Romanticism originated in late 18th century Europe as a reaction against Neoclassicism and rationalism. Some key tenets of Romanticism included emphasizing emotion and intuition over reason, originality and individual expression, and finding spiritual or supernatural themes. Romantic poets like William Wordsworth felt poetry should express powerful emotions. Romanticism praised imagination and nature while rejecting rationalism, and also included darker themes explored by authors like Edgar Allan Poe.

1. Fundamental
Tenets of
Romanticism
Nidhi Chouhan
M.A. Literature (II)
Amity School of Liberal Arts
English Romantic Poetry
7743799

2. Objective
In this module we will understand the
origin, nature, concept and tendencies
of Romanticism.
The fundamental tenets of
Romanticism will be discussed in detail
along with the short notes on major
writers of the era.

3. What is Romanticism???

4. Romanticism: The Genesis
 Romanticism, originated in Europe toward the end of
the 18th century, was a literary, artistic and Intellectual
movement (from 1800 to 1850).
 A reaction to the Neoclassicism and the scientific
rationalization of nature.
 Praise for natural phenomena, but it ‘never
incorporated the sexual connotation’.
 This term was first applied to literature by German poet
Friedrich Schlegel in his Dialogue on Poetry (1800).

6. Romantic Originality
 Romantic Originality was the concept of the
artist who was able to produce his own
original work through this process of
"creation from nothingness“.
 Derivative was totally prohibited.
 Imagination was praised over reason,
emotions over logic, and intuition over
science

7. Importance of Emotion
Poetry should begin as,
"the spontaneous overflow of powerful
emotions," which the poet then "recollect[s]
in tranquility".
William Wordsworth

8. Distinction Between Imagination
and Fancy
Imagination
SecondaryPrimary

9. Dark Romanticism
 Developed from the transcendental philosophical
movement popular in America.
 Less optimistic than transcendental texts about
mankind, nature, and divinity.
 Representative of dark romanticism are Edgar
Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman
Melville.
 They present individuals as prone to sin and
selfdestruction and nature in a much more sinister
light than does Transcendentalism.

10. The Tenets of Romanticism
 Imagination
 Individuality and Personal Freedom
 Emphasis on Emotion and Intuition
 Gothicism: Spiritual/Supernatural Elements
 Glorification, Personification and Idealization of
Nature:
 Interest in the Rustic/Pastoral Life.
 Rejection of Reason and Enlightenment
 Primitivism: Celebration of the Simple Life
 Glorification of Nationalism and Patriotism
 Use of Common Language and Diction

11. Thank You Homo
Sapiens !!!