The Influence of the French Revolution upon British Romanticism

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The French Revolution had an important influence on the writing of the Romantic period, inspiring writers to address themes of democracy and human rights and to consider the function of revolution as a form of change. In the beginning, the French Revolution was supported by writers because of the opportunities it seemed to offer for political and social change. When those expectations were frustrated in later years, Romantic poets used the spirit of revolution to help characterize their poetic philosophies. In this essay I am going to concentrate on the influence of the French revolution on two great romantic writers, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

William Wordsworth clearly depicted Napoleon on his writing where he fought against him. In the beginning of the revolution Wordsworth appears enthusiastic and writes in favor of the revolution but after Napoleon takes over we see that enthusiasm turning into hatred for France's aggressive imperialism. Wordsworth sonnets prove that Napoleon was very much in his mind in 1805, when he was working on the "Prelude", and specifically when he crosses the Alps and he refers to Mont Blanc.

"The day we first

Beheld the summit of Mont Blanc, and grieved

To have a soulless image on the eye

Which had usurped upon a living thought

That never more could be." (1805 Prelude, VI.453-457)

Wordsworth goes across the Alps and into Italy through his sonnets as a specific indication of Napoleon's military activities of the previous years. Using a very powerful way through his writing, Wordsworth accomplishes to show his anger for Napoleon's actions during his participation in the revolution and particularly here the Alpine crossing.

Furthermore Wordswor...

... middle of paper ...

...emale Vagrant" 1798, tells the story of a woman which becomes a victim of war.

"The pains and plagues that on our heads came down

Disease and famine, agony and fear,

In wood or wilderness, in camp or town

It would thy brain unsettle even to hear.

All perished; all, in one remorseless year,

Husband and children!"

The French revolution influenced tremendously the writings of the romantics during that period. Different poets depicted different issues concerning the revolution such as Napoleon's cruelty, poets escape to nature in getting away of the real world and its problems, victims of war and various other realistic situations which were effects from war. William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge are two of the major figures of the romantic period and their writings had a great impact on people and the anti-revolutionary spirit.

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