Cult Of Sensibility Essay

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The concept of sensibility arose in the late 18th century; in particular through the social norms of the upper, refined class of society who were very reliant on larger-than-life emotional expression. The manners of women are most integral to the concept of sensibility. The female anatomy was linked to a woman’s theorised fragility; this concept was furthered by the natural reaction of many females, in that they would blush, weep and faint when confronted with certain situations. The concept of female fragility was sexualised during this period; yet it was accepted as it was considered to better the behaviour of men and in the same way it contributed to the subservient status of women. A sensible man was kind and understanding. Yet, if he too …show more content…

Otis Wheeler describes how the surge in sentimental dramas was a direct reaction to the coarse comedies of the Restoration wherein man was depicted as ridiculous and nonsensical. In contrast “the drama of sensibility” was a display of the infinite promise of man. In this way the beginnings of the Cult of Sensibility is inextricably linked to the birth of Romanticism, yet where Romanticism preferred the superfluous and exaggerated the Cult of Sensibility preferred the delicate, softer emotions that would bring people together in harmony. As such it is fair to say that although these two styles were borne of a similar distaste for the neoclassical, they developed into very different types of drama. Romanticism created antagonistic protagonists, such as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. As previously mentioned the anatomy had a great deal to do with how sensibility was addressed. In the comprehension of the cult of sensibility, an awareness of the effects of the nerves in one’s body is imperative. As such, sexual organs had a strong impact on the sensible individual’s thought process. Inasmuch as most novels from the period do not delve into the particulars of the impact of one’s private parts, the charged interactions between characters drew from their particular

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