Romantic Poetry

 Romantic poetry

Characteristics of romantic poetry

Hello everyone, this blog is based on a thinking activity task given by Megha ma’am. Which is related to The Romantic Age.

 1)What are the characteristics of Romantic poetry? Illustrate with examples from Wordsworth and Coleridge.

#Introduction

Romantic poetry was an inevitable reaction to the social and critical poetry of the eighteenth century. Poets like Thomson, Crabbe, Grey, Cowper, Burns and especially Blake have already charted poetry that departed from the classical convention of 18th century poetry. 

These poets had already voiced the ‘Romantic’ ideals - in their communication with nature, interest in simple human life, imaginative vision and lyrical subjectivity. In the year 1798 publication of ‘Lyrical Ballads’ combined work of Wordsworth and Coleridge, that is usually accepted as the beginning of romantic poetry.  

The 1st generation of the romantic poets such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Southey and Landor also brought about a literary revolution which advocated freedom of language, technique and thoughts.

Romantic poets focused on emotions, nature, and individual experience, moving away from the strict rules and logic that defined 18th-century poetry. They believed that poetry should come from the heart and reflect personal feelings and imagination. Nature was especially important to Romantic poets. They saw it not just as a physical world but as something spiritual and inspiring. For them, nature was a way to connect with deeper truths and escape from everyday life.

Romantic poets also valued ordinary people and their traditions. They believed that folk culture, with its stories and songs, held genuine human experiences that were often missing in the more polished culture of the wealthy. This made their work more democratic and in tune with social changes of the time.

*Characteristics of romantic poetry:

1. Power of imagination

2. Worship of nature and beauty

3. Creativity

4. Reaction against intellectual poetry

5. Fantasy

1.  Power of Imagination:-

Imagination is one of the major significant characteristics of the romantic period. Romantic poetry is subjective and supernatural. The subjectivity is to analyze instict due to sharp imagination. It is the faculty or action of creating new ideas, or images, or concepts of exterior things, not present to the senses. It’s considered a defining  part of romantic poetry. It creates something new and innovative.

William Wordsworth views imagination as a powerful and dynamic force that connects deeply with nature and human emotions. For Wordsworth, imagination is vital in perceiving and reflecting on the beauty and significance of the natural world.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge sees imagination as a means of accessing the divine or transcendent aspects of existence. He believes it allows individuals to recreate the sacred or spiritual qualities of the world in their poetry.

Percy Bysshe Shelley interprets imagination as a way to understand and convey the deeper values and truths of worldly experiences. Shelley's poetry often explores how imagination can reveal profound insights about human life and society.

John Keats considers imagination an essential faculty for appreciating and experiencing the full richness of life. For Keats, imagination enables one to grasp the beauty and profundity of existence, infusing his poetry with a sense of wonder and transcendence.

2. Worship of nature and beauty:-

Nature is the central figure of romantic poetry. It serves as a source of inspiration, a symbol of emotional states, and a means of exploring philosophical ideas. Romantic poets often saw nature as a mirror reflecting the truths of human existence. They believed that by observing and contemplating nature, one could gain deeper understanding and wisdom about life and its complexities. 

They frequently explored the theme of love through their interactions with nature. Nature's beauty and serenity often served as metaphors for idealized love and the emotional experiences associated with it.

3. Creativity:-

Romantic poets are also considered with creating writing. They want to create their own not  copy and represent things from classicism. As imagination and beauty creativity is the  central theme of romantic poetry.

 Creative imagination in William Wordsworth’s poems namely, “The Daffodils” and “The World Is Too Much with Us” are full of poetic imagination . Wordsworth saw imagination as a powerful, active force that works alongside our senses, interpreting the way we view the world and influencing how we react to events. He believed that a strong imaginative life is essential for our well-being. Often in Wordsworth’s poetry, his intense imaginative effort translates into the great visionary moments of his work.

  4)Reaction against intellectual poetry:- 

romantic poets raised intellectualism in their poetry. Writers like Wordsworth and Coleridge dreamed of an ideal society. Also wordsworth excited for political changes as we see in their quotes. They want to create their own music.

# Illustrate with examples from Wordsworth and Coleridge.

In the year 1789 published ‘lyrical Ballad’ with collaboration of Wordsworth and Coleridge. In this work preface written by William Wordsworth and also 19 poems by him. And 4 poems by Coleridge. 

“Michel” is the nature poem which Wordsworth published in lyrical ballads in the year 1800. This poem  tells the story of an aging shepherd, Michael, his wife Isabel, and his only child Luke.

‘There dwelt a Shepherd, Michael was his name

An old man, stout of heart, and strong of limb.’

“Daffodils” is the most famous poem written by Wordsworth. The inspiration for the poem came from a walk Wordsworth took with his sister Dorothy around Glencoyne Bay, in the lake district. He would draw on this to compose "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" in 1804, inspired by Dorothy's journal entry describing the walk near a lake at Grasmere in England.

 ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils.’

“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” written by Coleridge. It's one of the most famous works. It was written in 1797–98 and published in 1798 in the first edition of lyrical ballad. It recounts the experiences of a sailor who has returned from a long sea voyage. The mariner stops a man who is on his way to a wedding ceremony and begins to narrate a story.

  ‘Twas right, said they, such birds to slay,

That bring the fog and mist.’

# Why do the (1798) mark an important literary epoch?

In the history of English literature  year 1798 is mark an important literary epoch because in the year 1798 The Lyrical Ballad was published written by William Wordsworth collaborating with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Both are prominent writer of Romantic age.

The Lyrical Ballads (1798) – Wordsworth and Coleridge’s first major literary undertaking and a pioneering work of English Romanticism – came into being at this moment in England’s history. 

it was first published in the year 1798 and then after in the year 1800 its first edition was published by Wordsworth he added his preface in the lyrical ballad. in this work it's preface and 19 poems written by Wordsworth and 4 poems written by Coleridge.

The 1790s were a tough time for many people in Europe. Britain went through an economic recession, crop failures, and political instability. By 1798, Ireland was dealing with a large rebellion. At the same time, England was fighting a costly war against the new French republic, which had emerged after the French Revolution of 1789.

Inside Britain, there were reformers who supported the French ideas of republicanism and democracy, creating more tension. Some Christians even thought the world was ending, and some believed that England’s Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger, was the anti-Christ. The country hadn't faced this much chaos since the English Revolution.

At first, it might not seem like Wordsworth and Coleridge's little book, Lyrical Ballads, had much to do with this turbulent time. They wrote the book in 1798 while living in the quiet village of Holford, Somerset. Although they had only known each other for a short time, Wordsworth and Coleridge became fast friends and worked together closely. Life in the village offered them a break from the chaotic and sometimes dangerous cities like London and Bristol, where their unorthodox ideas could have gotten them into trouble. Both poets had supported the French Revolution in its early years, so their retreat to the countryside was partly for their safety.

References:

Wordsworth, William. “Michael: A Pastoral Poem - Michael: A Pastoral Poem Poem by William Wordsworth.” Poem Hunter, 31 December 2002, https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/michael-a-pastoral-poem/ . Accessed 14 September 2024.

Kerr, Jonathan. “A new species of poetry: The making of Lyrical Ballads.” Wordsworth Grasmere, 13 August 2014, https://wordsworth.org.uk/blog/2014/08/13/a-new-species-of-poetry-the-making-of-lyrical-ballads /. Accessed 14 September 2024.