The Romantic Age in English Literature (late 18th to mid-19th century) was a literary movement that emphasized emotion, imagination, nature, and individualism. It was a reaction against the rationalism and order of the Enlightenment and Neoclassicism. Romanticism sought to express deep feelings, personal experiences, and the beauty of the natural world, often highlighting themes of heroism, mysticism, and nationalism.

Origins and Causes of the Romantic Movement

Several factors contributed to the emergence of the Romantic Age:

1. Reaction Against Neoclassicism

  • The 18th century was dominated by Neoclassicism, which emphasized reason, order, and classical forms.
  • Romantics rejected this rigid structure in favor of creativity, spontaneity, and emotional depth.

2. Influence of the French Revolution (1789)

  • The ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity inspired writers to focus on human rights, freedom, and individualism.
  • Romantic writers celebrated the common man and the struggles against oppression.

3. The Industrial Revolution

  • Rapid industrialization led to urbanization and a disconnect from nature.
  • Romantics idealized rural life and the beauty of untouched landscapes.

4. Revival of Medievalism and Folklore

  • The Romantics admired the medieval past, its chivalry, myths, and legends.
  • They turned to folk traditions, ballads, and supernatural themes for inspiration.

5. German Influence

  • German philosophers like Immanuel Kant and writers like Goethe and Schiller influenced English Romantics.
  • The Sturm und Drang movement (Storm and Stress) in Germany emphasized strong emotions and individuality.

Characteristics of Romantic Literature

  1. Emphasis on Emotion and Imagination

    • Romantic writers prioritized feelings over reason, often exploring deep emotions like love, melancholy, and wonder.

  2. Glorification of Nature

    • Nature was seen as a source of inspiration, beauty, and spiritual renewal.
    • Poets like Wordsworth celebrated the connection between humans and the natural world.

  3. Focus on Individualism and Subjectivity

    • Personal experiences, dreams, and the inner self became central themes.
    • Heroes in Romantic literature were often rebellious, passionate, and misunderstood.

  4. Interest in the Supernatural and Gothic Elements

    • Ghosts, mysterious settings, and eerie themes appeared in Romantic fiction and poetry.
    • Writers like Mary Shelley and Coleridge explored gothic and supernatural themes.

  5. Revolutionary and Nationalist Themes

    • Inspired by political revolutions, many Romantics supported ideas of freedom and democracy.
    • Romantic poetry often expressed national pride and heroism.

  6. Use of Simple, Everyday Language

    • Unlike Neoclassical poetry, which used elaborate diction, Romantics wrote in a more natural and accessible style.
    • Wordsworth called poetry "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings."

  7. Medievalism and Exoticism

    • Interest in medieval themes, knightly chivalry, and Eastern mysticism was common.
    • Romantics were fascinated by far-off places and ancient civilizations.

Major Writers and Their Works

1. William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

  • Called the "Father of Romantic Poetry."
  • His poetry focused on nature and the simplicity of rural life.
  • Major Works:
    • Lyrical Ballads (1798) (co-written with Coleridge, marking the start of Romanticism)
    • Tintern Abbey
    • The Prelude

2. Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

  • Known for supernatural and imaginative poetry.
  • Major Works:
    • The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
    • Kubla Khan

3. Lord Byron (1788-1824)

  • A passionate poet known for the "Byronic Hero"—a dark, rebellious, and brooding character.
  • Major Works:
    • Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage
    • Don Juan

4. Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

  • An idealist and revolutionary poet.
  • Major Works:
    • Ode to the West Wind
    • Prometheus Unbound
    • To a Skylark

5. John Keats (1795-1821)

  • Focused on beauty, art, and mortality.
  • Major Works:
    • Ode to a Nightingale
    • Ode on a Grecian Urn
    • To Autumn

6. Mary Shelley (1797-1851)

  • Wrote the first major science-fiction novel.
  • Major Work:
    • Frankenstein (1818)

7. Walter Scott (1771-1832)

  • A pioneer of the historical novel.
  • Major Works:
    • Ivanhoe
    • The Lady of the Lake

8. Jane Austen (1775-1817) (Partly Romantic but Mostly Realist)

  • Critiqued social norms with wit and irony.
  • Major Works:
    • Pride and Prejudice
    • Sense and Sensibility

The Romantic Age was a literary revolution that emphasized emotion, nature, and individualism, departing from the rational and structured ideals of the Enlightenment. Writers like Wordsworth, Byron, and Keats reshaped poetry, while novelists like Mary Shelley introduced new genres. Romanticism left a lasting impact on literature, inspiring later movements like Victorian literature, Symbolism, and Modernism.