Romanticism

Romanticism

When we think of romance or romantic we often associate the term

with love. People talk about how they want their significant others to be

more ‘romantic’. But what does the term ‘romantic’ really mean. Does it

mean giving flowers, spending an evening alone by candlelight, bringing

home extravagant gifts, or reciting beautiful poetry. Within today’s

society it can mean any one of those things and many more. But in the

late eighteenth, early nineteenth century (1780-1830)Romance was

considered something different altogether. To the Romantics of this era

romance was a way of life. It was their whole life. Romance was their

way of expressing themselves to the fullest as they rejected the old ways

and ideas. This is a far cry from our idea of romance today.

The Romantic Era, otherwise known as the Age of Emotion,

represented a radical reaction to the political, social, intellectual, and

artistic climate of the 18th century, which saw itself as the Age of Reason.

It was a reaction against a view of the physical world increasingly

dominated by science, and a rebellion against the emphasis on the material

and on “common sense”. Romantics believed that their real links were

with Nature rather than with the urban social existence. This was one of

the many qualities that set the Romantic poets apart from earlier poets.

In Nature they saw beauty, and out of this came their inspiration. Each

Romantic poet tended to have his own individual views on Nature. For

some Natures inspiration was subject matter in and of itself. Others

gave Nature moral qualities, while still others used Nature as a means of

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...oman, Man and Woman fight, Man and Women have sex,

Man and Woman realize they are in love, and live happily ever after.

Obviously this is not great Romantic literature, but this is what our

society considers Romantic. At what point did we loose our ability to

appreciate Nature and use our imagination. The Romantic poets were

correct in their assumption that children see things more clearly than

adults do. In their childlike simplicity they are still able to use their

imaginations and explore worlds yet undiscovered. Even the Bible says

to be, not childish, but childlike. But as our society continues circling in

the mad whirlwind of materialism, one day even the child’s imagination

may be no more. The great Romantic poets are long past, their poetry

never to be forgotten, and their passion never to be rekindled.