Essay How Romantic Was William Blake - 1517 Words

The time period typically associated with the Romantic Poets and writers was one of the most turbulent to hit Europe ever. With the French Revolution sweeping the fields of Alsace, Lorraine and beyond, most monarchs, including those in England were wary of the new notions that were becoming common place among the commoners. Not since the Reformation of the 16th century was the continent in more turmoil. Yet with this build up of angst came a fertile bed for a new style of writing to grow in. This new style embraced many things that were ignored for one reason or another in the previous period of writing among the Augustans. To generalize, but not trying to be an idiot, one would have to attribute a heightened sense of nature to the†¦show more content†¦The aforementioned characteristics are what are generally associated with Romantic. However, there must be more than a simple synopsis in an attempt to define what the Romantics were all about. The official definition a s seen in the Oxford English Dictionary is, Of a fabulous or fictitious character; having no foundation in fact (OED def 2). Now if in keeping with this definition, are we to assume that the Romantic writers were writing works that had no basis in real life and fact and only on fuzzy-minded ideals? This does not seem to be the case at all. Actually the opposite is probably the case. The Romantics used what they saw in life and nature to symbolize what they felt themselves. In this way, they could create elaborate metaphors and link seemingly incongruent things to each other. As Perkins states in the General Introduction, [t]he illusion was that in lyrics one heard not a fictional, but a real person speaking on a real occasion...in reading a lyric, was the speakers inner life, his or her mind or emotion (Perkins 13). In this manner, Romantics were able to convey their emotions and feelings through a third person or narrator. The lyrics themselves were generally not as formula ic as the pre-cursor Augustans, but what was lost in form was made up forShow MoreRelatedRomanticism in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake1393 Words   |  6 PagesRomanticism in William Blakes Poem William Blake was a poet, painter, and a printmaker all during the period in literature known as the Romantic time period. The Romantic time period, also known in Literature as Romanticism began in Europe, mainly France and Britain around the 1800s (Barker) and it was first defined as a tool to in literature and literary criticisms (Galitz). The Romantic period did not just focus on literature, but also on the subjects of art and knowledge which was fueled by theRead MoreInnocence and Experience Essay1422 Words   |  6 PagesAs a new way to criticize the Romantic period, desperate times call for desperate measures and it did through the use of children’s point of view in Romantic poetry. A period of fifty years called Romantic period included the French Revolution, the American Revolution and wars of national independence in Europe. William Blake, one of well known Romantic poets, commented on his society by viewing it through the child’s eyes in the two sets of â₠¬ËœSongs of innocence and of Experience’. It is said thatRead MoreWilliam Wordsworth And The Echoing Green905 Words   |  4 PagesWhile researching about poets in the Romantic period that created beautiful poetry filled with overflowing powerful feelings designed to capture the reader’s imagination in nature. These Poets often placed the literature they were studying into a documented context by discussing the important events in which the literary works were published (â€Å"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud† by William Wordsworth and â€Å"The Echoing Green† by William Blake). However these poets both use nature around them as a symbolicRead MoreThe Romantic Era1008 Words   |  5 PagesA new approach to literature and art that rose in late eighteenth century was the beginning of the Romantic Movement. This was the first time poets and authors were able to strive for originality. The Romantic era was more open to mythic, mystic and spirituality than the enlightenment era had ever been. William Blake was a romantic poet. Romanticism was a movement, which was marked primarily by its rejection of the enlightenment ideologies and scientific methods, as well as its emphasis on theRead MoreEssay William Blake: Visionary Artist and Poet770 Words   |  4 Pages William Blake The sight of an angel made William Blake the most celebrated poet of his time, it influenced in his poems and painting, which it became gothic to people and made him a spiritual person. William Blake was born over his father hosiery shop at 28 Broad Street, Golden Square, London in Nov. 28,1757. 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In this period industrial revolution with the social and political norms formRead MoreThe Age Of Enlightenment By William Wordsworth1465 Words   |  6 Pages The Age of Enlightenment in Europe, which was characterized by rapid political, philosophical, and cultural reform, came to a screeching halt in the late eighteenth century. Widespread disillusionment with enlightenment ideals, specifically the rationalization of nature, led to a radical re-shift in thought. Born from this disapproval was a period known as the Romantic era. Romanticism challenged the validity of the pursuit of reason and instead emphasized individualism, transcendentalism,Read MoreRomanticism Movement ( 1750-1870 )1223 Words   |  5 PagesName: Dilli Kattel Professor: Donna Hermon English 231-02 11/18/2014 Romanticism Movement (1750-1870) Romanticism was a period time between 1750 to 1870 in Europe, Latin America and The United States. Imagination, Subjectivity of approach, freedom, Expression and the idealization of nature will be focused in movement of Romantic Literature. In this period of time industrial revolution with the social and political norms form as age of enlightenment and against of scientific rationalization ofRead MoreThe Marriage of Heaven and Hell Essay922 Words   |  4 PagesThe Marriage of Heaven Hell William Blake The Romantic Period We, as members of the human race, have been endowed with five senses. We have the ability to reason and to be reasonable. We are able to present, receive, and mentally process information logically. The period in history when the importance of these innate functions was stressed is known as the Age of Reason, or the Enlightenment. Also important to this age was the use of science, scientific methods, and theories. This periodRead MoreWilliam Blake And William Wordsworth1099 Words   |  5 PagesRomanticism was a literary movement that flourished during the eighteenth and nineteenth century in almost every country of Europe. It acclaimed imagination over logic, emotions over reason, and nature over artificiality. Additionally, it stressed on self-expression and individual uniqueness. In particular, English Romantic poets had a strong connection with mythology and nature; among those poets are William Blake and William Wordsworth. Although Blake was a contemporary of the era, he ha d a little