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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Started in 1798 when William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge released “Lyrical Ballads.”

Most significant event was The French Revolution and Napoleanic Wars.

Enthusiastic supporters of the revolution in its early stages were writers who would play a central role in romanticism.

18th century was a great time of prosperity and confidence for England.

James Watt perfected the steam engine in 1765, so soon many machines replaced workers.

The first reform bill which extended voting to more citizens was passed in 1832 and ended the romantic age.

CHARACTERISTICS

The Romantic Age refers to an interest in the charmingly magical world of medieval “romance” the rich imagination in that world.

Often elevated the achievements of the misunderstood, heroic individual outcast. Goes along with Heathcliff’s situation in Wuthering Heights.

FOCUS AND THEMES

Concerned with the particular.

Championed the value of the individual human being.

Strove for freedom.

Revitalized interest of medieval subjects and settings.

Saw themselves as reacting against the thought and literary practice of the preceding century.

Felt they were not understood or appreciated by readers.

Diverse and Complex. Focused on emotions.

MARY SHELLEY (1797-1851)

English novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer and travel writer.

Her most famous writing is “Frankenstein.” This book was a reflection of Mary’s own sense of isolation.

Main concerns were the use of knowledge for good and evil purposes, invasion of technology into modern life, treatment of the poor or uneducated, and the restorative powers of nature in the face of unnatural events

JANE AUSTEN (1775-1817)

English novelist whose works of romantic fiction.

Her best work was written in 1796 called Pride and Prejudice.

Other main works consist of Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persvation.

Main themes in writing is society and woman’s place in it.

GEORGE GORDON, LORD BYRON (1788-1824)

Major works consist of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, She Walks in Beauty, and Hours of Idleness.

Themes of writing are based off liberal. Hectic love affair, and moral strictures of society.

He created “Byronic Hero,” which is a passionate, moody, restless character who has exhausted most of the world’s excitements, and who lives under the weight of some mysterious sin committed in the past.

JOHN KEATS (1798-1832)

He attended a private school in London where he was first introduced to poetry, music, and the theater.

“The Eve of St. Agnes” was one of Keat’s greatest poems.

“Hyperion” was one of Keat’s major works as well.

In his writings, he wanted to focus attention on complex individuality of his subject.

Keat said, “A poet is the most unpoetical of anything in existence.”

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH (1770-1850)

Wordsworth partnered with Samuel Coleridge to write the Lyrical Ballads (a collection of poems) published in 1798.

He is considered the father of the Romantic Age.

In 1800 they published the 2nd addition to the famous “Lucy Poems”.

He also wrote the “The Prelude”, a autobiography about his life.

Another one of his writings is “I wandered as lonely as a Cloud.”

SAMUEL COLERIDGE (1772-1834)

He helped Wordsworth write the Lyrical ballads.

He was an English poet, literacy critic and philosopher and a member of the Lake Poet.

He later describes the Lyrical Ballads as “directed to persons and characters supernatural.”

He also wrote “To Erskine”, “Limbo”, “Time”, and “Real and Imaginary.”