Notes

Romanticism-       dates:  1800- 1860-70’s

 (Starts with French Revolution & ends with Civil War and Industrial Revolution)

                “Any where but here, any place but now.”

Or            “I feel, therefore I am”

Romanticism values              Feeling   mystery  passion       freedom        individual

Enlightenment                      Intellect   reason    restraint       rules            collective

• Rousseau's novel Emile presents child raised outside the corrupting influence of society in a state of nature.  key quote-  "Man is born free but is everywhere in chains”  meaning in a state of nature man is good but ‘civilization’ has a corrupting influence-

•   Noble Savage-   A character raised outside civilization who embodies man's original qualities such as innate sense of justice, innocence, simplicity.  This character is often associated w/ Rousseau's ideas although he never uses the phrase. 

•  Ethnic Sidekick-  A modern version of noble savage in which minority characters serve as helpful, nonthreatening, asexual assistants to the hero.  Think the Lone Ranger's Tonto, Batman's Robin, Robinson's Crusoe's Friday.  These characters are usually minorities but can also be children or in Disney movies animals. 

• Byronic Hero- 
• A distaste for social institutions and norms
  An exile, an outcast, or an outlaw
  Arrogant
  Cunning ability to adapt
  Cynical
  “Dark” attributes not normally associated with a hero
  Disrespectful of rank and privilege
  Emotionally conflicted, bipolar tendencies, or moodiness
  High level of intelligence and perception
  Mysterious, magnetic
  Power of seduction and attraction
  Self-critical and introspective
  Self-destructive behavior
  Social and sexual dominance
  Sophisticated and well
  educated
  Struggles with integrity
  Troubled past, often a secret wound such as romantic rejection. 

Authors/Artists- Melville, Hawthorne, Whitman, Poe, Shelly, Byron

The ultimate expression of romanticism can be seen in the Transcendentalist movement of the late 1800’s, which effectively deified nature.  It valued the search for individual communion with God through nature, the rejection of traditional religion, and the belief that individuals must seek and create their own purpose and faith.  “Commune”living at Brook Farm.

 









Here are a couple of links to some Romanticism articles that will add background to my lecture-

CUNY Brooklyn notes-

WSU Romanticism notes-