Characteristics and Features of Romantic Age

        For over a century the classical convention are apply to the English poetry, but with the publication of Lyrical Ballads in 1798, there was a new trend in the English poetry. The new tendency called ‘Romanticism’. Before this the Elizabethan Age [1558-1603] was known as first Romantic Period. The age of Wordsworth [1798-1830] was known as Romantic Revival.  The word Romanticism has been defined variously by various writers –

 

“The addition of strangeness to Beauty.” – Walter Pater

“The Renaissance of wonder.” ¬– Dunton

“Liberalism in Literature.” – Victor Hugo 

“Liberty of imagination.” – Herford 

CLICK HERE to Find other Definition of Romanticism.

CLICK HERE for Romanticism as “The addition of strangeness to Beauty.” Or “The Renaissance of wonder.”

Subjectivity:

        All the romantic literature is subjective. It is an expression of the urges (feeling) of the soul of an artist. The poet does not care for the rules and regulations, but gives free expression to his emotions. It is a freedom of individual soul from bondage of custom. In Romanticism emphases is laid inspiration and intuition rather than observance of set rules. The romantic poetry is fanciful and introspective. Such tendency gives us a lot of various Romantic Poetry.

Spontaneity:

      Romantic poetry is – “a spontaneous overflow of powerful passions.” The Romantic Poets are gifted with a strong organic sensibility. They Feels more than there are to see. Even an ordinary object or incidents excite theirs imagination. They set up in him powerful passions. Poetry for him is not a craft but inspiration. Even the form also not important for them. Wordsworth’s poetry is full of spontaneity and imagination.

Love of Nature:

       The notable feature of this movement is love of nature. We find zest for the beauties of the external world in the poetry of the period. The Romantics carry us away from the suffocating atmosphere of the cities to the fresh and beautiful world of nature. Wordsworth was a sincere devotee of nature. To him ‘nature was the teacher.’ 

Revolt against Classicism or Simplicity in theme and treatment:

    The romantic period is a strong revolt against the Neo-Classicism. The common men are the centre of interest of new poetry. The Romantic treats the common men with all sympathy. They also use his language for their purposes. They hate poetic diction or artificial style of Pope. Wordsworth believes that there is no essential difference between the language of poetry and of prose.

Emphases on Inherent dignity and nobility of Men:

     Those love of nature leads to love of those who live in her lap. The Romantics have instinct for the elemental simplicities of life. Their hearts overflow with the sympathy for the poor and downtrodden. They glorify the innocence simplicity of common men. They find divine in man. They plea for equal rights for the himself. Therefore the Romantic movement became a part of general democratic movement. Wordsworth’s ‘The solitary Reaper’ is an ideal example. Even P. B. Shelly also favors the spirit of freedom and equality.

Love of Supernatural:

       This feature is especially related with Coleridge. Before Coleridge during the Elizabethan Age Spencer, Marlowe and Shakespeare also try to deal with supernatural. The Romantics are very much alive to wonder, mystery and beauty of universe. He feels presence of unseen powers in nature. To him unseen world is more real than the world of scenes. The supernatural has a special charm for him. He is attracted by the stories of ferries, ghosts and whitchcrast. Coleridge has given us fine poems containing these elements. His ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ ‘Kubla Khan’ and ‘Christabel’ all belong to it.

Melancholy:

        A Romantic is dissatisfied individual (person).  He may be dissatisfied with:

(1) The circumstances of his own life.

(2) Literary convention and tradition of the day.

(3) The general fate of humanity.

      Therefore, romantic poetry is often pessimistic in tone. A Romantic poet may be revolt against the present conditions. He may be tried to escape in to an imaginative world of his own creation. Shelley’s ‘Ode to Westwind’ suggests the feeling. Coleridge escapes in to the Middle Ages and creates his own world of imagination. Thus, the remote and distance and unknown delight him for this very reason.

Craving for Past:

      We find the craving for the past I the poetry of Romantic poetry. It leads the poets to experiment with the meters and poetic forms. The Spenserians Stanza, the ballad meter, the blank verse, the lyric, the odes, the sonnets are all revived. Shelly, Keats, Byron wrote a beautiful lyric, odes, ballads etc.

Conclusion:

     Thus English romanticism is born as a revolt and revival. It is a revolt against eighteenth century traditions and conventions and it is revival of ancient meters and ancient masters of poetry.