Romantic Poetry 1798-1832

1
Romantic Poetry1798-1832

1. Fascination with youth and innocence
2. Questioning authority and tradition
3. Adapting to change

2
Big Changes

• Recent American Revolution
• French Revolution
• Rapid Industrialization
• Economic Philosophy of Laissez Fairerich got
  richer poor got poorer
• Horrific work conditions, child labor abuses
  (coal pits), increased homelessness

3
Dominated by 6 great poets

• William Wordsworth, William Blake, Samuel
  Coleridge
• Percy Bysshe Shelley (Marys husband), John
  Keats, Lord Byron

4
Poetic Subject Matter

• Psychological and mysterious aspects of human
  experience
• Response to social and economic changes
• Personal experience and emotions
• NATURE!
• Commonplace subjects and power of imagination
• Gothic to express sense of helplessness about
  forces beyond our control

5
Poetic Form

• Lyric
• Spontaneous burst of emotion
• Simple, uncomplicated language
• Wordsworth described poetry as a man speaking to
  men