“Okonkwo” As A Tragic Hero In The Things Fall A Part

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Name : Jethwa Monali A

Paper no 5 : The Romantic Literature.

Topic : Comparison Between Characteristic of Romantic Age and Victorian Age.

Sem :- M.A. part 2

Submitted: Dept.Of .English, M.K.Bhavnagar University.

Characteristics of Romanticism

Romanticism is an important literary movement which began in Western Europe during 17th century and went on till the second half of 18th century. Its characteristics which reflect in the artistic, literary and intellectual works of that period, continue to influence artists even in this century. Let's gather adequate knowledge on the characteristics of this movement.
TAGGED UNDER: Industrial Revolution Romanticism French Revolution
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Romanticism emerged as a reaction against 'The Age of Enlightenment', which emphasized on reason and logic. Pioneers of the Romantic period wanted to break away from the conventions of the Age of Enlightenment and make way for individuality and experimentation. The Romantic movement is said to have emerged in Germany, although the main source of inspiration came from the events and ideologies of the French Revolution. The Industrial Revolution, which began during the same period, is also said to be responsible for the development of this movement. Though Romantic elements had been present in art and literature since several centuries, it was the publication of 'Lyrical Ballads', a collection of poems by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in 1798 that ushered forth the Romantic period. Let us now understand this concept in detail.

Features of Romanticism Literature were the first branch of art to be influenced by the waves of Romanticism, although the concepts remain the same in all the art forms. Let us look at some of the characteristics which influenced the Romantics.

Love of Nature

The Romantics greatly emphasized the importance of nature and the primal feelings of awe, apprehension and horror felt by man on approaching the sublimeness of it. This was mainly because of the industrial revolution, which had shifted life from the peaceful, serene countryside towards the chaotic cities, transforming man's natural order. Nature was not only appreciated for its visual beauty, but also revered for its ability to help the urban man find his true identity.

 Emotions vs. Rationality

Unlike the age of Enlightenment, which focused on rationality and intellect, Romanticism placed human emotions, feelings, instinct and intuition above everything else. While the poets in the era of rationality adhered to the prevalent rules and regulations while selecting a subject and writing about it, the Romantic writers trusted their emotions and feelings to create poetry. This belief can be confirmed from the definition of poetry by William Wordsworth, where he says that poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. The emphasis on emotions also spread to the music created in that period, and can be observed in the compositions made by musicians like Weber, Beethoven, Schumann, etc. Beethoven played an important role in the transition of Western music from the classical to the Romantic age.

Artist, the Creator
As the Romantic period emphasized on human emotions, the position of the artist or the poet also gained supremacy. In the earlier times, the artist was seen as a person who imitated the external world through his art. However, this definition was mooted in the Romantic era and the poet or the painter was seen as a creator of something which reflected his individuality and emotions. The Romantic perception of the artist as the creator is best encapsulated by Caspar David Friedrich, who remarked that "the artist's feeling is his law". It was also the first time that the poems written in the first person were being accepted, as the poetic persona became one with the voice of the poet.

Nationalism

The Romantics borrowed heavily from the folklore and the popular local art. During the earlier eras, literature and art were considered to belong to the high-class educated people, and the lower classes were not considered fit to enjoy them. Also, the language used in these works used to be highly lyrical, which was totally different from what was spoken by people. However, Romantic artists took no shame from being influenced by the folklore that had been created by the masses or the common people, and not by the literary works that were popular only among the higher echelons of the society. Apart from poetry, adopting folk tunes and ballads was one of the very important characteristics of Romantic music. As the Romantics became interested and focused upon developing the folklore, culture, language, customs and traditions of their own country, they developed a sense of Nationalism which reflected in their works. Also, the language used in Romantic poems was simple and easy to understand by the masses.

Exoticism
Along with Nationalism, the Romantics developed the love of the exotic. Hence, far off and mysterious locations were depicted in many of the artistic works from that period. Though this was not exactly apposite to the Romantic ideal of Nationalism, separate factions were never formed. Exoticism is also one of the most prominent characteristics in art, along with sentimentality and spirituality.

Supernatural
Another characteristic of this movement is the belief in the supernatural. The Romantics were interested in the supernatural and included it in their works. Gothic fiction emerged as a branch of Romanticism after Horace Walpole's 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto. This fascination for the mysterious and the unreal also led to the development of Gothic romance, which became popular during this period. Supernatural elements can also be seen in Coleridge's Kubla Khan', The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Keats' La Belle Dame Sans Merci.

As no Romantic artist followed any strict set of rules or regulations, it is difficult to define the characteristics of this movement accurately. Nevertheless, some of these characteristics are reflected in the works of that period. Though many writers and critics have called this movement "irrational", it cannot be denied that it was an honest attempt to portray the world, especially the intricacies of the human nature, in a paradigm-shifting way.


The literature of the Victorian age entered in a new period after the romantic revival. The literature of this era expressed the fusion of pure romance to gross realism. Though, the Victorian Age produced two great poets Tennyson and Browning, the age is also remarkable for the excellence of its prose.

General Characteristics of the Victorian Age:-

1. Literature of this age tends to come closer to daily life which reflects its practical problems and interests. It becomes a powerful instrument for human progress.

2. Moral Purpose: The Victorian literature seems to deviate from "art for art's sake" and asserts its moral purpose. Tennyson, Browning, Carlyle, Ruskin - all were the teachers of England with the faith in their moral message to instruct the world.

3. Idealism: It is often considered as an age of doubt and pessimism. The influence of science is felt here. The whole age seems to be caught in the conception of man in relation to the universe with the idea of evolution. Tennyson's some immature works seem holding doubtful and despairing stains but his In Memoriam comes out as a hope after despair.

4. Though, the age is characterized as practical and materialistic, most of the writers exalt a purely ideal life. It is an idealistic age where the great ideals like truth, justice, love, brotherhood are emphasized by poets, essayists and novelists of the age.

 Here described some more characteristic of the Victorian age:-

Serialization:-

   It can be daunting to pick up a Victorian novel.The Penguin edition of the Middlemarch weighs in at 880pages, and its not an exception.

          Industrialization:-

                      Industrialization might sound more like economic development than literary history. But Victorians were seeing changes.

          Science v/s religion:-

The Victorians were the first status conscious. Between the working class and the upper crust, there was the “middle class.”

This all are characteristic of the Victorian age.

-Now here we can find the music in the romantic era most expressive and the most important inspiration of romantic art was nature.                                                   

-But in the Victorian age here we can say and define to easily this age literature is very powerful instruments of human progress.

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