Introduction
The publication of ‘Lyrical Ballads’ in 1798, proved
to be landmark in the history of revival of Romantic Movement in England. It
was also revolt against the Neo-Classical tendencies dominant in English
literature. They were correctness, following rules and regulations, didacticism
and intellectualism. Though the pope was dominating, there was a reaction
against the classicism. The Pre Romantic poets paved for a full and complete
revival of romantic tendencies in the early nineteenth century. Infect, the
Wordsworth and Coleridge hoisted the flag of Romantic Revival. The movement lasted for the first three
decades of nineteenth century.
Definition of Romanticism:
Certain critics have given good definition of Romanticism. They
were really popular and clear.
According to Walter Pater – “Romanticism is the addition of
strangeness and beauty.” And the Dunton calls it – “the Renaissance of wonder.”
These simple phrases means that the element of wonder is revived in the English
literature – poetry. During the Romantic Movement, it’s also means the revival
of child’s vision.
Expressions of Child like Innocence:
The romantic revival is also the revival of Child's vision.
It had already dean noticed in the every poems of Blake. His Songs of innocence
expresses the innocence of child like. It contains some most charming lyrics
ever written in English. There is a little realistic observation of the world
around us.
Blake’s treatment of childhood found an echo of Wordsworth’s
treatment of childhood. Coleridge one remarked that – “…. To carry the feeling
of childhood in to the years of the manhood is the mark of genius.”
We don’t find such a quality in the poetry of the age of the
pope. The poets of the age of the pope believed that the world was “the film
and familiarity”. They never tried to know the wonder and mystery which was
hidden in the common object of the life. The Romantic poet found out the world
through the imagination. They were struck of the newness of things and
presented them in delightful colours. They opened new fields and cameras.
The Role of Imagination:
Romanticism is also known as – “An extra ordinary
development of imaginative sensibility.” [C. H. Harford].
It’s this imaginative
sensibility opened the new fields and sights which were the source of wonder
for both the poets and the readers. There was a kind of escape. Coleridge
escaped in the world of supernatural. Scott derived inspiration from The Middle
Ages. Keats took shelter from the Middle Ages. Even Byron and Shelly also
revolted against the realistic world and labored hard to usher in ‘the Golden
ape’. When priest’s, King’s, and Tyrone’s world yield to wishes of the underdogs
of the society, the poor and the down trodden.
Coleridge and his Supernatural:
Coleridge was the greatest among the Romantic poets. He was
lives in the world of dream and imagination. He was to write about the hidden
imaginative and romantic subject with supernatural and superhuman power. His
popular poems are – Christabel, Kubla khan, and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
They are all the wonder of delight, feast of imagination and
a height of romanticism. They contain element of supernatural among three
poems. In all his poems we find the world of awe and wonder. We see the sunny
domes, caves of ice, remote places like Xanadu, Depth of valleys, food of honey,
dew girl sitting on the ice place and
looking for his demon lover etc. In the Ancient Mariner, we find human thought
gallop, spurt of emotions, fancy flies and imagination rushed riot. We also
find the circle of awe and wonder. Kubla khan is also most enchanting poems.
Supremacy of Coleridge:
Even before Coleridge, Shakespeare, Spencer and Marlowe also
dealt with the supernatural elements like witches, spirit, ghosts. But the
Coleridge was different and superior in treatment. His treatment of
Supernatural was neither shocking nor appealing. It is highly suggestive,
psychological, refined and elegant. He naturalized supernatural and made it convincing.
He has deftly created atmosphere of mystery and indefiniteness by subtle
suggestion like –
Water, Water everywhere,
And all the boards
did sink;
Water, Water
everywhere,
Not any drop to
drink.
[The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner]
Wordsworth and his nature:
Wordsworth was the high priest of nature. He wrote about the
simple subject and in simple diction. The subject of his poem is mostly nature.
In his treatment of natural object, humble life and common object of ordinary
world. We find ‘touch of wonder and curiosity.’
He does not present the photographic picture of the nature, but he creates
it by imagination. Even such a common subject as – A solitary reaper, a cuckoo,
the skylark, the daffodils breathe as a sense of wonder.
Medievalism and Hellenism
Among the Romantic poets Coleridge, Scott and Keats went to
the Middle Ages to create an effect of wonder. According to Keats ancient Greece
was full of art and beauty. Keats has great adoration of beauty both in its
physical and spiritual aspects. His adoration of Hellenic way of life is
glorified in his immortal odes. He went to the Romantic past to discovered
beauty and mystery in unfamiliar to the gratification of scenes.
Conclusion
The beauty is worshiped by the Romantics. It has a touch of
the unfamiliar, even the unconventional, remote, exotic and abnormal. There is
always search of strange beauty in far off and regions. This element of
strangeness added to beauty and it is the essence of Romanticism as understood Pater.
In short every romantic poet writes to make the period “The Renaissance
of wonder” and the “addition of strangeness to beauty.”
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