History of Romanticism
When one thinks of Romanticism, one thinks that love is the central idea of everything. However, this popular stereotype has very little to do with the Romantic time period. Instead, “it is an international artistic and philosophical movement that redefined the fundamental ways in which people in Western cultures thought about themselves and about their world.” It is known that the strongholds of the Romantic Movement were not the countries of the romantic languages, but instead the countries of England and Germany. The historians of these countries said the terminal dates for the Romantic Period began in 1789 and ended in 1832. 1789 is said to be the year in which the first edition of Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth and Coleridge was published and Hymns to the Night by Novalis was composed and 1832 is the year in which both Sir Walter Scott and Goethe past away. However, the Romantic Period actually extended into the second half of the nineteenth century, allowing recognition of many arts like music, painting and of course, literature. Some of the literary recognition includes the poetry of William Blake and Robert Burns in England, and Schiller and Goethe in Germany. The Romantic Period is also referred to as the “Age of Revolutions,” describing an age of disorder in economic, political, and social traditions. Theses Revolutions include the American Revolution (1776), the French Revolution (1789), and the Industrial Revolution. The energy of these revolutions was the core of Romanticism that set out to improve the theories and practices of all art, as well as the way people look at eh world. Some of the characteristics that describe the Romantic Period include an emphasis on ones imagination, emotion, nature, individualism, and the supernatural. Many of these precepts survive today and affect our contemporary period ("Romanticism" n.p.).
By: Stardust
By: Stardust
Peter Pan & The Romantics
“Romanticism emphasizes imagination, emotion, freedom, intuition, personal experience, the beauty of nature, the primitive, the exotic, and even the grotesque” (Elements of Literature 1201)
In the case of Peter Pan, it is safe to say that his story and world are very much romantically inspired. His love of nature, use of supernatural aspects, and focus on intuition are clearly demonstrated throughout the work. As a young boy Peter Pan rules the world of Neverland with a band of brutes called The Lost Boys. Although living in common as a group, they are very much individuals, breaking the stream of normality (as per social standards) and causing havoc across the countryside. They each bring just another piece to the great puzzle of “Romantic Peter Pan” and demonstrate it throughout the book, play and movie. Accordingly Peter, their leader, taps in to the flow of Romanticism streaming through the work. His companion is a small pixie named Tinkerbelle, which helps him fight off the Pirates of Neverland (representing the standard of society and life itself). His rebellious ways fight the root of Enlightenment and strike out against natural order as a whole. Romantic’s focus on freedom, imagination, nature and the exotic and each are clearly present in Peter Pan.
By: Sundance
In the case of Peter Pan, it is safe to say that his story and world are very much romantically inspired. His love of nature, use of supernatural aspects, and focus on intuition are clearly demonstrated throughout the work. As a young boy Peter Pan rules the world of Neverland with a band of brutes called The Lost Boys. Although living in common as a group, they are very much individuals, breaking the stream of normality (as per social standards) and causing havoc across the countryside. They each bring just another piece to the great puzzle of “Romantic Peter Pan” and demonstrate it throughout the book, play and movie. Accordingly Peter, their leader, taps in to the flow of Romanticism streaming through the work. His companion is a small pixie named Tinkerbelle, which helps him fight off the Pirates of Neverland (representing the standard of society and life itself). His rebellious ways fight the root of Enlightenment and strike out against natural order as a whole. Romantic’s focus on freedom, imagination, nature and the exotic and each are clearly present in Peter Pan.
By: Sundance
The Philosophy Behind Romanticism
Emotional self-awareness was the very center and direct foundation of the Romantics' philosophy. All Romantics strongly believed man must be in touch with his emotions in order to improve society. They rejected all ideas introduced during the Enlightenment or the Age of Reason. One of the main principles the Romantics promoted was the belief that nature was an experience, not an object that could be manipulated or studied. They believed that once an individual experienced nature, he/she could then be in tune with their own feelings. Romanticism mainly represents a definite shift from the objective to the subjective. The move from the objective to the subjective is a result of Immanuel Kant's idea that human beings do not see the world directly, but through a number of categories. Romantics' emphasis on art and imagination was a direct reaction to the mechanical view of some of the Enlightenment thinkers. It rejected using logic as a way to discover the truths about life. There were many categories through which Romantics viewed the world. Imagination was the key category. Many Romantics believed imagination was our "ultimate shaping" tool or creative power. It was thought of as an active, rather than passive, power that was superior to logic. Another key category was the belief in the undeniable power of the individual and the human mind. It was widely believed that human beings have a unique and endless potential. Romantics advocated self-definition and self-invention, and supported the notions that adolescence is naturally a time of rebellion in which one finds oneself, the best path to faith is through individual choice, and government exists to serve the individuals who have created it. Romantics also renewed interest in the common man. They believed in the natural goodness of humans which is hindered by the urban life of civilization. This belief was brought about by their rejection of all of the ideals presented by the Industrial Revolution which promoted the rise of cities and factories. The Romantics turned away from the Revolution and supported the idea that nature helps one find truth about themselves, not big cities or factories ("Romanticism" n.p.).
By: Kittyhawk
By: Kittyhawk