true revolutionary zeal and fiery wrath. He lost himself in the song of welcome to the new era. The Fourth Act of "Prometheus Unbound" is the choral song of the universal regeneration of all mankind in love, peace, and joy.

"Ode to the West Wind" is one of its greatest poems of Shelley. In this mode, he represents a rebel poet. His revolutionary zeal is expressed through a series of symbols and images. He wants to destroy oldness, tyranny, suppression, oppression, orthodoxy, and corruption from the world. On the contrary, he wants to preserve newness in society. He would like to bring about a golden millennium. He is a dreamer and an idealist. He is a prophet and thinker. He makes a prophecy at the end of the poem- 

"If Winter comes, Can Spring be far behind?

His optimism consoles the human breasts with courage. It dreams of its golden and bright future. According to Matthew Arnold, "Shelley is a pessimist about the present, but an optimist about the future." In fact, Shelley talks about equality, liberty, and fraternity in his poems. 

Wordsworth is one of those poets who greeted the French Revolution with much enthusiasm. In the prime of his life, he went to France to join the Revolution. French Revolution excited his blood, stimulated his revolutionary spirit, and throbbed his heart. Returning to England, he expressed his experience in many of his poems. He has written "French Revolution". "It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free" and other poems whose themes are the Revolution.

French Revolution has a permanent impact on Romantic poetry. The Romantic Period and its literary ideals are hued with the color of the spirit of the Revolution. As a result of the stimulus provided by these powerful ideas concerning man and his rights, a great development of individuality took place. The Revolutionary ideals kindled human intellect and passion. Wealth, birth, and rank lost their age-old prestige. "A man is a man for all that." it is his right to say what is in him. The English poets, all from common stock with one exception (Keats) caught these ideas and proclaimed them in impassioned language. Each of the great romantic poets reacted in a different way to the call of the Revolution

The impact on English Romantic poets by Franch revolution

Literaturemini | January 15, 2023 | 0 comments

Franch revolution

French Revolution is one of the most remarkable events in the history of the world. It started in 1789 in France and continued till 1799. Voltaire and Jean Jacques Rousseau taught individualism. They inspired revolution for more freedom and quality During the reign of Louis-XVI of France, there were several social inequalities among the people. The king and the nobility were enjoying all the good things in the country. But the common people were deprived of their due shares. The law of the country was not equal for all classes of people. The existing social injustices prompted the great revolution known as the French Revolution. The slogan of the revolution was "Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity." The king along with his queen was overthrown by the common people. This revolution was able to create a tremendous effect on the life and literature of the people of England. Many contemporary writers went to France and join the French Revolution. William Blake, William Wordsworth, S. T Coleridge, and P. B Shelley were influenced by it to a great extent.

French Revolution has several aspects and phases. One of the main ideas of the revolution was equality. The marks of the Revolution conceive of mankind as one brotherhood. The essential oneness of man in all countries and climates was realized and stressed.

Another idea of the revolution was that of liberty. The Revolution itself was a protest against oppression and exploitation. The old fortress of Bastille was regarded as a symbol of oppression by the Revolutionaries. It was long used by French kings as a prison. The Paris mob rose on July 14, 1789. The fortress was their first target of attack. That was the beginning of the end of the Old Regime based on the suppression of liberty. Wordsworth and Coleridge heard the crash of its towers. Both of them recorded their joy and welcomed it at the dawn of a new era. Before the Revolution, the rich and the powerful had enjoyed all the rights and privileges. They enjoyed them for so long and considered them to be divine. They thought that it was their divine right to exploit the poor for their own good. After the Revolution, such thought came to be regarded as the vilest wrong. It was condemned seriously.

The Revolutionaries were also visionaries. They saw the vision of the universal regeneration of mankind. They thought of a Golden Age to come in not too distant future. The philosophers proclaimed the right of all mankind to happiness and perfection in the Golden Age to come. Shelley's imagination caught the idea. He flung aside all social and political limitations with true revolutionary zeal and fiery wrath. He lost himself in the song of welcome to the new era. The Fourth Act of "Prometheus Unbound" is the choral song of the universal regeneration of all mankind in love, peace, and joy.

"Ode to the West Wind" is one of its greatest poems of Shelley. In this mode, he represents a rebel poet. His revolutionary zeal is expressed through a series of symbols and images. He wants to destroy oldness, tyranny, suppression, oppression, orthodoxy, and corruption from the world. On the contrary, he wants to preserve newness in society. He would like to bring about a golden millennium. He is a dreamer and an idealist. He is a prophet and thinker. He makes a prophecy at the end of the poem- 

"If Winter comes, Can Spring be far behind?

His optimism consoles the human breasts with courage. It dreams of its golden and bright future. According to Matthew Arnold, "Shelley is a pessimist about the present, but an optimist about the future." In fact, Shelley talks about equality, liberty, and fraternity in his poems. 

Wordsworth is one of those poets who greeted the French Revolution with much enthusiasm. In the prime of his life, he went to France to join the Revolution. French Revolution excited his blood, stimulated his revolutionary spirit, and throbbed his heart. Returning to England, he expressed his experience in many of his poems. He has written "French Revolution". "It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free" and other poems whose themes are the Revolution.

French Revolution has a permanent impact on Romantic poetry. The Romantic Period and its literary ideals are hued with the color of the spirit of the Revolution. As a result of the stimulus provided by these powerful ideas concerning man and his rights, a great development of individuality took place. The Revolutionary ideals kindled human intellect and passion. Wealth, birth, and rank lost their age-old prestige. "A man is a man for all that." it is his right to say what is in him. The English poets, all from common stock with one exception (Keats) caught these ideas and proclaimed them in impassioned language. Each of the great romantic poets reacted in a different way to the call of the Revolution

The Romantic Period

Some Important Short Notes On The Romantic Period (1798-1832)

Short Notes On The Romantic Period (1798-1832)

The Romantic Period (1798-1832) consists mainly of High imagination,  Lyrical Ballads, The Revival of Romanticism Or, Romantic Movement, Ivanhoe,  The Lake Poets, Jane Austen, Thomas Gray, Romanticism,  Preface to the Lyrical Ballads important short notes etc. Here, these things are discussed in small areas.

High imagination 

Imagination is the image-making and synthesizing power of the human mind. It is the source of creative thinking. It is valued in artists and poets but feared in the insane. So imagination is traditionally used with fancy as a term for the human mind that recombines remembered images. It is distinguished from reason and judgement. It is also opposed to  them.The Romantic poets raise imagination above both reason and fancy. In Biographia Literaria, S. T. Coleridge differs fancy from imagination. According to him, fancy is the capacity simply to reassemble remembered images. On the contrary, imagination dissolves, diffuses and dissipates images in order to recreate. John Keats says, "What the imagination seizes as beauty must be truth-----whether it existed before or not." High imagination is the first and foremost characteristics of romanticism. The poets of the 18th and early half of the 19th century have used imagination highly in their poems. Wordsworth, S. T. Coleridge, P. B. Shelley, John Keats, Byron, Tennyson and W. B. Yeats are regarded as the romantic poets. Most of them follow a certain doctrine. They reject the fact that writers should be earth-bound, realistic and factual. They seek an ideal condition for human beings in their high-soaring and unlimited imagination. They are opposite to the neo-classicists.

Lyrical Ballads

Lyrical Ballads in an important achievement of the Romantic Period (1798-1832). It was published in September, 1798 jointly by William Wordsworth and S. T. Coleridge. It has ever since been described as the volume that formally inaugurates the Romantic Movement. Wordsworth and Coleridge approach poetry from slightly different points of view. Wordsworth takes humble topics as the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. Wordsworth and Coleridge react to the gorgeous, pompous and artificial language of the 17th century poets. They react against the writing style of the neo-classicists. The humble things and men are exalted to the highest dignity through the poems of Wordsworth. Democratic trends in poetry are introduced with the publication of Lyrical Ballads. Lyrical Ballads brings about a great change is literature. The change is obvious both in subject and style. Romanticism gives them extra-ordinary beauty. On the other hand, Coleridge deals with the supernatural and makes it seem real. In other words, he has to make the supernatural natural. But Wordsworth tries to make the natural supernatural. Lyrical Ballads contains some of his finest poems such as "We are Seven" and "Lines Composed a few Miles above Tintern Abbey". " The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", masterpiece of S. T. Coleridge, is also included in the first volume published in 1798. In the second edition of the volume in 1800, Wordsworth includes "Lucy" poems and "Michael". The third edition of the volume is published in 1802.

The Revival of Romanticism Or, Romantic Movement 

The Romantic Period (1798-1832) is called the Revival of Romanticism. Because the romantic ideals of the Elizabethan period revive during these years. Lyrical Ballads published in 1798 brings about a great change in literature. The change is obvious both in subject and style. Romanticism gives them extra-ordinary beauty. On the other hand, Coleridge deals with the supernatural and makes it seem real. In other words, he has to make the supernatural natural. But Wordsworth tries to make the natural supernatural. Lyrical Ballads contains some of his finest poems such as " We are Seven" and "Lines Composed a few Miles above Tintern Abbey". " The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", masterpiece of S. T. Coleridge, is also included in the first volume published in 1798. In the second edition of the volume in 1800, Wordsworth includes "Lucy" poems and "Michael". The third edition of the volume is published in 1802.

" Preface to the Lyrical Ballads " is one of the most important poetical documents. It is regarded as the manifesto of the Romantic Movement. It states that the situations of poetry should be taken from common life. It also says that they should be related in language really used by men. According to Wordsworth, all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.

Romantic Movement is a movement in art and literature in the 18th and 19th centuries in revolt against the neo-classicism of the previous centuries. It is executed by the different poets the age. They are attributed as romantic for certain special qualities in their poetry. They are led by William Wordsworth and S. T. Coleridge. The romantic poets hold a doctrine which is called Romanticism. This literary doctrine had its origin in the Elizabethan Age. However, it revives with full force towards the end of the 19th century during the time of Wordsworth and Coleridge. As the Elizabethan Age is regarded as the original Romantic period, the time span from (1798-1832) is regarded as the Revival of Romanticism. With the publication of Lyrical Ballads this revival started. The main features of romanticism are-----high imagination, love of nature, spontaneity, interest in the remote, simplicity in expression, revolutionary zeal and supernaturalism.

 Ivanhoe

Ivanhoe is a remarkable novel of the Romantic period. It was written in 1820 by Sir Walter Scott. It is his first novel to be set in the medieval times. It is set against the background of antagonism between Saxons and Normans in England of the late 12th Century. John and Richard are only historical characters in the novel. Ivanhoe who is the hero of the novel is an imaginary character. He marries Rowena. He has all the medieval trappings. In the novel, Wamba and Garth are interesting characters. Ivanhoe re-creates the history of the medieval England. It is a marvellous feat of imaginative recreations. It gives a vivid and brilliant picture of medieval life in England. At that time, the Norman conquerors and the Saxon conquerors were beginning to combine into a nation. Every aspect of the medieval life is depicted in the novel and almost nothing is left. The triangular love between Ivanhoe and Rebecca and Rowena is described with psychological realism.

     
The Lake Poets

The poet who lived in a place called Lake District are called the Lake Poets. Lake District was a very charming place full of natural objects including lakes, mountains, streams etc. Some English poets of the Romantic period lived in this beautiful area. William Wordsworth, S. T. Coleridge and Robert Southey lived in that part of England. Francis Geoffrey a Scottish Justice had been writing adverse criticism in the Edinburgh Review for twenty yards about them. He considered them as the poets of Lake District. As a result, Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey are regarded as the Lake poets. Whether Wordsworth is regarded as the lake poet or not, he is the greatest romantic poet. He was born in 1770 and died in 1850. He had a direct connection with the Revival of Romanticism. He has written a lot of poems in which his mysticism, pantheism and deep love for nature are obviously stand. On the other hand, Coleridge was born in 1772 and died in 1834. He was the collaborator of Wordsworth in the publication of Lyrical Ballads in 1798. He is the master of the art of story-telling and handling the supernatural elements. But Robert Southey (1774-1843) was born in the Romantic Period. His poetical work is not so romantic.

Jane Austen

   

Jane Austen is a great novelist of the Romantic Period (1798-1832). She has a permanent place in the literary world of fiction. She was born in 1775 and died in 1817. She was written several novels in this period. But her novels want romanticism. Miss Austen's position in the world of English novel is firm and very high. She was an inspiration to the women novelists in English in the subsequent ages. The Bronte sisters, Mrs. Gaskell, etc. were inspired by her writings. Miss Austen has great influxes in the world of English fiction and it is very clear and potential. Her most popular novels are Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park, Emma, Persuasion, Sense and Sensitivity (1811). But all her novels appear originally anonymously. Her name was given subsequently in the volumes of 1818. In her novels, she depicts the social life of the time. She wrote realistic comedies of manner. As a novelist, she carries on the tradition of the 18th century novelists. In her novels, the plots are well-made and the character-sketches are vivid. They carry a clear and precise philosophy of life. She is found to be a real successor of Richardson, Fielding and Fanny Burney. She is a successful storyteller in her plan of storytelling facts and characters. She gives an accurate and deep representation of the contemporary social life with a comic sense and ironic effect. In dealing with social life, she is never away from the moral ground. She seems to be a moralist and carrying the trend of the eighteenth century novels.

Thomas Gray

Thomas Gray is notable name in the history of English poetry. He is a great pre-Romantic poet. He is essentially a serious scholar. He was born in 1716 in London in an aristocratic family. He studied at Eton and Cambridge. In the University, he was able to befriend with Horace Walpole. He travelled Italy and France with him from 1739 to 1741. Returning from his visit, he admitted into the University and achieved degree. In 1557, he got 'Laureatesil' but was refused. In 1768, he was appointed as a lecturer of history at the Cambridge University. But he did not attend any class because of health reason. He died in 1771. Thus his life is almost uneventful. He has passed his life in the middle of meditation and deep study. His poetical contributions are no doubt limited. Because he has written only a very few poems. His leading works are "Ode on Distant Prospect of Eton College", "Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat", "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard", " The Progress of Poesy" and "The Bard". His poetic works actually anticipated the dawn of romanticism in English poetry. He plays a leading role in the march of English poetry towards romanticism amid the age of prose and reason of the eighteenth century. He is famous for his most popular elegy. "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard". This poem makes him a poet. The elegy has a universal significance. Because its simple theme strikes the inmost care of a thoughtful heart. " The Progress of Poesy" and "The Bard" are his two great odes. They are filled with the new conception of the poet as an inspired singer rather than an accomplished artist. Gray is essentially a classicist. Matthew Arnold opines that he was a born poet, fell upon an age of prose.

Romanticism 

 

Romanticism is a term which cannot be defined accurately. Because many critics have defined it in various ways, in various angles. An English critic, F. L. Lucas has counted 11,396 definitions of Romanticism. So this term is very difficult to define. C. H. Herford has defined it as "Romanticism is the extra ordinary development of imaginative sensibility" Walter Pater says, "Romanticism is the addition of strangeness to beauty." Whereas Watts Dunton says, "Romanticism is the Renaissance of wonder." But the most convincing definition of Romanticism is given by an eminent critic. It is "One poet is romantic because he falls in love ; another romantic because he sees a ghost; another romantic because he hears a cuckoo; another Romantic because he is reconciled to the church." Regarding Romantic poetry, Keats has written, "If poetry comes not as naturally as the leaves to a tree, it had better not come at all." However, Romanticism is a doctrine which holds that art and literature should be free from classical and neo-classical rules and constraints. The poetry of the romantic revival is a revolt against the poetry of the classical Age of Pope. This literary doctrine had its origin in the Elizabethan Age.

There are many salient characteristics of Romanticism. Among them, the following characteristics are remarkable-----

(i) High imagination,
(ii) Love for nature,
(iii) Primitivism or spontaneity,
(iv) Interest in the remote or love for the post,
(v) Simplicity in expression
(vi) Revolutionary zeal,
(vii) Individualism,
(viii) Supernaturalism,
(ix) Subjectivity,
(x) Medievalism,
(xi) Love for freedom and liberty and
(xii) Predominance of lyricism.

Preface to the Lyrical Ballads 

Lyrical Ballads is an important achievement of the Romantic Period (1798-1832). It was published in September, 1798 jointly by William Wordsworth and S. T. Coleridge. It has ever since been described as the volume that formally inaugurates the Romantic Movement. The poems Published in this volume are completely different from the neo-classical poetry. They are opposite to the poetry of John Dryden and Alexander Pope. As they were the new kind of creation, they were not accepted cordially at first. In this respect, Wordsworth says, "Several of my Friends are anxious for the success of  these poems-----they have advised me to prefix a systematic defence of the theory upon which the Poems were written." Coleridge also requested him to write a "Praface" highlighting their motives of composing such poems. So Wordsworth decided to write a "Preface" for Lyrical Ballads almost unwillingly. It was first added to the second edition of the volume in 1800."Preface to the Lyrical Ballads" is one of the most important poetical documents. It is regarded as the manifesto of the Romantic Movement. It states that the situations of poetry should be taken from common life. It also says that they should be related in language really used by men. According to Wordsworth, all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of  powerful feelings. In fact, he wants to talk about the subject, language and poetic diction of poetry in this "Preface". His faculty as a critic is also manifested in the " Preface to the Lyrical Ballads".

Some Important Short Notes On The Romantic Period (1798-1832)

Green Land | September 13, 2018 | 1comments

Short Notes On The Romantic Period (1798-1832)

The Romantic Period (1798-1832) consists mainly of High imagination,  Lyrical Ballads, The Revival of Romanticism Or, Romantic Movement, Ivanhoe,  The Lake Poets, Jane Austen, Thomas Gray, Romanticism,  Preface to the Lyrical Ballads important short notes etc. Here, these things are discussed in small areas.

High imagination 

Imagination is the image-making and synthesizing power of the human mind. It is the source of creative thinking. It is valued in artists and poets but feared in the insane. So imagination is traditionally used with fancy as a term for the human mind that recombines remembered images. It is distinguished from reason and judgement. It is also opposed to  them.The Romantic poets raise imagination above both reason and fancy. In Biographia Literaria, S. T. Coleridge differs fancy from imagination. According to him, fancy is the capacity simply to reassemble remembered images. On the contrary, imagination dissolves, diffuses and dissipates images in order to recreate. John Keats says, "What the imagination seizes as beauty must be truth-----whether it existed before or not." High imagination is the first and foremost characteristics of romanticism. The poets of the 18th and early half of the 19th century have used imagination highly in their poems. Wordsworth, S. T. Coleridge, P. B. Shelley, John Keats, Byron, Tennyson and W. B. Yeats are regarded as the romantic poets. Most of them follow a certain doctrine. They reject the fact that writers should be earth-bound, realistic and factual. They seek an ideal condition for human beings in their high-soaring and unlimited imagination. They are opposite to the neo-classicists.

Lyrical Ballads

Lyrical Ballads in an important achievement of the Romantic Period (1798-1832). It was published in September, 1798 jointly by William Wordsworth and S. T. Coleridge. It has ever since been described as the volume that formally inaugurates the Romantic Movement. Wordsworth and Coleridge approach poetry from slightly different points of view. Wordsworth takes humble topics as the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. Wordsworth and Coleridge react to the gorgeous, pompous and artificial language of the 17th century poets. They react against the writing style of the neo-classicists. The humble things and men are exalted to the highest dignity through the poems of Wordsworth. Democratic trends in poetry are introduced with the publication of Lyrical Ballads. Lyrical Ballads brings about a great change is literature. The change is obvious both in subject and style. Romanticism gives them extra-ordinary beauty. On the other hand, Coleridge deals with the supernatural and makes it seem real. In other words, he has to make the supernatural natural. But Wordsworth tries to make the natural supernatural. Lyrical Ballads contains some of his finest poems such as "We are Seven" and "Lines Composed a few Miles above Tintern Abbey". " The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", masterpiece of S. T. Coleridge, is also included in the first volume published in 1798. In the second edition of the volume in 1800, Wordsworth includes "Lucy" poems and "Michael". The third edition of the volume is published in 1802.

The Revival of Romanticism Or, Romantic Movement 

The Romantic Period (1798-1832) is called the Revival of Romanticism. Because the romantic ideals of the Elizabethan period revive during these years. Lyrical Ballads published in 1798 brings about a great change in literature. The change is obvious both in subject and style. Romanticism gives them extra-ordinary beauty. On the other hand, Coleridge deals with the supernatural and makes it seem real. In other words, he has to make the supernatural natural. But Wordsworth tries to make the natural supernatural. Lyrical Ballads contains some of his finest poems such as " We are Seven" and "Lines Composed a few Miles above Tintern Abbey". " The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", masterpiece of S. T. Coleridge, is also included in the first volume published in 1798. In the second edition of the volume in 1800, Wordsworth includes "Lucy" poems and "Michael". The third edition of the volume is published in 1802.

" Preface to the Lyrical Ballads " is one of the most important poetical documents. It is regarded as the manifesto of the Romantic Movement. It states that the situations of poetry should be taken from common life. It also says that they should be related in language really used by men. According to Wordsworth, all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.

Romantic Movement is a movement in art and literature in the 18th and 19th centuries in revolt against the neo-classicism of the previous centuries. It is executed by the different poets the age. They are attributed as romantic for certain special qualities in their poetry. They are led by William Wordsworth and S. T. Coleridge. The romantic poets hold a doctrine which is called Romanticism. This literary doctrine had its origin in the Elizabethan Age. However, it revives with full force towards the end of the 19th century during the time of Wordsworth and Coleridge. As the Elizabethan Age is regarded as the original Romantic period, the time span from (1798-1832) is regarded as the Revival of Romanticism. With the publication of Lyrical Ballads this revival started. The main features of romanticism are-----high imagination, love of nature, spontaneity, interest in the remote, simplicity in expression, revolutionary zeal and supernaturalism.

 Ivanhoe

Ivanhoe is a remarkable novel of the Romantic period. It was written in 1820 by Sir Walter Scott. It is his first novel to be set in the medieval times. It is set against the background of antagonism between Saxons and Normans in England of the late 12th Century. John and Richard are only historical characters in the novel. Ivanhoe who is the hero of the novel is an imaginary character. He marries Rowena. He has all the medieval trappings. In the novel, Wamba and Garth are interesting characters. Ivanhoe re-creates the history of the medieval England. It is a marvellous feat of imaginative recreations. It gives a vivid and brilliant picture of medieval life in England. At that time, the Norman conquerors and the Saxon conquerors were beginning to combine into a nation. Every aspect of the medieval life is depicted in the novel and almost nothing is left. The triangular love between Ivanhoe and Rebecca and Rowena is described with psychological realism.

     
The Lake Poets

The poet who lived in a place called Lake District are called the Lake Poets. Lake District was a very charming place full of natural objects including lakes, mountains, streams etc. Some English poets of the Romantic period lived in this beautiful area. William Wordsworth, S. T. Coleridge and Robert Southey lived in that part of England. Francis Geoffrey a Scottish Justice had been writing adverse criticism in the Edinburgh Review for twenty yards about them. He considered them as the poets of Lake District. As a result, Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey are regarded as the Lake poets. Whether Wordsworth is regarded as the lake poet or not, he is the greatest romantic poet. He was born in 1770 and died in 1850. He had a direct connection with the Revival of Romanticism. He has written a lot of poems in which his mysticism, pantheism and deep love for nature are obviously stand. On the other hand, Coleridge was born in 1772 and died in 1834. He was the collaborator of Wordsworth in the publication of Lyrical Ballads in 1798. He is the master of the art of story-telling and handling the supernatural elements. But Robert Southey (1774-1843) was born in the Romantic Period. His poetical work is not so romantic.

Jane Austen

   

Jane Austen is a great novelist of the Romantic Period (1798-1832). She has a permanent place in the literary world of fiction. She was born in 1775 and died in 1817. She was written several novels in this period. But her novels want romanticism. Miss Austen's position in the world of English novel is firm and very high. She was an inspiration to the women novelists in English in the subsequent ages. The Bronte sisters, Mrs. Gaskell, etc. were inspired by her writings. Miss Austen has great influxes in the world of English fiction and it is very clear and potential. Her most popular novels are Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park, Emma, Persuasion, Sense and Sensitivity (1811). But all her novels appear originally anonymously. Her name was given subsequently in the volumes of 1818. In her novels, she depicts the social life of the time. She wrote realistic comedies of manner. As a novelist, she carries on the tradition of the 18th century novelists. In her novels, the plots are well-made and the character-sketches are vivid. They carry a clear and precise philosophy of life. She is found to be a real successor of Richardson, Fielding and Fanny Burney. She is a successful storyteller in her plan of storytelling facts and characters. She gives an accurate and deep representation of the contemporary social life with a comic sense and ironic effect. In dealing with social life, she is never away from the moral ground. She seems to be a moralist and carrying the trend of the eighteenth century novels.

Thomas Gray

Thomas Gray is notable name in the history of English poetry. He is a great pre-Romantic poet. He is essentially a serious scholar. He was born in 1716 in London in an aristocratic family. He studied at Eton and Cambridge. In the University, he was able to befriend with Horace Walpole. He travelled Italy and France with him from 1739 to 1741. Returning from his visit, he admitted into the University and achieved degree. In 1557, he got 'Laureatesil' but was refused. In 1768, he was appointed as a lecturer of history at the Cambridge University. But he did not attend any class because of health reason. He died in 1771. Thus his life is almost uneventful. He has passed his life in the middle of meditation and deep study. His poetical contributions are no doubt limited. Because he has written only a very few poems. His leading works are "Ode on Distant Prospect of Eton College", "Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat", "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard", " The Progress of Poesy" and "The Bard". His poetic works actually anticipated the dawn of romanticism in English poetry. He plays a leading role in the march of English poetry towards romanticism amid the age of prose and reason of the eighteenth century. He is famous for his most popular elegy. "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard". This poem makes him a poet. The elegy has a universal significance. Because its simple theme strikes the inmost care of a thoughtful heart. " The Progress of Poesy" and "The Bard" are his two great odes. They are filled with the new conception of the poet as an inspired singer rather than an accomplished artist. Gray is essentially a classicist. Matthew Arnold opines that he was a born poet, fell upon an age of prose.

Romanticism 

 

Romanticism is a term which cannot be defined accurately. Because many critics have defined it in various ways, in various angles. An English critic, F. L. Lucas has counted 11,396 definitions of Romanticism. So this term is very difficult to define. C. H. Herford has defined it as "Romanticism is the extra ordinary development of imaginative sensibility" Walter Pater says, "Romanticism is the addition of strangeness to beauty." Whereas Watts Dunton says, "Romanticism is the Renaissance of wonder." But the most convincing definition of Romanticism is given by an eminent critic. It is "One poet is romantic because he falls in love ; another romantic because he sees a ghost; another romantic because he hears a cuckoo; another Romantic because he is reconciled to the church." Regarding Romantic poetry, Keats has written, "If poetry comes not as naturally as the leaves to a tree, it had better not come at all." However, Romanticism is a doctrine which holds that art and literature should be free from classical and neo-classical rules and constraints. The poetry of the romantic revival is a revolt against the poetry of the classical Age of Pope. This literary doctrine had its origin in the Elizabethan Age.

There are many salient characteristics of Romanticism. Among them, the following characteristics are remarkable-----

(i) High imagination,
(ii) Love for nature,
(iii) Primitivism or spontaneity,
(iv) Interest in the remote or love for the post,
(v) Simplicity in expression
(vi) Revolutionary zeal,
(vii) Individualism,
(viii) Supernaturalism,
(ix) Subjectivity,
(x) Medievalism,
(xi) Love for freedom and liberty and
(xii) Predominance of lyricism.

Preface to the Lyrical Ballads 

Lyrical Ballads is an important achievement of the Romantic Period (1798-1832). It was published in September, 1798 jointly by William Wordsworth and S. T. Coleridge. It has ever since been described as the volume that formally inaugurates the Romantic Movement. The poems Published in this volume are completely different from the neo-classical poetry. They are opposite to the poetry of John Dryden and Alexander Pope. As they were the new kind of creation, they were not accepted cordially at first. In this respect, Wordsworth says, "Several of my Friends are anxious for the success of  these poems-----they have advised me to prefix a systematic defence of the theory upon which the Poems were written." Coleridge also requested him to write a "Praface" highlighting their motives of composing such poems. So Wordsworth decided to write a "Preface" for Lyrical Ballads almost unwillingly. It was first added to the second edition of the volume in 1800."Preface to the Lyrical Ballads" is one of the most important poetical documents. It is regarded as the manifesto of the Romantic Movement. It states that the situations of poetry should be taken from common life. It also says that they should be related in language really used by men. According to Wordsworth, all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of  powerful feelings. In fact, he wants to talk about the subject, language and poetic diction of poetry in this "Preface". His faculty as a critic is also manifested in the " Preface to the Lyrical Ballads".

Important Short Notes , The Romantic Period

What is Romanticism? Discuss the salient features of Romanticism with special reference to William Wordsworth and John Keats.

The Romantic Period (1798-1832) holds a very significant place in the history of English literature. It is basically a movement that started with the publication of Lyrical ballads in 1798. In collaboration with Samuel Taylor  Coleridge, William Wordsworth published this book. The trends of Romanticism revived with this notable publication. So the period is also known as the Revival of Romanticism lord Byron, P. B. Shelley, and John Keats followed the style of Wordsworth and Coleridge. The poetry of the Romantic revival is a revolt against the poetry of the Classical Age the pope. This literary doctrine had its origin in the Elizabethan Age.

What is Romanticism?

Romanticism is a term that cannot be defined accurately. Because many critics have defined it in various ways, from various angles. An English critic. F.L. Lucas has counted 11,396 definitions of Romanticism. C.H. Herford has defined it as "Romanticism is the extraordinary development of imaginative sensibility". Walter Pater says, "Romanticism is the addition of strangeness to beauty." Whereas Watts Dunton says, "Romanticism is the renaissance of wonder." But the most convincing definition of Romanticism is given by an eminent critic. It is "One poet is romantic because he falls in love; another romantic because he sees a ghost; another romantic because he hears a cuckoo; another romantic because he is reconciled to the church." However,

Salient Features of Romanticism 

Romanticism is a doctrine that holds that art and literature should be free from classical and neo-classical rules and constraints. There are many salient characteristics or features of Romanticism. They are high imagination, love for nature primitivism or spontaneity, interest in the remote or love for the past, simplicity in expression, and revolutionary zeal. individualism, supernaturalism, subjectivity, medievalism, love for freedom and liberty, and the predominance of lyricism. Romantic poetry is fanciful and introspective. It is often marked by extravagance. The romantics are highly imaginative. They do not think that the writers should be earthbound,  realistic, and factual. They seek an ideal condition for human beings in their high-soaring and unlimited imagination. The poetry of Wordsworth and Keats is full of imagination. In Tintern Abbey" Wordsworth imagines that a hermit alone in the forest is cooking something. Whereas he only discerns the smoke coming from its recoiling. Keats flies to the fanciful world of the nightingale in his most beautiful poem, "Ode to a Nightingale". Moreover, both poets are great lovers of nature. Wordsworth is the high priest of nature, a worshipper of nature. He is a mystic and a pantheist in his treatment of nature. Nature is the nurse, guide, guardian, and moral being of heart and soul. But Keats is very sensuous in treating nature. Romantic poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful passions. The romantic poet is gifted with a strong "organic sensibility". He feels more than there is to feel. He sees more than there is to see. Even ordinary objects and incidents excite his imagination and set up in him powerful passions. So he does not care for the perfection of form or clarity of expression. The result is much vagueness and obscurity. The substance is more important for him than form. The philosophical tone of Wordsworth seems to be beyond understanding. His pantheism and mysticism are almost inscrutable.

All romantic literature is subjective. It is an expression of the inner urges of the artist.  The poet does not care for rules and regulations. But he gives free expression to his emotion. Emphasis is laid on inspiration and institution rather than on the observance of set rules. The poet writes according to his own fancy. He is often guilty of wild excesses. Hence it has been criticized as irregular and wild. Wordsworth's poetry is top to bottom subjective. He expresses his own philosophy of nature and childhood in "Tintern Abbey", "Immortality Ode" and "Michael". In "Immortality Ode", he said that a child is a mighty prophet and philosopher. But Keats is objective in his famous odes, "Ode on a Grecian Urn", "Ode to Autumn "or " Ode to a Nightingale"

Romantic poetry is often pessimistic in tone. A romantic may revolt against the existing conditions. He may have a special love for the medieval world or the Middle Ages.    His fascination for the remote and distant is unmistakable in his poetry. He wants to be delighted with the color, pomp, and magic of the past. He would like to escape from the sordid realities of the present. He may try to escape into an imaginative world of his own creation. Often he escapes into the past. Keats is a glaring example of it. He is often charged with his escapism. He wants to avoid the harsh realities of the real world and would like to fly to the fanciful world of the nightingale. The din and bustle of towns and cities also irritate Wordsworth. So he wants to take shelter in the lap of nature.

Romanticism is a revolt against all artificiality. It stands for simplicity in theme and treatment. The romantics treat the common man and language for their purpose. They discard the poetic style of 18th-century poets, Dryden, Pope, and others. They do not accept Heroic Couplet as the weapon of their poetry. They use the Spenserian Stanza, ballad meter, and blank verse. They abundantly write lyrics, odes, and sonnets. They follow the style of Chaucer, Spenser, and Milton who suffer an eclipse during the 18th century. Soon they attain wide popularity. Thus Wordsworth raised his voice against the inane and artificial diction of the 18th-century classic. He advocated the use of the language of the common man for composing poetry. He expressed his poetic theory in "preface to the  Lyrical Ballads" which is regarded as the manifesto of Romanticism.

The year 1798 is momentous in the history of English poetry. Wordsworth and Coleridge published “Lyrical Ballad” to announce the beginning of new kind of poetry that is romantic poetry. Romantic poetry was new in theme and style therefore Wordsworth added a preface as an introduction explaining how romantic poetry was different from the popular 18th century poetry. Therefore we can say the Preface to Lyrical Ballad is a dividing line between 18th century poetry and 19“ century poetry. In other words, “Preface to Lyrical Ballad” ends one era and begins another era. The publication of “Lyrical Ballad” has a great effect in the trend or development of poetry. Great poets like Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Keats accepted Wordsworth’s leadership m the movement. Therefore “Preface to Lyrical Ballad” is an epoch making document in the history of English poetry. 

The romantic movement became an important movement in English poetry. It appeared as a reaction against 18th century poetry. 18th Century Poetry was scholarly. The 18th century poets used poetic diction. Their poetry was a criticism of life and society. On the other hand romantic poets choose incident and situation from common life and describe them in language used by common man. They presented ordinary things to be extraordinary throwing a colouring of imagination on them. In fact rural life, common man, common language has become the subject matter of romantic poetry. Romantic poets tried to avoid poetic diction, allusion, reference. In a sense, they tried to use simple language in a state of artificial poetic language. Therefore English romanticism appeared as a distinct movement in the history of English poetry. 

The important characteristic of English romantic poetry are the following

Imagination: 

English romantic poets were highly imaginative. They described common phenomenon of nature throwing colouring  of imagination. As a result ordinary things appeared to be unusual.For example; the worlds of birds, flowers, leaves. 

Love for nature: 

Love for nature or natural object is another aspect of English romantic poetry. Nature, to the romantic poets, meant the world of trees, fruits, flowers. 

Love for beauty: 

Romantic poets glorified the beauty of natural object. Their description of beauty is sensuous. It appeals to the sense of the readers. 

Love for supernaturalism: 

English romantic poets used supernatural elements in their poetry. Supernatural objects create a romantic atmosphere that is an atmosphere of wonder, horror, suspense and remoteness. For example; Coleridge uses supernatural incidents in his poems. 

Love for medievalism: 

Romantic poets also expressed their love for medieval literature. A love for the past and a nostalgic feeling is one of the important characters of romantic poetry. In other words romantic poetry evokes a felling of nostalgia. 

Glorification of subjective feeling:

Romantic poets are highly egotist. They are subjective in the expression of their feeling. They believe in their imagination. They glorify their personal feeling and emotion. 

A note of democratic and revolutionary spirit: 

Romantic poets were revolutionary in spirit. They want a new order and wish for things that can never be achieved. For example; Shelley is revolutionary and democratic in his poetry. 

A sense of melancholy of morbidness:

Romantic poets were to some extent melancholy in their expression of feeling. For example; Keats uses melancholic incidents in his poem. 

Use of simple language: 

Romantic poets use language of common people in their poetry. They tried to use unrhymed iambic pentameter or blank verse in their poetry which is close to natural speech. . In fact romantic poetry appeared as a new kind of poetry in theme and style. The poets takes us from the society into the heart of nature. Romantic poetry shows man’s intimate love for nature. In other words nature is glorified and romanticized in English poetry

At last, we can say that Romanticism in English poetry has become a new sensation. Wordsworth, Coleridge, Lord Byron, P.B. Shelley, and John Keats are the heroes of that sensation and thrill. Their poetry enjoys almost all the salient features of Romanticism. Wordsworth makes natural objects supernatural and Coleridge makes supernatural objects natural. Byron and Shelley are two great revolutionaries. Keats is the last romantic poet in the Romantic Movement. His poetry begins with sensuousness but ends in thought. He is a successful writer of odes. He does, not try to make believable unbelievable or unbelievable believable. But Wordsworth has represented believable objects unbelievable.

What is Romanticism? Discuss the salient features of Romanticism with special reference to William Wordsworth and John Keats.

Literaturemini | August 11, 2018 | 6comments

The Romantic Period (1798-1832) holds a very significant place in the history of English literature. It is basically a movement that started with the publication of Lyrical ballads in 1798. In collaboration with Samuel Taylor  Coleridge, William Wordsworth published this book. The trends of Romanticism revived with this notable publication. So the period is also known as the Revival of Romanticism lord Byron, P. B. Shelley, and John Keats followed the style of Wordsworth and Coleridge. The poetry of the Romantic revival is a revolt against the poetry of the Classical Age the pope. This literary doctrine had its origin in the Elizabethan Age.

What is Romanticism?

Romanticism is a term that cannot be defined accurately. Because many critics have defined it in various ways, from various angles. An English critic. F.L. Lucas has counted 11,396 definitions of Romanticism. C.H. Herford has defined it as "Romanticism is the extraordinary development of imaginative sensibility". Walter Pater says, "Romanticism is the addition of strangeness to beauty." Whereas Watts Dunton says, "Romanticism is the renaissance of wonder." But the most convincing definition of Romanticism is given by an eminent critic. It is "One poet is romantic because he falls in love; another romantic because he sees a ghost; another romantic because he hears a cuckoo; another romantic because he is reconciled to the church." However,

Salient Features of Romanticism 

Romanticism is a doctrine that holds that art and literature should be free from classical and neo-classical rules and constraints. There are many salient characteristics or features of Romanticism. They are high imagination, love for nature primitivism or spontaneity, interest in the remote or love for the past, simplicity in expression, and revolutionary zeal. individualism, supernaturalism, subjectivity, medievalism, love for freedom and liberty, and the predominance of lyricism. Romantic poetry is fanciful and introspective. It is often marked by extravagance. The romantics are highly imaginative. They do not think that the writers should be earthbound,  realistic, and factual. They seek an ideal condition for human beings in their high-soaring and unlimited imagination. The poetry of Wordsworth and Keats is full of imagination. In Tintern Abbey" Wordsworth imagines that a hermit alone in the forest is cooking something. Whereas he only discerns the smoke coming from its recoiling. Keats flies to the fanciful world of the nightingale in his most beautiful poem, "Ode to a Nightingale". Moreover, both poets are great lovers of nature. Wordsworth is the high priest of nature, a worshipper of nature. He is a mystic and a pantheist in his treatment of nature. Nature is the nurse, guide, guardian, and moral being of heart and soul. But Keats is very sensuous in treating nature. Romantic poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful passions. The romantic poet is gifted with a strong "organic sensibility". He feels more than there is to feel. He sees more than there is to see. Even ordinary objects and incidents excite his imagination and set up in him powerful passions. So he does not care for the perfection of form or clarity of expression. The result is much vagueness and obscurity. The substance is more important for him than form. The philosophical tone of Wordsworth seems to be beyond understanding. His pantheism and mysticism are almost inscrutable.

All romantic literature is subjective. It is an expression of the inner urges of the artist.  The poet does not care for rules and regulations. But he gives free expression to his emotion. Emphasis is laid on inspiration and institution rather than on the observance of set rules. The poet writes according to his own fancy. He is often guilty of wild excesses. Hence it has been criticized as irregular and wild. Wordsworth's poetry is top to bottom subjective. He expresses his own philosophy of nature and childhood in "Tintern Abbey", "Immortality Ode" and "Michael". In "Immortality Ode", he said that a child is a mighty prophet and philosopher. But Keats is objective in his famous odes, "Ode on a Grecian Urn", "Ode to Autumn "or " Ode to a Nightingale"

Romantic poetry is often pessimistic in tone. A romantic may revolt against the existing conditions. He may have a special love for the medieval world or the Middle Ages.    His fascination for the remote and distant is unmistakable in his poetry. He wants to be delighted with the color, pomp, and magic of the past. He would like to escape from the sordid realities of the present. He may try to escape into an imaginative world of his own creation. Often he escapes into the past. Keats is a glaring example of it. He is often charged with his escapism. He wants to avoid the harsh realities of the real world and would like to fly to the fanciful world of the nightingale. The din and bustle of towns and cities also irritate Wordsworth. So he wants to take shelter in the lap of nature.

Romanticism is a revolt against all artificiality. It stands for simplicity in theme and treatment. The romantics treat the common man and language for their purpose. They discard the poetic style of 18th-century poets, Dryden, Pope, and others. They do not accept Heroic Couplet as the weapon of their poetry. They use the Spenserian Stanza, ballad meter, and blank verse. They abundantly write lyrics, odes, and sonnets. They follow the style of Chaucer, Spenser, and Milton who suffer an eclipse during the 18th century. Soon they attain wide popularity. Thus Wordsworth raised his voice against the inane and artificial diction of the 18th-century classic. He advocated the use of the language of the common man for composing poetry. He expressed his poetic theory in "preface to the  Lyrical Ballads" which is regarded as the manifesto of Romanticism.

The year 1798 is momentous in the history of English poetry. Wordsworth and Coleridge published “Lyrical Ballad” to announce the beginning of new kind of poetry that is romantic poetry. Romantic poetry was new in theme and style therefore Wordsworth added a preface as an introduction explaining how romantic poetry was different from the popular 18th century poetry. Therefore we can say the Preface to Lyrical Ballad is a dividing line between 18th century poetry and 19“ century poetry. In other words, “Preface to Lyrical Ballad” ends one era and begins another era. The publication of “Lyrical Ballad” has a great effect in the trend or development of poetry. Great poets like Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Keats accepted Wordsworth’s leadership m the movement. Therefore “Preface to Lyrical Ballad” is an epoch making document in the history of English poetry. 

The romantic movement became an important movement in English poetry. It appeared as a reaction against 18th century poetry. 18th Century Poetry was scholarly. The 18th century poets used poetic diction. Their poetry was a criticism of life and society. On the other hand romantic poets choose incident and situation from common life and describe them in language used by common man. They presented ordinary things to be extraordinary throwing a colouring of imagination on them. In fact rural life, common man, common language has become the subject matter of romantic poetry. Romantic poets tried to avoid poetic diction, allusion, reference. In a sense, they tried to use simple language in a state of artificial poetic language. Therefore English romanticism appeared as a distinct movement in the history of English poetry. 

The important characteristic of English romantic poetry are the following

Imagination: 

English romantic poets were highly imaginative. They described common phenomenon of nature throwing colouring  of imagination. As a result ordinary things appeared to be unusual.For example; the worlds of birds, flowers, leaves. 

Love for nature: 

Love for nature or natural object is another aspect of English romantic poetry. Nature, to the romantic poets, meant the world of trees, fruits, flowers. 

Love for beauty: 

Romantic poets glorified the beauty of natural object. Their description of beauty is sensuous. It appeals to the sense of the readers. 

Love for supernaturalism: 

English romantic poets used supernatural elements in their poetry. Supernatural objects create a romantic atmosphere that is an atmosphere of wonder, horror, suspense and remoteness. For example; Coleridge uses supernatural incidents in his poems. 

Love for medievalism: 

Romantic poets also expressed their love for medieval literature. A love for the past and a nostalgic feeling is one of the important characters of romantic poetry. In other words romantic poetry evokes a felling of nostalgia. 

Glorification of subjective feeling:

Romantic poets are highly egotist. They are subjective in the expression of their feeling. They believe in their imagination. They glorify their personal feeling and emotion. 

A note of democratic and revolutionary spirit: 

Romantic poets were revolutionary in spirit. They want a new order and wish for things that can never be achieved. For example; Shelley is revolutionary and democratic in his poetry. 

A sense of melancholy of morbidness:

Romantic poets were to some extent melancholy in their expression of feeling. For example; Keats uses melancholic incidents in his poem. 

Use of simple language: 

Romantic poets use language of common people in their poetry. They tried to use unrhymed iambic pentameter or blank verse in their poetry which is close to natural speech. . In fact romantic poetry appeared as a new kind of poetry in theme and style. The poets takes us from the society into the heart of nature. Romantic poetry shows man’s intimate love for nature. In other words nature is glorified and romanticized in English poetry

At last, we can say that Romanticism in English poetry has become a new sensation. Wordsworth, Coleridge, Lord Byron, P.B. Shelley, and John Keats are the heroes of that sensation and thrill. Their poetry enjoys almost all the salient features of Romanticism. Wordsworth makes natural objects supernatural and Coleridge makes supernatural objects natural. Byron and Shelley are two great revolutionaries. Keats is the last romantic poet in the Romantic Movement. His poetry begins with sensuousness but ends in thought. He is a successful writer of odes. He does, not try to make believable unbelievable or unbelievable believable. But Wordsworth has represented believable objects unbelievable.

The Romantic Period