romantic period
characteristics of romantic perion
19th century is known as romantic perion in English literature. In this period,poetry should present a mirror of life. Great poets of this period are Wordsworth and Coleridge.
Imagination becomes very important in poetry and it is seen by romantic poets as the source of creative activity-the creative power of god. The imagination of man is of the same essence. It is in a way identical with the creative power and activity of God.
The lyric form acquired during this period. In a lyric poem, the poet speaks in the 1st person so we have a subjective poem. Romantic poetry is based on individual experience and it also arises from the need of the individual to assert himself. This need to assert one?s identity comes from the pressure of the rapidly changing society. It is also a reaction against uniformity and conformity. Romantic poetry is about the mind of the creative spirit ot the poet. We don?t have poems about simply nature. The underlying subject matter is the innermind, spirit of man interacting with nature. The poet attributes qualities of his own spirit and mind to the external world. Nature acts, feels and responds to the mind of the poet. Self-exploration was one of the most important characteristics of romantic poetry. Apparent subject is nature but the essential subject turns out to be the poet himself. Romantic poetry is the poetry of the self, so the celebration of the nature turns out to be ultimately the celebration of the creativity and subjectivity of the poet himself. It is also the culmination of the enlightment of 18th century ideas. Intuation, inspiration, imagination and self constitude the romanticism. Through intuition a person can reach the truth. (transcendentalism)
