Romanticism

The Romantic period, spanning roughly from the late 18th to the mid-19th century, emerged as a profound reaction against the rationalism and order of the Enlightenment era. It is a time when the modern mass culture in which we now live first took form following the establishment of modern social systems during the Enlightenment or Age of Reason. 

Important Dates:

  • Europe: 1770-1830

  • England: 1798-1832

  • North American: 1820-1860

  • Latin American: 1830-1880

Characterized by an impassioned embrace of emotion, imagination, and individualism, Romantic literature sought to break free from the constraints of classical norms and explore the depths of human experience. Influenced by social and political upheavals, such as the French and American revolutions, writers of the Romantic period celebrated nature, intuition, and the transcendent power of the human spirit. There was a rise of nation-states as defining social and geographic entities, an increase in geographic and social mobility with more people relocating to live in cities, and new technologies dependent on power from fossil fuels. People started to live longer life spans and rising standards of living enabled ideas of values including individualism, imagination, and idealization of childhood, families, love, nature, and the past.
 

The Romantic movement left an indelible mark on literature, fostering a new appreciation for the subjective, the mysterious, and the sublime, and laying the foundation for a diverse array of literary masterpieces that continue to resonate with readers today. The Romantics were of a time when industrialization was just beginning. 

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

  • Individual vs. Society - Society values the individual over the collective. They believed society is what corrupts and destroys humans. 
  • Emotion vs. Reason - Emotion was valued over reason
  • Imaginary vs. Real - They wrote to escape reality, often leaving out critical details found during the Realism period. Cause and effect was not a priority during this period. 
  • Nature was seen to be a pure and all-powerful force. The romantics often saw nature as a place to escape to. If the characters have conflicts, then nature is the way to fix their problems in one way or another. 
  • Writing Style was extravagant, lush language, with a great deal of descriptive language.

Recommended Reading

Magical Realism:

  • Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
  • Orlando by Virginia Woolf

Fantasy:

  • Storm Front by Jim Butcher (2000) 
    • Individual vs. Society - in this text, Harry, the main character, is with few friends throughout the book. He is always by himself when he is in danger. He is looked down upon by his peers in the magical world and the non-magical one. He is a victim of the corruption of the society of magic. 
    • Nature and Emotions - Harry’s magic is based on nature. The magic that is some of the most powerful in this world is based on nature. His fire and wind powers destroy buildings on a semi-regular basis. They are also influenced by emotions which the romantics valued over the mind. The stronger and more pure the emotion is the stronger the magic that is produced. Harry has said that a baby’s laugh is one of the strongest magics in existence. 
  • Moon Call by Patricia Briggs (2006)
    • Individual vs. Society - Mercy, the main character, is a person who is down on her luck and works in a mechanics shop. She is not part of any group. She often fights with the other groups. Especially the werewolves who are the closest group to her. 
    • Nature - Mercy feels most at peace when she is in her coyote form, out in the wild and hunting. The author uses another romantic technique, extravagant language, in this text. 
  • Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison (2004)
    • Individual vs. Society - Rachel, the main character, goes against society and what it stands for by quitting her job and going solo, which puts her in danger. 
    • Nature - an example of how nature is a strength in this text is from how blood is used as an ingredient in the potion work. 
  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)
    • Individual vs. Society - Victor Frankenstein’s “monster” is not a part of a larger society. It lives on the outskirts of society. Frankenstein created the creature for individual gain, not for societal gain. 
    • Nature and Emotion - The Creature in the story often retreats to nature to find solace and healing. Much of the novel takes place in nature.

Science Fiction:

  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818) - Romantic Period Characteristics: 
    • Individual vs. Society: Victor Frankenstein's monster, the "Creature," is not a part of larger society. He lives on the outskirts of society. Frankenstein created the creature for individual gain, not for societal gain.
    • Nature and emotion: The Creature in the novel often retreats to nature to find solace and healing. Much of the novel takes place in nature.
  • The Last Man Mary Shelley (1826)

Graphic Novel/Comic:

  • Sage of the Swamp Thing by Alan Moore
    • Before Watchmen, Alan Moore made his debut in the U.S. comic book industry with the revitalization of the horror comic book The Swamp Thing. His deconstruction of the classic monster stretched the creative boundaries of the medium and became one of the most spectacular series in comic book history.
    • With modern-day issues explored against a backdrop of horror, Swamp Thing's stories became commentaries on environmental, political, and social issues, unflinching in their relevance. Book One begins with the story "The Anatomy Lesson," a haunting origin story that reshapes Swamp Thing mythology with terrifying revelations that begin a journey of discovery and adventure that will take him across the stars and beyond.
  • The Stories of Edgar Allen Poe by Stacy King (2017)
    • The Tales of Edgar Allan Poe is a brilliant collection of some of his best-known stories: The Tell Tale Heart (a murder's haunting guilt), The Cask of Amontillado (a story of brilliant revenge), and The Fall of the House of Usher (an ancient house full of very dark secrets). Also included in this collection are The Mask of the Red Death (horrors of 'the Plague'), and the most famous of all his poems: The Raven (a lover's decline into madness). Best read in a dimly-lit room with the curtains drawn, Poe's brilliant works come to life in darkly thrilling ways in this Manga Classic adaptation."
  • Batman by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion (2013). 
    • After a series of brutal murders rocks Gotham City, Batman begins to realize that perhaps these crimes go far deeper than appearances suggest. As the Caped Crusader begins to unravel this deadly mystery, he discovers a conspiracy going back to his youth and beyond to the origins of the city he's sworn to protect. Could the Court of Owls, once thought to be nothing more than an urban legend, be behind the crime and corruption? Or is Bruce Wayne losing his grip on sanity and falling prey to the pressures of his war on crime

Young Adult Literature:

  • The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene (2014)
  • Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (2005)
  • Paper Towns by John Green (2010)
  • Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (2018)
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2016)
  • Trouble Is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly (2015)

Additional Sources:

  •  The School of Life. (2018). History of Ideas - Romanticism. YouTube. youtube.com/watch?v=PoRWBO0TYQ 
  • Noahprosito. (2014). The Romantic Period in American Literature and Art. YouTube. youtube.com/watch?v-okPFcJntqFA 

"Untitled" by Emporia State student, Samantha Myrick

i cry because of you
i run in the rain becuase of you
lightning strikes but I hardly notice
we had so much fun and you just left
the rain hides my tears
i run, run, and run
i scream as the wind howls
i need someone to hold me
you're not there to do so
the rain hides my tears
and will always have to