Dear Jentlemann,
The Romantic Period was a literary and an artistic (music, fine arts)
movement in Europe and America during the late 1700s through the
middle 1800s. I wouldn't repeat the definition that was given here by
the commentator, only add to it.
The main feature of the Romantic period, which separated it from
previous periods, was the concentration on expression of feelings.
"Heightened sensibility and intensified feeling became characteristic
of the visual arts as well as musical arts and a convention in
literature. This tendency toward images of impassioned or poignant
feeling cut across all national boundaries. Romanticism, as this
movement became known, reflects the movement of writers, musicians,
painters, and sculptors away from rationalism toward the more
subjective side of human experience. Feeling became both the subject
and object of art." (Source: 19th Century Art - The Romantic Movement
in Art <www.hearts-ease.org/gallery/19th-c/1.html>).
This came as a revolt against the Enlightenment and its "Age of
Reason". The period was influenced by political and social
developments, such as the French Revolution: "The goal of
self-determination that Napoleon imported to Holland, Italy, Germany
and Austria affected not only nations but also individuals. England's
metamorphosis during the Industrial Revolution was also reflected in
the outlook of the individual, and therefore in the art produced
during the first half of this century." (ibid).
With such political and social inspirations, it is no surprise that
some Romanticists sought the identification of the individual within
the "nation", this "invention" of the 18th-19th century, and within
common cultural mythes. For some artists, it was also a
counter-reaction to the industrial revolution and its impact on
society. Some point the end of Romanticism in Europe in 1848 - when
nationalism broke out as a political movement.
Another important feature of the movement was the introduction of
women-authors and poets. Women became much more central to the
literary movement (However, they were still marginal to men).
Further Sources
=-=-=-=-=-=-==-
Category: Arts > Literature > World Literature > British > Romanticism
in the Google Directory
<http://directory.google.com/Top/Arts/Literature/World_Literature/British/Romanticism/?il=1>
- Google Directory's category on the literary movement.
San Antonio College LitWeb Index of English Romanticism
<www.accd.edu/sac/english/bailey/engroman.htm> - an excellent source
of information on literary Romanticism.
TheCriticalPoet - Featured Movement - The Romantic Movement
<http://thecriticalpoet.tripod.com/romantic.html>
The Romantic Movement <www.continentallocating.com/World.Literature/
lessons2/romanticmovement.htm>
rec.music.classical - on Romantic Music
<http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=rec.music.classical>
I hope that answered your question. Please let me know if you need any
clarifications on the questions. I'd be pleased to clarify my answer
before you rate it. |
