Romanticism: A Reaction To The Ills Of The 18 - 19th Century

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Romanticism A Reaction To The Ills Of The 18 -
19th Century

• Mr. E. Nikolov

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A Century of Turmoil

• The period from 1750 to 1850 saw radical changes
  in all areas of life economic, political and
  social.
• Scientific revolution, Industrial revolution and
  Political revolutions destroy the established
  social order, but fail to replace it with a
  better one.
• Many intellectuals became disillusioned with the
  advances of their times and express it through
  writing, visual art and music, creating a
  movement now known as ROMANTICISM.

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Romanticism defined

• Romanticism was not a series of isolated events,
  spontaneously appearing in society. It was a
  reaction to and repulsion with an era of
  enlightenment and economic, political, social and
  intellectual revolutions in Europe at the end of
  the 18th and most of the 19th century, expressed
  through literature, art and music.

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The Industrial Revolution

• The Industrial Revolution flooded the market with
  low cost manufactured goods, which put out of
  business the traditional artisans / craftsmen.
  The new goods were not the same as the old, they
  lost their soul. Former craftsmen now perform
  meaningless tasks on the production line. People
  were being replaced by machines and felt useless.
  

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Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

• Reacted to the notion that science and machines
  are the answer to all of our needs.
• Points to the dangers of science.

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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Faust

• The moral dilemma of science how much do we
  need to know and what price are we willing to pay
  for it.
• The eternal conflict of good and evil.
• Good always wins.

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Faust and Mephistopheles,Eugene Delacroix, 1827
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The Luddites

• A movement of workers who believed the machines
  are evil and will destroy our lives.
• Claimed to be followers of Ned Ludd who lives in
  Sherwood Forest (historical reference)
• They were supported by Lord Byron, a Romantic, a
  rebel and a poet.

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William Blake, Jerusalem

• I turn my eyes to the Schools Universities of
  EuropeAnd there behold the Loom of Locke whose
  Woof rages direWashd by the Water-wheels of
  Newton. black the clothIn heavy wreathes folds
  over every Nation cruel WorksOf many Wheels I
  view, wheel without wheel, with cogs
  tyrannicMoving by compulsion each other not as
  those in Eden whichWheel within Wheel in
  freedom revolve in harmony peace.
• Rejects Enlightenment and Scientific revolution.

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William Blake, Newton, 1805

• Rejects the view that man is a master of his own
  destiny.
• Critical of Newtons laws of gravity and theory
  of optics.
• Rejects deism and scientific materialism.

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Blake, The Ancient of Days, 1794

• This is the opposition, the alternative to
  Newtons science.
• Science is uncertain, God is perfection.
• Science can be evil, god is always good.
• Science cant answer all questions.

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Rain, Steam and SpeedJoseph Turner, 1844
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Opposition to Rationalism

• Images provoke emotional response, address
  feelings, not thoughts.
• Oppose both classical idealism and realism.
• Realistic images of the past are romanticized and
  opposed to current reality.
• Blakes And did those feet in Ancient times
  hearkens back to a time when England was a green
  and pleasant land without satanic mills.

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Back to Nature The Dreamer by Caspar David
Friedrich, 1835
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• The idealization of nature is a reaction to
  pollution and destruction caused by the
  Industrial revolution.
• It provides the simple alternative of the good
  old times nostalgia.
• It also combines the ideas of nature and
  religion. For example

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Caspar David Friedrich, Cross on the Mountain,
1804
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Caspar David Friedrich, Winter Landscape With
Church, 1811
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Political Changes And Romanticism

• Violent revolutions and wars caused loss of life
  and property for many.
• Periods without strong leadership and power
  struggle led to economic decline.
• Lack of rules and government led to crime.
• People need leaders and heroes.
• People need stability and order in life.

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Francisco Goya The Third of May 1808
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Francisco Goya The Second of May 1808
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Solution Back to Traditions

• Historical Novel revived interest in Medieval
  times, the code of chivalry, hierarchy, honour,
  deference and duty.
• Folklore collections traditional wisdoms.
• Legends and medieval literature and art
  idealism and heroes mysticism and magic.
• Neo-gothic architecture and literature.

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John Constable, Stonehenge, 1836
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Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, 1819
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Francisco Goya, The Bullfight
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Alexandre Dumas - pere

• The Three Musketeers
• The Man in the Iron Mask
• The Count of Monte Cristo
• The Romantic Hero - Loyalty, Justice, Honour,
  Order, Duty, Bravery, Leadership

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Victor Hugo

• Les Miserables the path to redemption of the
  Romantic hero
• Ninety-three
• Notre-Dame de Paris his only gothic novel.

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Charlotte and Emily Bronte the Gothic Novel and
Byronic Hero
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Later in the USA

• L. Frank Baum The Wizard of OZ, 1904
• Bram Stocker Dracula, 1897
• Mikhail Bulgakov The Master and Margarita,
  1920s

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Folklore the wisdom of the ages

• Brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
• Also retold some stories collected earlier by
  Charles Perrault.
• Henry Longfellow The Song of Hiawatha
• Richard Wagner The Ring of the Nibelung

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Revival of Gothic Architecture
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Salisbury Cathedral From the Bishops Ground, John
Constable
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Classical Hero Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass,
David against
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The Human Spirit Wandering Above the Sea of
Fog, Caspar David Friedrich, 1818
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The Music of Romanticism

• Music is loud, majestic, upbeat
• Themes from history or mythology Richard Wagner
• Eroica, The Emperor, Ninth symphony

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Social Changes

• Individualism replaces the cense of community
• Materialism replaces spiritualism
• Money becomes an obsession
• Traditional moral values are fading
• Traditional family declines
• Crime is rising

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Response to Social Changes

• Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol
• Honore De Balzac Father Goriot
• Honore De Balzac Les Chouans
• Hector Malot Sans Famille
• Hector Malot En Famille

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The Corn Field by John Constable, 1826
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Romanticism and Nationalism

• In Eastern Europe the late renaissance includes
  interest in own history as a source of national
  identity and pride
• National liberation seen as restoration of the
  traditional order.

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Eugene Delacroix Greece on the Ruins of
Missolonghi, 1827
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Conclusion

• Romanticism evolved separately from neoclassicism
  and realism as a reflection to specific economic,
  political and social conditions following the
  same pattern across Europe and North America.
• It gained popularity among intellectual circles,
  but due to its elitist nature it did not become a
  part of mass culture.