Rom-British+Poetry+Movements

Romantic Era British Poetry Movements

The poetry in the Romantic Era challenged the scientific literature that was popular in the decades before. It focused on evoking emotions and discovering oneself through imagination. The writers in this era were very open about their ideas, and the themes of [|libertarianism and nature] were present in almost every poem. Among these writers were Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth, William Blake, Percy Shelly, John Keats, and Lord Byron. Some of these poets focused more on nature, while others focused on expressing individuality and freedom.

__**Samuel Taylor Coleridge**__ [|Coleridge] started developing liberal ideas when he became good friends with William Frend, who was well-known for his Unitarian beliefs at the University of Cambridge. In addition to Frend, Coleridge also started developing his ideas based on Plato's //Republic//. He started to become more philosophical and understood the freedom of religion and expression. Thus, most of the poems written by Coleridge are very deep and often difficult to understand. His poems lean more towards libertarianism than nature because he tends to write more about religion and politics. For example, in his poem  [|"France: An Ode,"] Coleridge shares his opinion on the French Revolution and his feelings on the political decisions that the countries were making during the war. He explains how the decisions made by the government has changed his view on the war. In most eras, such poems would be heavily criticized because it would not be acceptable for writers to speak out against the ruling power. However, this is what the Romantic Era was all about. Writers put their true feelings in their works and were not afraid to share their opinions.  __**William Wordsworth**__ [|William Wordsworth] was a good friend of Samuel Coleridge as he also attended University of Cambridge. They shared many of the same views but Wordsworth found his inspiration from his walking journey through France and Switzerland. One of the main events of the Romantic Era was the French Revolution, so traveling through France during the war had a profound impact on Wordsworth's beliefs. But he also wrote a lot about nature as it can be seen in his poem "It is a Beauteous Evening." Following is an excerpt from the poem: It is a beauteous evening, calm and free, The holy time is quiet and nun Breathless with adoration; the broad sun Is sinking down in its tranquility;

These four lines symbolize the unifying principle of nature that existed during the Romantic Era. In the poem, Wordsworth beautifully describes an evening and expresses the power that nature possesses. Poems such as "It is a Beauteous Evening" were very common during the Romantic Era because it symbolized freedom and libertarianism.

 __**William Blake **__ From his early childhood, [|Blake] was always known to be different from his peers. As a child, he often had visions of god and it was obvious that William Blake had a very unique mind. At the age of 11, Blake had already started writing poetry and was also taking interest in art. Blake is a symbol for the Romantic era because he truly believed in his imagination and creativity. He did not use any scientific evidence to support his beliefs but rather developed thoughts based on his mind and feelings. He believed that imagination was much more powerful than logical reasoning. Also, like most Romantic era poets, Blake had a strong opinion on political matters. His first piece of literature, "Poetical Sketches," was not only a complaint against tyranny, but also a protest against the acts of King George III. He would later go on to write other political literature such as "America, a Prophecy" and "Europe, a Prophecy." Blake's impact on art and literature, along with his emphasis on imagination, makes him one of the great poets of the Romantic era.

__**Percy Shelley**__ [|Percy Shelley] represented the freedom of religion that existed during the Romantic Era. His first novel, //Zastrozzi//, showed Shelley's strong atheistic and heretical beliefs. He even got expelled from Oxford for spreading atheist ideas and publishing literature such as "The Necessity of Atheism." He would also become good friends with British philosopher William Godwin, who was known to have firm Socialist beliefs. These ideas also influenced Shelley and would help him create his own platform. What truly makes Shelley a key figure in the Romantic Era is the fact that he challenged the strong religious ideas that existed prior to this era. He was one of the first to openly talk about atheism and freely express his ideas concerning religion.

**__John Keats__**

[|John Keats] started out his writing career by submitting his sonnets to Leigh Hunt, the editor for the //Examiner.// Hunt would later go on to introducing Keats to other successful Romantic poets such as Percy Shelley and William Wordsworth. These poets had a great influence on Keats and helped him write his first volume of poems, //Poems by John Keats.// However it is important to note that Shelley and Wordsworth were nothing more than an inspiration for self-expression to Keats. He was not very fond of Shelley and disagreed with a lot of his beliefs. Also, like many writers of his era, Keats would include romance in his poems. However, Keats was unique in a way that he used Greek mythology to express romance. Another key contribution that Keats made to the Romantic Era was that he introduced emotion to the theme of nature. In his poem, "Ode on Melancholy," Keats describes nature in a way that it evokes melancholy feelings in the readers. This addition of emotion had a profound impact on the theme of nature that was present in Romantic poetry.


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Lord Byron __** [|George Gordon Byron], or better known as Lord Byron, had very depressed and isolated childhood. He also found himself more attracted to both men and women, which would contribute to the sexual freedom he expressed in his poetry In his collection, //Hours of Idleness//, one of the poems is centered around a boy whom Byron used to love. He would also go on to write satires such as //English Bards and Scotch Reviewers// and his master piece, //Don Jua////n//. Byron also served as a member of England's House of Lords and used his power to speak out for reform and equal rights for women. Byron's poems, especially //Don Juan//, symbolized rebellion and included all of the elements that defined the Romantic Era. His one special contribution to the Romantic era was the the expression of sexual freedom, which he included in almost all of his compositions.

__**The Overall Effect**__ The Romantic Era was one of the most influential time periods in history as it promoted freedom and self-expression. It taught the people to discover themselves and express their true thoughts and feelings, no matter how unconventional they might be. It promoted the use of imagination and creative thinking. The writers of this era put their genuine beliefs in their work, not fearing how the public might perceive it. The unifying principle of libertarianism was present in every poem as writers encouraged open thinking instead of the conventional method of logical and scientific reasoning. Nature, which is a part of libertarianism since it symbolizes freedom, also played a large role in Romantic literature. This push for freedom has helped shaped the democratic ideals that the world functions under today. The poetry in this era not only defined literature in a new way, but it was the driving force behind the social reform that the poets were trying to achieve. Without the poets of the Romantic Era, tyranny and oppression might have still played a large role in society for the future centuries.

Sources: "Percy Bysshe Shelley." 2009. Academy of American Poets, Web. 18 Nov 2009. . "Samuel Taylor Coleridge." 2009. Academy of American Poets, Web. 18 Nov 2009. . Carter, Lori. "Romanticism." //British Romantic Era Poets//. 2009. a la mode, inc., Web. 16 Nov 2009. . Lombardi, Esther. "Romantic Period." //Classic Literature//. 2009. About.com, Web. 16 Nov 2009. .