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What is Romanticism?A literary movement that began in Western

Europe and quickly spread across the U.S. and Latin America

Lasted from about 1750 to about 1870Inspiration for the romantic approach came

from two “great thinkers” of the time:French Philosopher Jean Jacques RousseauGerman writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

French Philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau

I have cool hair and a really big forehead!

German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I’m hungry for some mac & cheese!

Early writers of the Romantic period. . . The Romantic period is said to have begun

with the publication of Lyrical Ballads, a collaboration between William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in 1798.

Other Romantic poets include William Blake, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats.

The Romantic dudes…

William Wordsworth Samuel Taylor Coleridge

William Blake

Percy Bysshe Shelley Lord Byron

John Keats

“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” - written by English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1798 - follows the common gothic or supernatural theme found in

Romantic literature

“It is an ancient Mariner and he stoppeth one of three,

`By thy long beard and glittering eye,Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?

The Bridegroom's doors are opened wide,And I am next of kin;The guests are met, the feast is set :May'st hear the merry din.‘

He holds him with his skinny hand,`There was a ship,' quoth he.`Hold off ! unhand me, grey-beard loon !'Eftsoons his hand dropt he.”

“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”- by William Wordsworth, 1802- commonly seen as a classic example of English

Romanticism because it focuses on nature and the emotions evoked by experiencing nature

“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;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”

I know, I know - these are water lilies and not daffodils, but you get the point.

Characteristics of the Romantic movement . . .Reliance on the imagination, freedom of thought

and expression, and an idealization of nature.Focused on emotion, passion, and the natural

world.Early Romantic period coincides with what is

often called the “age of revolutions” - an age of upheavals in political, economic, and social traditions.

“You say you want a revolution. Well, you know, we all want to

change the world.”

American Revolution

Dude! Little help here!

French Revolution

Get me outta here!

Characteristics of the Romantic movement . . .againRebelled against the Enlightenment of the

previous century and its focus on scientific and rational thought.

Skepticism about religion, yet also fascinated with it

Intuition is valued above rational thoughtFascinated by the beauty and majesty of

nature, and focused on how nature was able to inspire and provoke the human mind

The Romantic Hero. . .

NOT!

The Romantic HeroA literary archetype referring to a character

who rejects established norms, has been rejected by society, and has the self as the center of his or her own existence

Usually the protagonist of the literary work

More about the Romantic hero…Primary focus is on the character’s thoughts rather than his

or her actionsOther characteristics include introspection, alienation,

isolation, regret for his actions, and a general effort to improve the well-being of mankind, which usually protects the character from a tragic ending

The Romantic hero is usually on some kind of quest, either a physical quest or an emotional/spiritual one, which usually begins from a desire to fulfill something for himself

Examples of Romantic Heroes…

Odysseus from Homer’s The Odyssey

Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

Don Juan from Byron’s Don Juan

Victor Frankenstein from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

And, of course, our main man…EDMOND DANTES!Edmond Dantes from Alexandre Dumas’ The

Count of Monte Cristo is considered one of the greatest examples of a Romantic hero